Terrior - Stellenbosch

Well, off to another top 20 restaurant to try their wares and this time it is the much talked about Terroir in Stellenbosch. We had booked dinner and arrived in the dark to what seems to be a lovely setting by day, but was wonderfully rustic and cosy by night.

Obviously high expectations abounded all round and when the menu arrived, on a large chalk board, we had to spend a considerable amount of time in deciding what we were going to eat. In the end the four of us decided to order six starters as this would allow us to taste the dishes that caught our fancy. Needless to say we required something wet to accompany the food and after having a thorough look through the wine list, we decided on the Kleine Zalze sauvignon blanc, double gold no less and a very enjoyable wine at that.

After deciding on the starters we all went for different main courses that included venison, lamb, fish and pork, their signature dish. The starters arrived and most received rave reviews, but the two that did not, were the white asparagus with ceps and the seafood ragout. We had one of the main courses, mushroom risotto, as a starter and it was fantastic.

So on to the mains and again most of them were very good and enjoyed by all. I however felt that the signature dish of the pork, which had been cooked for eons through various techniques did not live up to my expectations. It was very good, but comparing it to the pork belly I have had elsewhere, it just seemed to lack the oomph to give it the real wow factor and set it apart from others.

The desserts come on a smaller chalk board, but are equally tempting as the other courses. We thoroughly enjoyed the apple pie and burnt lemon cheesecake, but the white chocolate with mascarpone (just added to the menu earlier in the day), was the clear winner and should remain on the menu for quite some time!

On reflection, this is a very good restaurant. However, as we have been working our way through various restaurants in the top 20 we are seeing a clear trend of a few that stand out above the rest and are the top tier and a second tier of very accomplished restaurants, but whom lack that special wow factor in either the food or venue or both. We feel that Terroir is for us in the second tier, but yes, it is a very good restaurant to visit and you will certainly enjoy your meal and outing there without a doubt!

I would like to mention that our waitress was absolutely fantastic! In fact we wish all of them were like her as restaurants would sell far more with her attitude and manner.

Hartford House - KZN

We were in KZN for a wedding and decided to make use of the opportunity to spend some time at one of KZN's top getaways and culinary destinations. It is not a long drive from Durban and if you are living in Gauteng it is pretty easy to get there, but coming from the Cape, it takes a bit more planning and travel. The effort to get there however is certainly worth it, idyllic living in the middle of a very impressive stud farm with horses and other animals surrounding you. We arrived in the afternoon and were given a refreshing cocktail before retiring to our room for a well deserved nap after the previous evening's wedding festivities. We awoke, all ready for the dinner that evening and joined the rest of the guests for pre-dinner drinks in the main house.

We had had a glimpse of the five course menu and were really excited to see what was to be produced. We enjoyed a glass or two of bubbly with some canapes which wet our appetites for the main attraction. The wine list is excellent with a host of fantastic wines to choose from at what must be the best pricing I have seen in quite a while. They really allow you to enjoy your food with very reasonably priced wines. To illustrate this point we enjoyed a bottle of Chocolate Block on the Friday night and Meerlust Rubicon on the Saturday night without getting a call from the bank manager. I am surprised though that a wine pairing was not offered with the dinners as this would certainly elevate the experience even higher than its current lofty heights.

Mick Goss, the owner, took us through a brief history of Hartford House and then left us in the extremely capable hands of Jacqui Cameron. What a feast, it was exceptional. The caramelised onion soup was fantastic, so was the salmon main course, the dessert and the cheeses, but the standout dish for me on the Friday night was the spicy lamb bunny chow which had a wonderful richness and depth in flavour that left me thinking that I would certainly like a main portion of that. A wonderful elegant interpretation of what is a favourite dish in SA.

This left us very excited about the Saturday evening meal as it would be a completely new menu. Before dinner Mick Goss, with his wonderful story telling ability, gave us a history of the area including the many wars that have been fought there and we were then treated to some Zulu war dancing by the local youngsters, very very impressive indeed. Jacqui had a lot to live up to and did not disappoint, we thought she even outdid her efforts of the Friday night.

Again, all courses were delicious, but the one that stood out for us and was probably the best dish of the weekend was the fillet with shitake butter, truffle infused potato creme with a fantastic truffle sauce. This dish really set itself apart from the others with its wonderful textures and stunning flavours. In fact, the truffle sauce was so good that we requested some bread to mop up what was left on the plate. Hey, if the Europeans can do it then so can we!

Not only does Jacqui provide fantastic dinners, she also provides the most different, in a good sense, breakfast menu I think we have ever seen. It really is very funky and we spent some time deciding on what to eat. Luckily we had two days of breakfasts so that we had a number of goes at trying out different dishes from her menu. They were all very good and we really enjoyed the banana smoothie, jungle oats with whisky, cream and sugar, the omelet and the traditional English breakfast. To top the main breakfast off we enjoyed the desserts, particularly the bucks fizz as it was cold and refreshing on a hot spring morning.

