Need advice on a great restaurant in Cape Winelands...
 

My first choice would have been Bosman's at Grande Roche, but I don't know if they are open in June since hotel is closed from June - August.<BR><BR>The best option would be one that is possibly within a hotel or within walking distance to a great hotel/lodge/B&amp;B. I want to be able to enjoy some of the great South Africa wine produced nearby without worry of driving afterward. I'd probably end up driving on the American side of the road and that would be the end of me!<BR><BR>I have one free night available and I want t to spend at the best possible place but one that is also convenient to a great restaurant. Thanks.

I have heard that Constantia Uitsig (http://www.constantiauitsig.co.za/) has one of the best restaurants in the area, and the hotel is reputedly rather lovely too. Never managed to eat there as it was always booked up (not a problem for hotel guests though).<BR><BR>We also had a fabulous stay at Le Quartier Fran&ccedil;ais in Franschoek: excellent food and wine at their patio restaurant, and beautiful hotel rooms set around a series of pretty gardens.

Constantia Uitsig is a great choice, but you would need a car or a taxi to get there. My husband and I celebrated our anniverary there last September, and everything was magnificent. Our hotel had informed them that it was our anniversary, so we were greeted with champagne. The restaurant also has an amazing wine list(we had a wonderful bottle of '97 Thelema (very hard to come by!)). The food was fabulous, and the service was very attentive.<BR><BR>I know from other posts that you (Rocco)will also be spending a couple of days in the wine lands. Another restaurant that we really enjoyed was La Petite Ferme in Franschoek. It has a stunning view of the valley! But I highly recommend that you make reservations (I did so via e-mail), we had lunch there and the restaurant was fully booked.<BR><BR>Enjoy your trip.

Rocco,<BR><BR>Constantia Uitsig is NOT in the Cape Winelands that you describe in that it is in Cape Town. It might well be in the Constantia Valley but as a local Capetonian we assume this to be Cape Town and not the real Cape Winelands.<BR><BR>Le Quartier Francaise is good but locals regard it as very expensive and a bit of a rip off.<BR><BR>Le Petit Ferme does NOT serve dinner. They only serve lunch.<BR><BR>The hidden secret for a great restaurant in the winelands lies in a small guesthouse in Franschhoek by name of Klein Olifantshoek. The restaurant is run as part of a guesthouse by the owners Camil and Ingrid and I will virtually guarantee you that this will be the VERY BEST dining experience that you will have on your whole journey. The guesthouse is smallish in terms of room size however it is very quaint and I could well recommend it as a one night overstay simply to enjoy the meal in the venue. I say this because Ingrid always gives her guests first choice to their meal experience (and believe me it IS an experience that you will not enjoy anywhere else) and then will book out the extra tables that she has available to the outside public. Thus if you dont stay at the guesthouse you might not get a reservation. I have seen Ingrid's daily waiting lists and they re as long as can be EVERY day. Believe me there is good reason for this.<BR><BR>The meal is a set 4 course meal with choices in 2 of the courses. Dont worry about this as size and pace of service is expertly controlled by Ingrid while Camil does the cooking in the kitchen believe it or not on a wood fired stove. As a patron at the restaurant you are encouraged to walk around freely al the time and you are asked to join Camil in the kitchen so as to watch him prepare your meal. The restaurant is small (about 9 tables) and the service is 100% silver service. The meal price is standard at R185 per person which by SA standards is high yet by foreign standards remains a joke. <BR><BR>Ingrid is also the local wine expert and besides her normal wine list she has a rather unique concept of offering you a different glass of local fop class wine with each course that in her opinion suits and matches the food in the particular course. <BR><BR>All in all Klein Olifantshoek is an experience that I would NOT miss if I visited the Cape Winelands. You will have to either ensure that you are on the waiting list way ahead of time and hope for the best or otherwise book into the guesthouse for an overnight stay simply to enjoy the meal.<BR><BR>http://www.kleinoliphantshoek.com/<BR><BR>Hope this helps to make tour stay in SA an enjoyable one<BR><BR>Selwyn Davidowitz<BR>[email protected]<BR>

Selwyn,<BR><BR>Thank you for all your assistance. I have just emailed Klein Oliphantshoek. <BR><BR>It looks like a wonderful place and a perfect way to wrap up my 5 night stay in Cape Town before ending my trip with the three night stay at Vuyatela.<BR><BR>One thing that they offer that my wife loves is a cooking class. The latest that they offer the class is 4PM.<BR><BR>Do you think that if we checked out of the Twelve Apostles by 9AM that exploring Stellenbosch and/or Franschoek for 4 or 5 hours would be sufficient??? Any suggestions on the best places to see in Stellenbosch/Franschoek???<BR><BR>Best Regards.

Selwyn,<BR><BR>Bad news...Klein Oliphantshoek is closed from June 01st until June 20th.<BR><BR>Which place would be your second choice??? I am looking at La Carousse and Lanzerac Manor. Any other suggestions???<BR><BR>Thanks.

There is a fantastic restaurant on top of a hill overlooking the town of Franchoek. It was in Conde Naste top 50 in the world. We had the works and it cost us $57 US. It was named after a bird and started with a C - Cormoran or something like that.