Picnic at Hartenberg Estate

I was first exposed to Hartenberg wine estate when I enjoyed a bottle of their Shiraz while dining at The Test Kitchen. It really was an exquisite wine so I was very excited to go to its place of origin.
 

Perfect weather for a picnic

 

Relaxing Saturday on Hartenbergs' lawn

 
It was a very hot day. One of those where a picnic outside could end in an exhausted puddle of sweat. Luckily at Hartenberg you wine and dine underneath large oak trees. What I loved was that you have the option to either sit at a table or lounge on picnic blankets and cushions. We initially sat at the table but after a few sips of our refreshing Hartenberg Sauvignon Blanc we parked ourselves on the cushions for the entire afternoon. Hartenberg was very busy which contributed to an awesome vibe but they space you on the lawn so that no one intrudes your company.
 

In the beginning ...

 

After 5 minutes ... comfort!

 
The picnic will cost you R175 pp and the basket is shared between two people. It includes a bottle of wine and you can choose from the following
 

• Riesling
• Chardonnay
• Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz
• Doorkeeper shiraz
• Sauvignon Blanc

We chose the Sauvignon Blanc so it was a proper afternoon of Sauvignon showers! At the end of the picnic we wanted to enjoy the delicious Shiraz we had at The Test Kitchen and by mistake we ordered the Doorkeeper Shiraz and not the Hartenberg Shiraz. Well it wasn't a mistake as the "cheaper" version also delivered 100% and I will keep him in mind during tough months :)
 

The wine!

 
Now lets get to the good stuff, the food. The picnic basket was packed with goodies. The boyfriend and I only managed to finish half of it. They really spoil you with quantity and variety and I can confirm that they offer one of the more affordable picnics in the wine-lands. Usually you will pay between R300-R400 for picnic basket without wine so that culinary trip can become very expensive.
 
Our basket contained the following

• 2 x baguettes
• Snoek pate
• Pesto Hummus
• A selection of cheeses
• A selection of chacuterie
• Bocconcinis( which are small balls of mozzarella cheese), tomatoes and basil salad
• Baby potatoes, fine beans and wholegrain mustard salad
• Caramelised onion and goats cheese tartlets
• Meaty terrine
• Preserved figs and meringue

Everything was delicious but my favourites were the snoek pate and cheese tartlets. The selection of chacuterie was also really impressive. The one thing that did not impress me was the preserved figs and meringue. The meringues were soft and squashed and not my ideal dessert option. They should rather stick to something like a chocolate brownie.
 


The yummy basket



Some of the delicious goodies!

 
While you are wining and dining you can make room for some more by playing some of the garden games. You can choose between croquet, boules and jenga!
 

The boys playing some boules



Fancy a game of croquet?



Hartenberg also offers wine-tasting, wine and canapé pairings as well as lazy bistro lunches underneath their veranda. I will pop in again to try all of that!

 

The lawn bustling with people

A tucked away corner for couples..

They have vegetarian and halaal options available. All picnics should  be booked  at least 24 hours in advance. They also cater for children under 12 at R65 per child.
 
Hartenberg provides you with a delicious picnic, in a very relaxed atmosphere, that is affordable. You can enjoy it as a couple, family or a group of friends and you will leave as happy customers. They are definitely on top of my picnic recommendation list.
 
Book your spot now! You can't say you've enjoyed summer without at least going to one picnic!
 
Contact them at 021 865 2541 or info@hartenbergestate.com
For more information visit their website
Like them on Facebook
Tweet them @HartenbergWine
Located :  33° 52' 44.94" S | 18° 47' 32.73" E

Directions to Hartenberg

 

Makaron at Majeka House

Makaron is just as stylish as all the other facilities at Majeka House. You can read all about it here in my previous post. They won the Boschendal Style award in 2011 and was an Eat Out finalist in 2012.

It was a short walk from the M Lounge to Makaron where we were greeted friendly by the staff of the restaurant and seated near the fireplace which made our dinner very cosy.

Makaron has one of my favourite design elements, ghost chairs, so décor wise they already received a thumbs up in my book. Unfortunately my photos of the décor came out too blurry so hop on over to their website to see how pretty it is! 