Hartford House really is a fantastic venue and is highly, highly recommended if you have the chance to visit. The setting, surroundings and best of all, the food are fantastic. This fact is borne out by it screaming into our top 10 destinations and restaurants. A very special destination indeed!

Ile Maurice - Durban

This much vaunted Durban restaurant was a disappointment to say the least! We managed to get a table for two about an hour before opening, never a good sign really, although when chatting later to one of their managers he stated that they had turned people away because they were fully booked. Stretching the truth a bit or were we just incredibly lucky?

Upon arrival we were shown to our table and found that we were sitting next to the distinct smell of fresh paint - obviously dolling up the place before the season starts! The waiter eventually arrived and we managed to order a bottle of water, although this took some time to arrive and was kindly placed on the table so that we could pour the water ourselves. Unfortunately this was a portent of things to come. It was not that the waiters were not trying, it is just that they were clueless about their role! They simply had no idea about the menu and what was on it. We enquired three times as to what was on their Madame Mauvis platter and eventually got a garbled reply which still did not define exactly what was on the platter.

We were informed that they had the best langoustines ever and this was the house special, at R375 for 4 very large ones. We mulled over the menu and eventually decided that we would have a three course meal with starters, the langoustine dish to share and a main course. The wine menu has a large variety to choose from with some very good wines available, some of them a bit more expensive than at other restaurants though.

We decided as it was raining and cold that we would have the De Toren Z, a wine well known to us and much enjoyed. When the wine arrived and we tasted it though, something was not right. We called the manager, Francois, over and he proceeded to tell us that the wine was fine and that he knows De Toren well and went through its virtues, pity he was talking about the Fusion wines and not the Z. He however stated that if we were not happy with the wine he would replace it with something else. I take my hat off to him as many restaurants would not offer you this option. He did however admit later that the wine was indeed not quite right. We then drank the very pleasant Morkel Bellevue Tumara blend.

Francois then kept us entertained throughout the evening with some of his wine stories, pity the rest of his crew were not as good. The starters (my wife had a choux pastry filled with spinach, cheese and salmon and I had the garlic snails) arrived and were mediocre at best. We waited for the langoustines and "very large" is certainly in the eye of the restaurateur instead of the diner. They were however perfectly done with a great garlic and peri peri sauces as accompaniments. We certainly didn't feel that we got value for money on this dish though.

The main courses arrived and were not great: the duck my wife ordered was smothered in a cherry (instead of orange) sweet sauce which soon made the crispy skin soggy and my pepper fillet was ordinary. The frites (thin potato chips) were the highlight of the main and were really good. We decided to skip dessert and head off home rather than tempt fate gain. All round not very good and would not recommend that you go there for seafood unless you have loads of cash and are looking to impress. I believe you can find the same quality seafood elsewhere at a better price.

Salushi - Claremont

I am not a great lover of sushi, but my wife certainly is. Out on a shopping expedition to Cavendish she suggested that we try one of the nice looking restaurants around the corner from our shopping destination. Off we went and the first restaurant we looked at did not have an appetising menu. The next one was Salushi and we decided to try it.

Well what a find. I do not know a lot about sushi, but what they delivered was fantastic. The salmon was fresh and beautiful and certainly was the star of the show. We ordered their 21 piece platter and absolutely wolfed it down. We then decided to order a number of other dishes off the menu to try them and each was as good. The chicken spring rolls, chicken noodle in cape curry, the banana and chocolate spring rolls and creme brulee with wasabi were simply fantastic.

It was a beautiful day and I am sure this added to our bonhomie and the feel good factor, but the food was good enough for us to order another 21 piece platter to enjoy parts of and still take some home to enjoy for supper that evening. As I said before, I do not know much about sushi, but if that is the quality that can be delivered regularly, then I am sold. Again the common thread with good food in restaurants was the freshness of the produce and the beauty of its preparation. Something to add to the all over feel good factor of the meal was that the sushi was half price as it was part of their winter special. Certainly a winner all round.

Zibaldone - Tygervalley Waterfront

Having lived in Europe, I learned how great pasta can be when fresh, prepared properly and served with the correct sauce. My experiences back in South Africa have not been very good to say the least and I therefore always go to Italian restaurants with a sense of trepidation as they have not lived up to my high expectations.

We received an invitation from some friends to join them at a new Italian restaurant they had discovered. Off we went and on walking into the restaurant and looking at the food on the tables I was surprised and thought that this restaurant may indeed be the one that delivers. Getting to our table, we spent some time chatting and catching up on news before looking at the menu.

We ordered some wine from a very well put together list in terms of pricing and selection as well. It is a small list, but contains something for everyone. The menu however was a delight. There was a wide variety of Italian dishes and certainly enough to have your mouth watering if they delivered. What to choose? I settled for mushroom soup to start which was very good indeed. The main was however where the measure of the restaurant would be determined for me.

