A
restaurant for a great celebration or just for fun
To
celebrate John's recent birthday we were taken to Overture by our friend Angela,
who was visiting from London. We wrote a week or so ago that both John’s SD
card on his camera was corrupted and the photos on Lynne's phone also
disappeared, so we had no photographs - technology! Angela has now sent us her
pictures, we so wanted to tell you about our excellent lunch
Overture
is on Hidden Valley wine estate, high up in the Helderberg mountains in Stellenbosch.
You turn up the Annandale Road and follow the signs after Peter Falke Wines.
The views of the Cape are sensational. The restaurant has a large terrace with see-through
screens if the wind is blowing or the weather is inclement. In the winter you
can eat inside. It is run by renowned award winning top 10 chef Bertus Basson,
who is very talented.
We were given a lovely table on the terrace with
superb views. Their three course menu costs R550 at present, although there are
many, many extras included. The price of the Six course degustation menu is
R760. We discovered that water is complimentary, still or sparkling; they
obviously have their own bottling facilities
This is one of the many amuse bouches they served
us; there were five in total. It was watermelon, fresh and pickled, with a
tomato foam, and crisp slices of deep fried garlic. Sounds strange, it was
delightfully refreshing.
The other three: In the front, a plate of crisp
baby vegetables. Spread on the side of the plate was a smooth fish paté coated
in herbs. Behind that the damper bread made in the open fire, a board of olives
with good olive tapenade and a lard candle on top of biltong shavings, which
you could dip into with the bread as it burned down. There was also a small
paper packet of tiny, crisp fish croquettes and kale leaves which had been
dipped into chickpea flour and deep fried and some deep fried chickpeas, served
with a garlic aioli to dip into, all hinting at Cape Malay influence - sorry no
picture, we demolished them on sight, very flavourful and delish
The first course - there was a choice of three,
one being a vegan option. We chose the tender slices of roast pork loin, topped
with spinach leaves, crisp fried potato shares, sliced white strawberry, and
crisp pork crackling on a good asparagus puree. John ordered a bottle of the
Hidden Valley Sauvignon Blanc and we drank this with most of the meal.
One of the main courses, ordered by both Angela and
John, was the beautifully cooked sliced sirloin with seared onions and a good
jus on a parsnip/celeriac? purée. John had a glass of the Hidden Gems Bordeaux blend
with his main. The ladies stayed on the white wine. Lynne ordered the fish
option; such fresh hake, pearly flakes of fish, perfectly cooked, painted brown
by a sticky miso glaze - quite superb and one to copy at home. This was served
with sweet baby turnips, on mushrooms and kale, with a sea flavoured dashi
broth. We also opted for a side order of crushed potatoes roasted in duck fat. After the main we were served palate cleanser
lollypops of frozen fresh crushed strawberry
Angela ordered the Soufflé at the beginning of the
meal, knowing she would not regret it. It has to be pre-ordered; there is a 30
minute advance notice, if memory is correct. We rather regretted not ordering
it. It is a Boeretroos soufflé made with Ideal Milk, with a thick, unctuous caramel
sauce
This is poured on at the table. It came with ice-cream and crisp crumbs.
John went for the cheese platter which included Camembert, Brie and shaved
Huguenot, served with an apple onion jam, apple purée and some good bread.
Lynne went for the Spiced Apple Purée sorbet served with a set vanilla panna
cotta and cooked pear squares, with a very good, tart apricot puree, and a good
crumble. They did rather ruin it by including some frogspawn. Oh, sorry, sago. If
you went to boarding school, you too might not like it
We all had black coffees to end; the espresso is
very, very good. This tiny amuse was served with it, a good Swiss meringue on
top of a lemon curd on a crisp buttery biscuit, and it was no larger than a 50c
piece. The presentations are amazing, the service is good - there are many
Michelin service touches, like small tables for ladies’ handbags but getting
ice on a very warm day was a bit of an issue, we had to ask more than once.
A really great meal which began at 12.30 and
finished about 5, so a very relaxed celebration. We will definitely be back but
perhaps wait after the season is over. Booking is essential. https://www.hiddenvalleywines.co.za/pages/overture-restaurant-at-hidden-valley
Oh, and if you don't want a full meal, Bertus has recently
opened The Deck alongside the dam, where they have a small and simple menu of
great burgers and fish and chips. No reservations as they are weather dependent;
call Overture first to see if they are open. Tel: 021 880 2721
All these photographs are by courtesy of and © Angela Redman
All these photographs are by courtesy of and © Angela Redman
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2017
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