Mo & Rose at Soekershof, near Robertson

This new restaurant in Klaas Voogds West, near Robertson, was opened by Axel Daniel and Monika Schmalzl two months ago. Axel, born and bred in Germany, earned his diploma as “Hotel-Professional” in Cologne and came to South Africa in 2001 to work for the Grande Roche (Relais & Chateau) in Paarl. Some years later, having returned to Germany, he came back to open and run his own guest house, the “Stables Lodge” in Stellenbosch. In 2008 he sold it and prepared for an exciting African adventure. He rode his motor bike all the way up from Cape Town to Khartoum in Sudan. After this extraordinary experience, he joined his parents at the Canyon Lodge in Namibia, where they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. That day, he met Monika, who is Italian. She had visited Africa for the first time at the age of 20, since when she had been dreaming of the Masai Mara and the Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp. Over the years she studied International Business and Economics in Europe, wrote her thesis in China and ended up creating her own advertising agency in Italy. After seven years of creating advertising campaigns and corporate design concepts, she took a three week holiday in Namibia and met Axel....

Soekershof has three 4 star rooms at present but more are being built.

The old barn has been reroofed and converted into a modern contemporary restaurant. 

This is a view of the bar with Axel behind the counter and looking through to the simple kitchen you can see Monika, who is the MO part of the name. The "Roses" reflects the Robertson Valley of Wine & Roses.

Our table in the corner, warm and cosy on a very cold night. Modern and clean furniture work well in the traditional barn. 

You can just see the glass ceiling of the wine cellar below in the foreground. Those French doors open out onto the patio for dining outside in the summer

The menu changes all the time and is seasonal and fresh.  See the Wacky Antipasti Platter for two with 2 glasses of Kranskop wine, a bargain at R170.

John and Jean’s starter of springbok carpaccio with pomegranate was deliciously tender and full of flavour

Audrey loved her dish of simply and perfectly grilled Salmon trout on baby potatoes with spinach and tomato concasse

Lynne chose the chicken and prawn curry with basmati rice and an avocado salsa which was beautifully spiced for the cold weather.

John’s steak with a béarnaise Sauce and perfect frites (French fries)

We will be back.

All these photographs are © John Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus cc