I had ordered the meat ravioli with a Bolognese cream sauce, something I had eaten on numerous occasion when overseas. The food looked great and tasted just as good. It really is a delight to have fresh pasta with a delightful sauce and filling and it was as good as I had enjoyed when overseas. The rest of the table had tortellini and veal. All were full of praise for their dishes and I must admit that I wish I could have tried a couple more of the dishes on the menu as there were many yummy things on other people's tables.

The restaurant itself is very nicely done out and there was certainly a hum in the air as the patrons enjoyed their dinners and chatted - always a good sign. I would certainly recommend this restaurant as it is the first real Italian place to deliver for me, simply delightful. I look forward to trying out the rest of their menu and if you are an Italian food lover, I suggest you try this one as you will not be disappointed.

Reader's Restaurant - Tulbagh

It was a crystal clear Sunday morning and we decided to head out to Ceres to see the snow. As things turned out there was not much snow to see any more, but the drive was worth ever cent of petrol: rugged mountains with their peaks slightly dusted with snow created the perfect backdrop for carpets of bright yellow canola flowers and patches of pink peach blossoms which lined the road.

After purchasing our snow map from the friendly lady at the Shell garage in Ceres who recommended that we phone before driving all the way to Ceres again just to see the snow, we decided to head to the picturesque town of Tulbagh for lunch.

Based on a recommendation from the owner of a farm stall (whose clever sign “Scones in the Oven!” enticed us in) on the road between Ceres and Tulbagh we settled on Reader’s Restaurant.

We were seated in the darkest corner in an empty restaurant and only after opening the stable door next to us could we make out the menu. We asked for a large bottle of mineral water and when the waitress reappeared we were told that only small bottles were available. The waitress pestered and pushed us to order our drinks and when we requested she bring us 2 bottles of wine so that we could read the labels as she did not know her way around the wine list (nor did the owner for that matter) we were told we had to wait as the cellar was locked and the owner had the keys. Looking back now these were signs of the terrible lunch that lay in store for us and we should have got up and left!

Once the owner arrived and we had seen the 2 bottles of wine we were torn between – we decided to have the Saronsberg Seismic 2005 which deserves every one of its 5 awards! This turned out to be the only highlight of our lunch at Reader’s Restaurant.

Allow me to tell you about the owner before I tell you about our meal – the owner had on what I could only describe as her gardening clothes and when I asked: “What is good on your menu?” she promptly replied “Everything”. I then enquired about the slow roasted springbok shank and she advised that they had none. Is it only us who see the irony?

My husband and I both had the cauliflower, bacon and blue cheese soup as a starter. The soup lacked depth of flavour and was served with Spar’s crisp white bread rolls.

As my main course I had the bobotie which was nicely spiced and very pleasant. It was served with white rice where I would have rather made yellow rice. The sambals were quite interesting as there were peanuts, raisins and a spicy syrup.

My husband ordered the fillet steak with whole grain mustard sauce. Well, I have never seen steak so grey in my entire life and the whole grain mustard sauce was pink! My husband eventually gave up on his steak as even after sending it back to the kitchen it was rare and not medium as requested. What did the owner do about our complaint? Absolutely nothing!

By now we had gotten the message and went next door to No. 10 for the most delicious milk tart and coffee!

So if you ever find yourself in Tulbagh, give Reader’s Restaurant a miss and head straight to No. 10.

Creation - Hemel and Aarde Ridge

This little gem is certainly off the beaten track. You wind your way past all the well known wineries in the valley such as Bouchard Finlayson and Hamilton Russell and keep going until you hit the dirt road and then you go some more. After some distance you arrive at Creations and need to navigate your way through their vineyards to get to the restaurant and winery. A tip, do not come here if you drive a vehicle with little ground clearance as it will be a problem.

Once getting here though, you certainly appreciate what you have come out all the way for. There is a lovely view across the valley to Ataraxia and we watched the cold front blowing in during the afternoon through large glass windows. This is certainly a restaurant with a difference and provides for a relaxed atmosphere with couches and tables dispersed around the fireplaces, providing for a very cozy feeling on a Cape winters afternoon.

We had booked a wine tasting to start the lunch off with and it was suggested we include the canapes specifically designed to complement and enhance the wine tasting experience. A very very good idea indeed and it certainly is recommended. We were taken on their wine journey with one of the sommeliers and it was great to be able to interact, question and understand what you should be looking for. In fact we showed enough interest to be taken down to the cellar and do some barrel tasting, thereby enhancing our experience even further.

After tasting all their wines, they have an interesting merlot, more a french style than traditional South African, we enjoyed a lunch of fresh breads accompanied by a platter of meats and cheeses. The food was very enjoyable and we whiled away the afternoon chatting, drinking and eating while it was storming outside.

If you are looking for something relaxed and off the beaten track this restaurant is certainly for you. There are so many nice touches and ideas implemented here, including their canapes with the wine tasting and their platters on offer. Their wines are really enjoyable, particularly the viognier, with the other varietals being very good as well. They really are making an effort to present some very interesting events and we are certainly planning more visits and look forward to some great food wine and a relaxed afternoon.