food safari- part one

Just returned from the trip of a lifetime. My daughters and I traveled to South Africa. Not only did we learn how to track animals in the wild, we also hunted down some incredible fare along the way. Here is our journey.

After thirty-four hours of travel we arrived at the beautiful Cape Grace Hotel on the A&V waterfront in Cape Town.

We slipped into our beds and readied ourselves for our first South African adventure.

The next morning after an impressive breakfast buffet we headed out to visit Steenberg in the Constantia wine valley.

We toured their cellars sipping on a glass of bubbly from Graham Beck. We then sat down for a notable horizontal tasting as we took in the views and heard the story of Catharina Ras who founded the estate in the 17th century and the fate of her five husbands.

On our way to Meerlust we passed through False Bay with its glorious views and temperate ocean winds.

We approached the gabled old manor house and tasted some of Merrlust’s famous “rubicon” Bordeaux style wine.

Then it was off to lunch at Delaire Graff on the far edge of picturesque Stellonbosch. We started our exquisite meal at their five-star restaurant with oysters and a sparkling rosé.

Feigning jet lag and a premature food coma we opted for a quiet dinner at our hotel’s restaurant. How thrilled were we with Signal with its panoramic views and more extraordinary menu options- roasted ostrich, pan-fried hake, and Chalmar filet of beef.

The next day we headed out to Robben Island. It was a moving experiencing. This is the Island were Nelson Mandela and many other political prisoners were held captive for decades.

Our guide was a former inmate and his story and perseverance touched our core. 

After the ferry ride back to Cape Town with stunning views of Table Mountain we had lunch at on the waterfront. 

We dined at Harbour House. The seafood was sensational and sitting right on the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront a real treat.

For dinner we went to Aubergine. Just when we thought the food couldn’t get any better- it did! This quaint restaurant deep in the historic Gardens area offered inventive dishes with perfectly paired South African wines.

We drifted off to sleep and readied ourselves for our 5 AM wake up call to take us on our next leg of the journey … the bush.

Stay tuned for part two of our great adventure.