Franschhoek isn’t called the Gourmet Capital of South Africa for nothing! The food we ate in the Cape was fantastic. In fact, it already started in Cape Town. We joined Liesel and Kelle at La Colombe, probably the best restaurant in South Africa and voted one of the best restaurants in the world … according to some sources (www.constantia-uitsig.com/pages/restaurants/la-colombe.php). But not at a price that is completely unaffordable. It is expensive, yes, but if you convert to pounds (which we could luckily do), it costs less than any Michelin starred restaurant would cost here!
In Franschhoek we at at Le Bon Vivant (www.lebonvivant.co.za). The presentation was fantastic, but the flavours were outstanding.
This was my ‘combination of hot and cold starters’ (R80=£6.50)
Tim had TUNA & GINGER Seared tuna, soy spaghetti, ginger macaroons, pistachio and green apple (R85 = £7)
Tim had the duck main course (R125 = £10.50)
I had BLESBOK LOIN & SPRINGBOK SHANK Grilled and earl grey smoked loin, lasagna of shank, apple textures (R125 = £10.50). It was out of this world amazing and unlike anything I have ever eaten before!
We only spent one night in Franschhoek and then headed to visit Kari and Jan in Somerset West. I couldn’t believe we hadn’t seen them for a whole 5 years! I hadn’t even met their children Philip and Lineke. And what charming kids they were!
Kari had arranged for us to go to Uva Mira, a small niche winery outside Stellenbosch. They offer sundowner wine tastings from 5.00 pm to 8.00 pm when they serve cheese boards. The view is simply spectacular: the mountains to the one side, out to Table Bay and Table Mountain tot the other side. It was a lovely day and we were a little disappointed that we needed to leave when the sun went down.Tim and I at Uva Mira.
Even if the weather wasn’t good, the inside is rustic and cosy …
We were rather disappointed when it was time to leave the Cape … We had such a great time. And we shall return – perhaps to live some day!
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