Cosecha at Noble Hill

 

I am on vacation! Yay :) So it was only appropriate for my weekend to be filled with new and exciting places. The boyfriend was very "oulik" to take me to  Cosecha at Noble Hill. It's situated next to Babylonstoren and is one of those undiscovered gems.

We arrived early for our lunch booking so we decided to do some wine-tasting first. A very kind and welcoming host directed us to a beautiful tasting room with a very cosy fireplace!
 
For R30 you can taste eight wines and the fee is wavered if you purchase a bottle of wine. I really enjoyed the Sauvignon Blanc,Chardonnay and Merlot. Usually a Chardonnay is very fruity but Noble Hills' one is "less oaked" which dampened the fruitiness for me and made it a very refreshing wine to drink. They launched their new Estate blend on Friday which consists of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Wine prices start from R55.
 
It's one of the most informative wine tastings I have been on as you receive an entire folder which describes the wine for you a page per wine. So if you don't know anything about wine you can bluff yourself through the tasting ;)

After the wine tasting we went to Cosecha restaurant. Cosecha in Spanish translates to harvest. They try and grow as much of the produce they use to prepare the dishes.  I could not wait to start indulging.
 
We sat outside on a beautiful terrace that was decorated with the iconic cactuses and a neutral colour pallet. I loved the one wall that was decorated with loads of plants mounted to the wall. In the distance there is a pond where you can take your glass of wine and relax on some deck chairs. The restaurant also caters for children and for R45 they organise a picnic basket for them  which they can enjoy on the lawn and run around freely.

The entrance

My favourite wall

 

Outside seating

The terrace

My favourite person :)

 

 

 
The majority of their menu consist of "bocaditos" which is small plates of food made to share. This is my favourite way of eating. You get to taste loads of dishes and there is a great social aspect to it. The bocaditos range from R34-R65.
 
We decided to try the following

• Antojitos: Mushroom Quesadilla (R46)
• Tostadas: Chorizo and grilled pepper tortillas (R56)
• Ceviche: Prawn and avo (R56)

Complimentary tortilla chips and chickpeas on arrival!

On top you have the mushroom quesadillas and on the bottom the tostadas.

In the right corner is the ceviche and below the pork sandwich.

 
My favourite was the mushroom quesadilla. They serve it with guacamole and cream cheese. There is a mild kick to it from the chilli that they add but the accompaniments smooth out the sting beautifully. The prawn and avo ceviche was not flavoured enough with the citrus fruit that you expect from the ceviche and the portion too small for what you pay for.
 
Next time I look forward to tasting the bacon wrapped medjool dates(R62), black bean soup served with cornbread(R48) and bacon and leak empanadas(R34).
 
According to the Eat Out magazine the pulled pork sandwich(R62) was a must-try so we opted to share a main course as well. The boyfriend enjoyed this and I had to surrender my portion :) Other mains to try are fish tacos(R72), beef enchiladas(R85)  or grilled calamari served with sweet potato cakes(R74). All the mains are under R95.

I would recommend that you stick to the bocaditos and try as many of them as you can! This place is ideal for a social afternoon with a big group of friends!
 
I enjoyed a glass of Sauvignon Blanc (R21) and the wine tasting convinced the boyfriend, who does not like Chardonnay(R32) at all, to enjoy a glass of that. As we just finished our food the waiters delivered a large jug of Sangria(R95) to the table next to us and we were so bummed as we did not spot that on the menu. It looked so refreshing and I think it will only add value to your Spanish experience :)

Cactuses everywhere

 

The relaxing atmosphere of the restaurant is also reflected in the service. They waiters are very friendly and welcoming. Food arrives briskly and a waiter is always around if you need one. It was an awesome treat to bump into one of our friends that work at Cosecha! Hello Kobus :)

 

Large lawn to relax on and spend some time at the pond. They offer picnic basket at R295 for two people.

Our bill, including service, was R300 and this has been one of the most affordable restaurants I have visited in the winelands. This is the ideal place to escape to when you are blessed with a sunny weekend! Add a jug of sangria and a group of friends and you will leave completely satisfied :)

 

 

Visit them every day of the week, excluding Tuesdays, 10:00 - 17:00 (They also serve breakfast!)

Located on the Klapmuts-Simondium road

For bookings visit their website

Follow them on twitter @noblehill