There is no shortage of amazing restaurants serving delicious cuisine in the Cape winelands. In fact, there are so many that I find it quite challenging at times to decide which one we should try next.
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Fortunately, the decision was made for me when I was invited to a Zomato Cape Town Foodie Meetup for their new summer menu launch. I was super excited as Sweetwell Restaurant & Butchery has been on my foodie bucket list for ages!
Sweetwell Farm is a stud and commercial piggery and a member of Alliance Genetics. No hormones are added to the mainly grain-based feed and the welfare of the animals is constantly monitored.
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The Restaurant @ Sweetwell, situated along the R44 in the Stellenbosch winelands, is housed in a lovely building with a beautiful fountain in the lush garden. The large outdoor patio, overlooking the fountain and garden, is perfect for al fresco dining. The shabby chic décor of the restaurant’s interior is very welcoming and will be even cosier in winter with a roaring fire on the go.
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However, the main attraction is the delicious food. If you are a lover of all things pork (their speciality) and more, then prepare yourself for a sensory feast. Thanks to the masterful and creative genius of Chef Hennie, the menu offers something for everyone. One can tell that he pours a lot of love and passion into everything he creates and all food is freshly prepared each day. He was on hand to guide us through the vast menu and make suggestions for our 2-course lunch.
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Lunch was a casual and relaxed affair paired with amazing wines by Ernie Els. I’m a sucker for Slow Roasted Pork Belly, especially when it’s done right. I was not disappointed! My taste buds were in heaven and the crackling was to die for, probably the best I’ve ever had.
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The Slow Braised Whole Pork Eisbein was another popular and tasty choice. The portions are extremely generous but the quantity certainly does not deter from the quality of each and every dish.
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Fortunately, us foodies believe that sharing is caring, so we stuck our forks in here and there to try some of the other dishes. The Prawn Starter looked amazing and I was assured it tasted heavenly.
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The Pulled Pork Risotto was incredibly more-ish with a very generous portion of pulled pork. The rice itself was cooked to creamy perfection without being too rich.
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For those that don’t eat pork, fear not as there are fish and chicken options, as well as a large selection of Banting dishes. I don’t have a sweet tooth but decided on having dessert for once. As the saying goes – life is short, eat the cake! Jean-Marie is the restaurant’s new Pastry Chef and boy, is she good at what she does! I opted for the heavenly Salted Caramel Cake with a rich chocolate ganache, cream and cinnamon biscuit tuile. It was served in a martini glass which made it slightly challenging to eat, but oh-so-delicious!
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I also had a taste of the freshest and tastiest carrot cake I’ve ever had. So by now, you can just imagine how my tummy was starting to take strain. Fortunately, I wore a dress that had some extra room for just that!
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The service we received was friendly and attentive. Whether you’re a lover of pork or not, this great winelands spot should be on your foodie bucket list. I’d recommend making a reservation, especially on busy weekends.
All in all, it was a delightfully delicious afternoon with great company and sublime wines. Fresh and tasty modern country cooking at it’s best!
Remember to pop into the Butchery before you head home for all your pork supplies and more. I very much doubt you will leave empty handed! As I ate all of my scrumptious Pork Belly and crispy crackling, there was none left to take home for my hubby. I’ll definitely be back for more and bring my meat-loving man along next time.
So let me know what your experience was like at this awesome country restaurant.
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