‘Not another day in the winelands’, said no one ever! I have been exploring the world-renowned Cape winelands for much of my close on 16 years in Cape Town and have yet to experience ‘winelands fatigue’. I literally coined that phrase right now.
And so, I found myself heading out with a friend to Paarl, referred to as the ‘Pearl of the Winelands’, on a sunny Wednesday morning. The fact that it happened to be #WineWednesday was a pure coincidence… It had been far too many years since my last visit to Nederburg Wine Estate and I was excited to rediscover this icon that was founded in 1791.
Restaurant Week South Africa XXL is currently underway until 1 November 2020, offering amazing special deals around the country’s finest dining establishments. We arrived at The Manor Restaurant which is housed in the stately Manor House. The interior has been beautifully revamped and modernised, while still retaining its old-world charm.
Warmly welcomed by Wendel, the Restaurant Manager and with the standard safety and hygiene protocols out of the way, he popped open a bottle of Nederburg’s first Méthode Cap Classique Brut. Bubbles are always a great way to start any occasion, don’t you think? Crisp and refreshing with delicate flavours, this MCC contains premium noble grape varieties, 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir.
Seated beneath the old oak trees on the vast verandah of the Manor House overlooking lush lawns, vineyards and the large granite outcrops of Paarl Rock, we sipped on our bubbly and eagerly awaited the arrival of our amuse bouche.
A complimentary little bite to start our meal, the Wild Mushroom Arancini with truffle pea purée, a Parmesan wafer, and sticky ginger and soy glaze was very appetising. It certainly got our taste buds excited for the next course.
Each course is paired with a Nederburg wine. The choice of starters include Crispy Fried Squid with lemon aioli, parsley and lemon peel salad or Zucchini Carpaccio with walnuts, gratinated goat’s Chevin and mizuna salad as the vegan option. We both chose the Crispy Fried Squid and thoroughly enjoyed it with a glass of Nederburg’s refreshing Carignan Grenache Rosé.
It is important to pace oneself when indulging in a delectable three-course meal; to take it slow and savour each moment is very much how I like to do things. My partner-in-wine knew exactly what she was having for her main course – the Ginger and Chilli Glazed Pork Belly with sesame crackling, apple wood-smoked pak choi, thyme-crusted polenta and wakame broth. Just writing this is making my mouth water all over again!
In the end, I chose the Springbok Venison Loin with butternut potato dauphinoise and prune jus, based on Wendel’s recommendation and the fact that I adore venison meat.
The other options were Vegan Jambalaya with cauliflower steak, carrot and miso puree, and carrot top pesto and for seafood lovers, Courgette crusted kingklip with truffle pomme puree, candied baby carrots, picked onions and lemon better. Paired with a glass of Nederburg’s Heritage Heroes Motorcycle Marvel Rhône-style blend, we were in foodie heaven as we happily tucked in. I had a slight case of order envy as the Pork Belly was beautifully plated with perfect crunchy crackling, just the way crackling should be.
I expected the Springbok Loin to be the usual square cut of meat or two, but instead, it arrived in thin slices draped over the butternut potato dauphinoise. Cooked medium rare as requested, it simply melted in my mouth… delicious and a bit different from the norm.
Our indulgent sweet ending was up next; Deconstructed orange shard crème brûlée, 70% dark chocolate ganache (yes please!) and marbled shortbread crumble, with Nederburg’s award-winning Noble Late Harvest dessert wine. Orange and dark chocolate are a match made in heaven and this lovely dessert was light and luscious.
Usually a two-course max kind of girl, the dishes have been created and prepared in such a way to not be too heavy, so I was able to manage that amount of food. Taking breaks between courses also helped. I suggest arriving hungry as the servings are generous and you will want to take your time enjoying the food, wine, views and hospitality.
The staff go out of their way to make you feel welcome and ensure that you enjoy your dining experience. Talented Executive Chef Jerry Kennedy is now at the helm of The Manor Restaurant. Helping out in the front of house on the day we were there, Head Chef Gerhard made sure the kitchen was running smoothly.
Thank you so much for hosting us. It was wonderful to be back at Nederburg and we hope to return soon. So, lovers of food, wine and all things fine, what are you waiting for? See below for the booking details and reserve your table. You do not want to miss out on a fabulous time at Nederburg and at such great prices, it is a steal… a delicious one at that!
Booking details
Nederburg’s The Manor will be serving up a mouth-watering two- and three-course menu as part of Restaurant Week South Africa XXL, scheduled to run from 1 October to 1 November 2020. The three-course menu, including a glass of wine per course, is offered at R350 per person, while the two-course, also featuring a glass of wine per course, costs R250 per person.
Reservations need to be made via www.restaurantweek.co.za.
Trading hours:
Mondays to Sundays (except Tuesdays when The Manor is closed):
Breakfast served from 9:00 to 11:00 (weekends only)
Lunch served from 12:00 to 15:00
Always-on-offer menu items: 9:00 to 17:00
Contact details:
Physical address: Sonstraal Road, Dal Josafat, Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa
Tel: +27 21 862 3104
E-mail: info@nederburg.com
Website: www.nederburg.com
Social media: Facebook.com/nederburg | Twitter.com/nederburg | Instagram.com/nederburgwine | Youtube.com/nederburgwine
Disclaimer: We were invited to dine at Nederburg Wine Estate by August Collective as part of Restaurant Week South Africa XXL. The service fee was excluded and paid for by me. All views and images are my own.
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Yours in Travel, Food, Wine & All Things Fine
xoxo
Nadine aka Living It Up CT endorses responsible drinking.
Please don’t drink and drive. Appoint a designated driver or make use of a taxi service. Not for persons under 18.