They have a fantastic sommelier, Esme, who is knowledgeable and also very nice. We had a long conversation with her about her job. I must say that having a job where you can taste wine at 10:00 in the morning, without being judged, doesn't sound bad! If you are into food and wine pairing she will definitely help you to find the perfect combination.

We had a glass of Villeria Brut MCC instead of wine with our dinner. They give Haute Cabriere's Brut, one of my favorites, a run for it's money.

Makaron has a food and wine pairing option but we decided to enjoy the a la carte route. The food and wine pairing is R395 for four course.

To start of the evening we were served a delicious selection of breads paired with olives and a range of butters. A creamy bread soup was also served with this. We loved the mosbolletjie bread! Tim Noakes would not have approved :)

I love carbs!

Then we were treated to a complimentary starter of deep fried quail, croquettes, mushroom biltong and two dipping sauces.

Loved how they served this dish!

For mains I enjoyed the Mauritian sea bass served with laska foam, carrots, cashew and coconut. I loved this dish. It can also be described as a deconstructed thai curry. The balance between the fresh fish and rich sauce was perfect. I also really enjoyed the crispy skin of the fish and it's definitely a dish I would order again.

Mauritian sea bass

My mom enjoyed pork belly fillet served with jewl sweet potato, apple and meenos. Unfortunately she enjoyed it so much that I could not taste it, but she gave it a thumbs up and she knows her pork!

Pork belly

For dessert the 50 shades of chocolate immediately caught my eye. It was a dark chocolate log served with milk chocolate sauce and citrus fruit cubes. Unfortunately the dark chocolate was too strong for me. The citrus fruit did help to cut through the dark chocolate flavour but I am more of a milk chocolate kind of girl. If you are into strong dark chocolate this would be a delight for you.

50 shades of chocolate

Mom had the best dessert. It consisted of meringue, lemon curd, lime ice cream and sherbert so essentially it was a deconstructed lemon meringue. The sour sweetness of the lemon curd and lime ice cream was a delight!

Lemon delight

The sweetness did not end with our dessert as the sous chef brought us some mini ice cream sandwiches. They were the perfect ending to a delicious meal. I was very impressed with how all the dishes were served! Makaron distinguishes  itself  from other restaurants by creating a feast for the eye too. 

Little chocolate ice cream gems

If you book early enough you can snacth up the chef's table. Two people per evening can dine inside the kitchen and watch Chef Tanya Kruger and her team make magic! Guys this would be a wow factor if you ever plan a date!

The Chefs table inside the kitchen

When you visit Makaron you will be treated with five star service. The food, wine and service are of extraordinary quality but they still manage to create a homey and comfortable atmosphere!

For more information visit their website
Contact them at 021 880 1549
Like them on Facebook
Tweet them @MajekaHouse

Cavalli Estate

One of my favourite places I have dined at this year is hosting a fabulous event filled with fashion, food and wine. For R380 you will receive a 3 course lunch with wine pairing and live music. Cavalli estate is beautiful and they produce quality wine and delicious food. Read all about the last time I visited here. This event is the perfect introduction to this establishment.


Enjoy!

Contact details

• 021 855 3218 or restauarant@cavalliestate.com
• Website
• Facebook

All copyrights reserved to Cavalli Estate

How pretty is this advertisement! If this is anything to go by the event will be flamboyant and stylish!

Majeka House

Nestled in the quite neighbourhood of Paradyskloof, on the outskirts of Stellenbosch, you will find the hidden gem that is Majeka House. They've  been on my radar since their restaurant, Makaron, made an appearance on the Eat Out Top 20 list in 2012.

It was my last week of holiday before my final year and a half of medicine start, so myself and my awesome mom went for a overnight date at Majeka House.



Majeka House

We were greeted warmly by the staff of Majeka House and given a tour of the grounds. It is such as stylish place and every area of Majeka House was impressive. They have a thing for 'pigs' so see how many you can spot during your visit :)


Majeka House Courtyard

 
We stayed in one of the Premier Rooms. The room is equipped with a flat-screen tv that can be enjoyed while you soak in a long warm bath. The room also has it's own Lavazza coffee machine where you can brew your own cup of coffee. If you really want to relax you can order a DVD from their very extensive DVD selection. You just phone the reception with the DVD code from the catalogue and they will deliver it to your room. While you watch your movie you can indulge in the mini-bar which is stocked with delicious treats such as crisps and fudge. You are also treated to complimentary still and sparkling water as well as  baked goods. We had a delicious tin of fresh biscotti. Needless to say that tin was empty way sooner than we wanted it to be. There also is free Wi-Fi available throughout Majeka House. It did cut out now and then but work relatively well.


