It’s no secret that French cuisine is considered among the best in the world – and the good news is that South Africans can now experience the traditional flavours of France, paired with top local and French wines, within an hour’s drive of Cape Town.
Vergelegen has just launched a new restaurant, Café Fleur. This destination pop-up is inspired by the floral beauty of the 322-year-old estate, as well as the classic cuisine, elegant ambience, excellent service and wine-making styles of France.
The petite menu has been refined to four starters, five main courses and four desserts that showcase a diversity of ingredients and flavour profiles. The classic, hearty dishes suitable for winter include starters such as French onion soup, cheese soufflé, and snails with Pernod and garlic butter. Main courses include roasted rack of lamb, duck a l’orange, and cheese and leek tart. Desserts include apple tart, crème caramel and choux pastry with coffee cream.
Starters are listed from R110, main courses from R175, and desserts are R85.
Consultant chef Michelle Barry, former principal of the Christina Martin School of Food and Wine, has worked closely with the Vergelegen team to develop the menu and pass on the traditional culinary skills of France. Barry continues to manage Café Fleur, where friendly, knowledgeable service is a priority.
Vergelegen is deservedly famous for its Bordeaux-style wines, and a key feature of Café Fleur is a wine list that includes older Vergelegen vintages. These wines, considered bold and powerful, are complemented by a selection of French wines such as a pinot noir from Burgundy and a grenache from the south of France.
Moreover, the Vergelegen fine quality reserve red and white wines will be available by the glass so that guests can compare how the various wine styles suit the dishes. Guests will also have the opportunity to purchase superb older Vergelegen vintages from the estate’s Vinoteque. This wine library stocks red wines ranging from 2005 to 2013 and white wines ranging from 2014 to 2017, all stored under optimal conditions.
Many French restaurants are renowned for their beautiful environments, and Vergelegen’s exquisite gardens provide a bucolic setting for Café Fleur, near the historic manor house. The estate’s exquisite gardens include Africa’s only International Camellia Garden of Excellence, whose winter-blooming pink, white and red camellia flowers are starting to blossom.
Additional information:
Opening hours: Lunch Wed-Sun 12H00-17H00 (kitchen closes at 14H30).
Dinner Fri-Sat 18H00-23H00 (kitchen closes at 20H30). Closed Mondays & Tuesdays.
Menu: https://vergelegen.co.za/cafe-fleur-food-menu/.
Reservations: [email protected] or phone 021 847 2111.