Clos Malverne, Stellenbosch

To break up a glorious day of sunbathing we decided to have lunch at Clos Malverne. The car park and restaurant were packed when we arrived so if this is something you fancy ensure you book ahead. We requested a table on the terrace, which we were given. The terrace had four tables with a cover but uninterrupted views of the surroundings.

After being seated at our wonderful table we were presented with sparkling wine from the vineyard to sip whilst browsing the menu. The restaurant offers an a la carte menu as well as a summer ice cream and wine pairing, which must be requested in advance. However, we chose the food and wine pairing option priced at 348 ZAR per person.

To start with I had the Thai style mussels served with pickled ginger, dried chili micro herbs and freshly baked bread. This was paired with the Clos Malverne Sauvignon Blanc. The hubby opted for the salmon and prawn, which was a salmon mousse terrine and prawns marinated with lime, chili, coriander and ginger and was paired with the same white wine. Both dishes were exquisite in taste and presentation.

For our second course we both opted for the chili and honey sticky pork belly. This was served with mustard and sesame red cabbage coleslaw with a seven spice jus and a carrot puree. The dish was paired with the Clos Malverne Cab / Shiraz. Both the food and the wine were delicious and complemented each other perfectly.

For our third course I chose the grilled fillet steak for an extra 28 ZAR. This was crusted in dried forest mushrooms with crispy bacon, fondant potato, mixed mushroom, wilted spinach, truffle and a bone marrow jus. It was served with Clos Malverne Auret. This was one of the best steaks I have ever eaten, it absolutely melted in your mouth and the flavours were incredible. The hubby chose the grilled Springbok loin again for an extra 28 ZAR. His dish was served with red onion marmalade, red wine jus, roasted beetroot, wilted spinach, a feta and thyme potato croquette and crispy onions. His dish was complemented by the Clos Malverne Pinotage reserve.

For our fourth and final course I chose the Pineapple and coconut, which was a Pineapple fridge cheesecake with coconut meringue and pistachio brittle washed down with Clos Malverne Honey Dew dessert wine. The hubby opted for the strawberry delight with balsamic marinated strawberries, vanilla pod panna cotta, dried strawberries and black pepper short bread, again accompanied by the same dessert wine.

The food and wine pairing menu had plenty of options available for each course so there will definitely be something for everyone to enjoy. The service was with a smile, the views were fantastic and the food was delicious, well presented and involved an interesting combination of flavours. The wines were all superb and could be purchased from the vineyard to take home at incredibly reasonable prices. Clos Malverne is only open for lunch but if you want to break up a lazy day or need to recharge from wine tasting then I would recommend a long, leisurely lunch here. You will feel full, tipsy and very satisfied!