Let me give you a tour!




Lovely chairs to relax on



Premier Room

Loved the Lavazza coffee machine

Freshly baked biscotti

Our view

Beautifull ceiling

Luxurious bathroom

His and Her bathroom

The shower

We went to the Majeka spa for an afternoon treat. We were greeted with nice soft robes and white crocs! I had the Hot Stone Massage(my fave) and my mom enjoyed the Deep Tissue Massage. The therapist were professional and I left feeling very relaxed.

We then spent the rest of the afternoon in and out of their heated pool and jacuzzi. It was so much fun to swim in the Winter!


Jacuzzi

Heated pool



Spa slippers



Loved those chandeliers

After freshening up we went for drinks at Majeka House bar, M Lounge. This was the prettiest room at Majeka House! My favourite feature was the 'light balls'. We sat next to cosy fire and sipped on delicious cocktails. This is also a room where you can sit and read while enjoying glass of red wine!



On our way to the M lounge

Cosy fireplace

Love the lights!



Beautiful bar and piano



How interesting is the bookshelf wallpaper

Awesome décor items



Loved our Penicillin and Pimm's cocktail

We had dinner at their restaurant, Makaron, but that is a whole blogpost on its own that will follow soon. The next morning we had to say goodbye. Lying in the large comfortable bed we contemplated how we can extend our stay. We were having such a nice time. 

We packed our bags and went to breakfast. This was the best breakfast I have had at any hotel or guesthouse. The variety you can choose from alone is impressive. It was difficult to choose between all the fresh fruit, homemade yogurt, freshly baked bread and pastries as well as chacuterie and cheese. I wanted it all! You can enjoy the above continental and order something hot from the breakfast menu. I indulged with blueberry pancakes. Oh and did I mention you can add a glass of Villeria bubbly to your breakfast? That definitely is a breakfast for champions! To end of your indulgent breakfast you can cleanse yourself with one of their 'juices'. 



Continental breakfast




Spoilt for choice



Fresh fruit, cereal and loads more



Best way to start the day, bubbly and pancakes!



Juicing!

Another treat when you stay at Majeka House is that you receive a complimentary wine and chocolate tasting at Waterford. I actually visited Waterford two months ago and did this tasting! It's awesome. you can read about it here.

Thank you to  every member of staff at Majeka House that treated us with kindness! You contributed to our lovely stay!

 If you can't come for a sleep over do treat yourself to a spa treatment or a drink in the M Lounge. This is the place to come relax in style!

For more information about Majeka House, including specials, check out their website
Contact them at 021 880  1512 or reservations@majekahouse.co.za
Located at 28-32 Houtkapper street, Paradyskloof, Stellenbosch
Tweet them @MajekaHouse
Like them on Facebook


Jordan

I had a WOW lunch at Jordan this Sunday.

The Jordan wine estate is home to a wine tasting area, a bakery and the fine-dining restaurant we dined at. I was not aware of the bakery but I peeked inside and this is definitely a place to come for a relaxing brunch or lunch. Diners feasted of home-made soup and delicious looking pies.



The Bakery

 

Outside wine tasting area

 


Outside bakery area

A great feature of Jordan is that if the weather is nice you can sit outside at all three areas and enjoy the beautiful view over the dam.

There was only one negative aspect of Jordan. We arrived before our fellow diners and wanted to do a quick wine-tasting to decide what wine we would enjoy with our lunch. They offer a wine tasting for R35 where you can taste six wines. The fee is wavered if you purchase wine. We received no recognition by the wine tasting personal and after standing at the counter for five minutes we decided to leave. Only then the one girl blinked her eye. Luckily the experience at the restaurant made up for this.

Outside the fine dining restaurant.

We were greeted warmly by the front of house. We were lucky enough to be seated at the window and could really enjoy the beautiful view while we were having lunch. The restaurant has an open kitchen so you can see all chef Jardine's magic as it's happening. It was also very cosy with the fireplace in the middle of the restaurant.



