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Recipes & Food

Cavalli’s Equus Restaurant

On Saturday, the weather had turned and instead of hibernating, Sox and I dressed warmly and ventured out. We stopped to get take away coffees from our favourite coffee place, Hardpressed Cafe and then took a scenic drive out into the Cape country side.

The grey, gloomy, cold weather was absolutely perfect for a lazy afternoon of excellent food and red wine by a crackling fire place.

We arrived at Cavalli Wine and Stud Farm; greeted by a majestic bronze horse.

We drove up a long driveway, past the stables…

and came to a field of yellow flowers next to the parking area.

Right in front of us, was the the Equus restaurant and whilst I wanted to run through those fields, the promise of a fireplace was more enticing.

We were warmly welcomed and shown to our table. The first thing that stood out to me was how welcoming and friendly the staff were. They continued to treat us like royalty and were just wonderful.

Our table was close to the fire and overlooked the dam and another majestic bronzed beauty…

Even my handbag was given royal treatment, and a little table was set next to me so that the leather didn’t have to sit on the floor.

A bottle of sparkling water was brought to start as we perused the menu.

Farai, the wine connoisseur, came over to ensure that we selected the correct bottle of wine. His knowledge was amazing. Sox and I explained what we were in the mood for, and he selected the perfect bottle: The 2009 Cavalli Cheval D’or Warlord, a wonderfully smooth red blend.

There was a quick burst of sunshine, before the rain came pouring down again, making it even more romantic and cosy.

Look at my handsome fiancé… Aren’t I a lucky girl?

Bread and red wine infused butter was brought to the table… I tried my luck with checking if there was Banting/carb free bread.

Cheers!

It was really difficult to choose what to have. Everything sounded absolutely delicious. Our wonderful waiter, Mphatso took us through every mouthwatering item.

To start, I had the citrus-cured salmon, red wine poached pears, num-num gastrique and spiced almonds. It was incredible and I was sorry I finished it so quickly.

Sox had the house-smoked pastrami, Healey’s cheddar, piccalilli and caper sultana. Look at this presentation:

The starters had definitely spiked the appetite and I couldn’t wait for the mains. Luckily we didn’t have to… Mphatso whisked out 2 beautifully presented plates.

I had the seasonal green listed seafood (fresh hake), fresh estate herbs, grilled fennel and chive butter sauce with roasted vegetables (minus the aubergine – I’m allergic!)

Sox ordered the grass-fed beef, slow roasted leeks, sautéed wild mushrooms and almond turnip puree, also with grilled vegetables.

The fish flaked apart and tasted unbelievably good with the grilled fennel. 

It was so tasty, I literally wanted to lick the plate clean and I might have, if the restaurant hadn’t been so full.

With full bellies we nearly passed up dessert, but Sox had already spotted the cheese platter on the menu, so we ordered one to share.

Even though I’ve cut refined sugar from my diet, it doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate desserts. I asked the chef if I could photograph the cheesecake. Just look at how beautifully it’s presented. So unique.

We finished off our bottle of wine by the fire and ordered cappuccinos to end off a perfectly decadent afternoon.

I had to take a photo with our waiter, Mphatso. He was just the best. I always appreciate when a great restaurant has the most delicious food, excellent wine and warm, attentive service. It’s a winning trifecta of a wonderful afternoon. 

See what I did there? 

Thank you for having us Cavalli… We will definitely be back soon!

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