COUNTRY CUISINE RESTAURANT

As long as I can remember I have had a love affair with food. My childhood memories are of stews brewing on a coal stove, ouma's secret recipe for her meat balls, me icing cakes just for fun. I studied home economics at the University of Stellenbosch, but apart from that I have had no formal training as a chef. I get my ideas from travelling to places that inspire me. On a recent trip to France, I spent time in Provence and stayed with friends and had the privilege to go to markets and just indulge myself. I can still teaste the intense flavours of the black figs, crusty breads and cheeses of Provence.

Country Cuisine restaurant had its origins in my home here on Nacht Wacht. I enjoyed entertaining guests right here in my house, but with time the demand increased to the point where I wanted my house back for myself.

Next to our house was an old milking parlour, and I realised that it would be perfect for my dream restaurant. I could picture guests enjoying lunch on the deck while gazing at the tranquil view of cattle grazing in the open veld. That is exactly how it is today.

The restaurant can seat up to 50 guests and is therefore perfect for functions such as birthdays. We have built up a broad client base from Cape Town and surrounds, and guests often make the most of it by staying in nearby Arniston for the weekend. We also have regular international clients, and have catered for several film crews, ie Ella Blue.

When you visit my restaurant, I want it to be an experience, not just another meal. I will tell you about the food, what I do with it and enquire about your likes and dislikes. At the end of the day it is quite a personal experience.

My staff are like my family. They are all from Nacht Wacht and I am so proud of them. None of them had jobs before, and today they provide for their families and have enriched their lives beyond their wildest dreams. When they started working here I told them, ‘ …if you can dream it, you can do it !’ Now, they surprise me every day. When you come to the restaurant you will be sure to meet Nelly, Mercia, or my beloved Miena.

A few of my favourite dishes on the menu are :

- Mussel Soup with fresh West Coast Mussels
- Chickpea, lentil and coconut milk Soup
- Springbok Carpaccio with Gruyère and fresh Rocket
- Smoked Salmon and Melon Salad

Our signature dish is :

- Rack of Lamb with a balsamic, cranberry and fig reduction served with a garlic and sweet potato mash.

Other mains include:

- Slow cooked Bolognaise with penne pasta

- Fillet with a wholegrain mustard and mushroom sauce
- Fresh line fish (when available) from Struisbaai harbour
- Prawns with sweet chillies and coconut milk
- Smoked Pork neck with a traditional sweet mustard sauce.

We are famous for our baked cheesecake, and according to a number of guest it is rated the best in the world. Really worth a try!

Other deserts include:

- Crème Brulee done the real French way.
- Yummy dark chocolate cake with fresh whipped cream.

We only serve Lavazza coffee.

Our wine list features mostly the fine wines from the Elim area, including Black Oystercatcher, The Berrio, Quion Rock, Zoetendal and First Sighting.

We do not compromise on quality and use only handpicked suppliers. Our meat is from a trusted butcher in Bredasdorp, and line fish is from Struisbaai Harbour.

All this said, a friend once told me, ‘… with this view you can get away with serving only bread and water and people will come back for more!’.



Other comments:

What a find. Fabulous cooking and ambience with excellent pricing too. Nothing is too much trouble for Melanie, chef/owner. She even opened for us in the evening when the thought of another microwaved dinner at a nearby hotel filled us with dread. Lamb signature dish is delicious and perfectly cooked calamari as a starter. Wines from local estates at very reasonable prices. In the day time we had an excellent lunch and watched the prime bulls strutting their stuff in the adjacent field. If only she was closer to Cape Town!

Caroline : September 27, 2008