Simple yet elegant table setting

As we were uncertain about their wine we decided to enjoy the Sauvignon Blanc (R145).  It usually is  an easy drinking wine otherwise you just add a load of ice :) (or that is my motto) Some of the dishes we enjoyed were very rich and this wine balanced everything out. I would order it again.


We were first treated with an assortment of breads. You could choose between basil pesto, aioli or a tomato and aubergine relish as spreads. My favourite was the mini vetkoeke with the aubergine relish.


A great start to the meal

 They had a diverse menu and we struggled to make a choice. I was impressed with the amount of different proteins that were on offer. In the end we had the following:

Starters

• Steamed mussel papillote with coconut milk, lemongrass, ginger, lime, chilli and garlic

  

   
  
• Braised gemsbok terrine with pickled caps, confit celeriac, celeriac chantilly and hazelnut
  
• Fricassee of roasted brussels sprouts, potato gnocchi, gorgonzola crumble and fresh burgundy truffle
  

I really enjoyed the brussels sprout dish. When I scanned through the menu the gorgonzola immediately caught my eye. I love strong cheeses. I know a lot of people are not fans of brussels sprouts. I really think it depends on the way you cook them. These were really nice and very refreshing paired with the rich cheese, truffles and gnocchi. I even asked someone, who did not like brussels sprouts, to taste one and she said that they were nice. I think a chef can receive three gold stars if he presents brussels sprouts in a delicious way.  

I also tasted the gemsbok terrine. I was not a fan as I would have preferred it served warmer but that is not standard for a terrine. Those who had it loved it.

Mains

• Aged Chalmar sirloin with a soft herb crust, creamed lentils, bacon, onion puree and a glazed ox's cheek
  
• Confit and roasted Joostenberg Vlakte duck served with porcini veloute, honey parsnip and braised kale
  
• Salted East Coast Hake served with a grenobloise crust, early season broad beans and a white wine and herb veloute

Fun fact: Veloute, for those who don't know, translate from French to velvety. Veloute together with  tomato, hollandaise, béchamel and espagnole are all collectively know as the five French mother sauces by Georges Escoffier, a 19th century French chef who was very involved in the development of modern French Cuisine.

The majority of us had the sirloin. It was perfectly cooked medium rare. It was the first time I've had ox cheek and I must say I enjoyed it. It's a very rich meat that should be enjoyed in small quantities. The bacon and lentils that the meat rested on was one of my favourite parts of the dish. I can eat that as a main meal on it's own!

I also tried the duck. If I visit them again that would be my next main order. The duck was extremely succulent! It's also a very meaty dish and if you are very hungry this would be my top suggestion.

Then it was dessert time!

• Honey and poppy seed soufflé
  
• Custard tart, soft nougat, white chocolate mousse and kumquat caviar
  
• Baked granny smith apple with crème anglaise, brandy snap and vanilla ice cream
  

 

The honey and poppy seed soufflé was amazing. It was light, airy and you could taste the poppy seeds. Just look at the height of that dessert. It's actually a very large portion too. The whole table could share in the deliciousness. This dessert will now be my association with Jordan. The waiter comes and 'cuts' your soufflé after which she pours in cream and vanilla ice cream and still this dessert kept its' form.  All I can say is WOW to chef Jardine and his team. You blew our taste buds away. Fine dining with substance and extraordinary taste!

A cool aspect of Jordan restaurant is their cheese room. Unfortunately I don't have a photo to show you but you will spot it as soon as you enter the restaurant. If you choose the cheese platter dessert you can go and select your own cheese! I am sure that they will allow you to taste before you make your picks!

When you dine at Jordan you choose from a set menu. A two course is R275 and a three course is R320. They have a lunch special Wednesday-Friday where a three course is R275.


Service was great. I would suggest you book in advance. I saw numerous diners that could not be accommodated due to the jam packed restaurant. You don't want to miss out on that soufflé :)

 

Thank you to these two ladies that I could share in their delicious birthdays! BIG happy birthday :)





Located on the Stellenbosch Kloof Road that stems out of the M12.
Visit them for lunch or dinner. Take note they are closed for lunch Mondays and Tuesday during winter.
Contact them at 021 881 3612 or restaurant@jordanwines.com
Tweet them @Jordan_Wines
Like them on Facebook
Visit their website for more information