Of Mountains and vines

I’M still convinced Steenberg Vineyards exists in its own pocket of reality outside the rest of the world’s. It’s so ridiculously easy to roar past without sparing a glance for the vineyards above you on the mountainside.

But, next time you’re in the mood to slow down and take a detour, do consider the Steenberg Winery, where you’ll find Bistro Sixteen82. It’s well worth the visit, especially if you want to feel like you’re in the winelands without having to drive all the way to Stellenbosch or Paarl.

While you mission up the road to the winery, you’ll see brightly painted modern sculptures. These are by Edoardo Villa, a local artist of Italian descent, who is known for his installations in steel and bronze. The artwork seems at first to jar the senses, but in a way the smooth, almost geometric shapes and the verdant landscaping seem to complement each other.

The Steenberg Winery itself is a venue that will wow you (and you might even consider planning a special event). Even though the architecture seems larger than life, it’s nevertheless warm and inviting. The chandelier in the tasting area is one of the first design elements to grab the attention – what seems like thousands of pieces of ruby-hued, shaped glass pieces cascading from the ceiling. Large windows make you feel as though the spectacular water feature is about to invite itself into the dining area, and of course I couldn’t resist my childlike urge to take a walk along the stepping stones.

This wasn’t my first visit to Bistro Sixteen82 and, after this, I’m quite happy to say it won’t be my last, because executive chef Brad Ball has struck gold with whatever magic he’s weaving here. The mere fact that Bistro Sixteen82 has been buzzing since November 2009 says a lot, especially in Cape Town’s fickle restaurant climate.

Though the bistro serves breakfasts and lunches, we were primarily here for the tapas. Last month chef Brendan November offered an array of Mexican-inspired dishes, and we opted for tacos de pescados, which was served with a spicy tomato salsa; Valerie’s Choice – a cheese platter served with fresh fruit and – get this – candied walnuts (to die for, you absolutely must try them); and the shrimp and monkfish ceviche that was certainly colourful.

Then I made a big mistake. I shared my portion of churros with my husband. Why I did that I don’t know, and I will forever regret this decision. All I’ve done since then is bemoan the fact that I need to try those churros again. For those not in the know (like me, before I had my first churro), this is a Spanish “doughnut” – basically a length of pastry that’s been deep-fried until it’s crispy then dusted in sugar. Oh, wait, I forgot to mention that you dip it in melted chocolate. (Yes, this is one of the few cases where sharing is incredibly stupid, and I will never do it again.)

During this month Bistro Sixteen82 is keeping things fresh by changing the menu (so no more churros for Nerine) and I’ve heard that they’ll be offering a variety of Asian tapas. Of course tapas is for the sharing. There’s no crouching over your individual plates; it’s all about beating your husband’s fingers off the choice bits.

Bistro Sixteen82 is the kind of venue that encourages you to forget about the world outside – rare indeed – and, even better, the staff strike a balance between being unobtrusive and attentive. My verdict: stop putting off a visit to Bistro Sixteen82 and go already. So many of my friends say yes, they’ve heard of it but haven’t been there yet. I can guarantee one thing: you’ll go back – again and again – winter or summer.

Bistro Sixteen82 offers a breakfast and lunch menu, as well as a tapas and children’s menu. Opening hours are 9am to 11am (breakfast); lunch is served from noon to 4pm. Tapas is served in the late afternoon and at sunset, from 4.30pm to 8pm. Call 021 713 2211, e-mail reservations@bistro1682.co.za or visit www.steenberg-vineyards.co.za.

False Bay on the Menu

FINALLY, the day arrived that my husband took me down to the local for lunch – about bloody time if you ask me. The venerable Glencairn Hotel has been renamed so many times I can’t really keep track. It’s been The Glen, The Southern Right … And there were times when my mates referred to it as “the Nuisance” (related to the Great Dane Just Nuisance, whose stomping ground this used to be).

Currently, it’s The Glen Lodge, also the site of Bay Café on Glen, which operates out of the hotel. On beautiful days it provides one of the most enjoyable outdoor terraces, and in winter you can huddle indoors by the fires.

Never mind Camps Bay and its botoxed Beautiful People with Big Cars. When the wind isn’t howling, this part of the False Bay coastline is the place to be (and possibly the reason I prefer living in the sticks) and has a wonderful, unpretentious buzz.

The husband and I weren’t the only ones out for Sunday lunch, and we took a chance popping down without making a reservation. This is a popular spot for visitors to pull over for a quick bite before they head on to Simon’s Town, or a scenic drive around Cape Point. (My advice is to book a table.)

The vibe is unfussy and relaxed – possibly too relaxed, as we later found out. The husband usually has his business lunches here, and he waxes lyrical about the burgers, which is what we opted for, but the menu looked promising with the addition of Portuguese-style food to its usual fare of gourmet burgers and a variety of other dishes to satisfy most. Even better (and a big thumbs up from me) is that they stock non-alcoholic beer.

Being health conscious, the husband and I opted to replace our fries with salad, and our burgers arrived looking far more festive than usual. And they were just right – not too dry and very flavourful. The husband had his with the ubiquitous pepper sauce and I went for Camembert and a sweet chilli sauce.

And kudos to the chef for making that salad inspiring. I’ve eaten at far too many places where the idea of salad is limited to a handful of sad lettuce and mealy tomatoes that fail to hide the limp, slimy cucumber.

We knew we shouldn’t opt for dessert, but as the husband says, he always has space in his dessert stomach – but unfortunately this is where the wheels of our dining experience came off. We were able to extricate menus for dessert, but then the staff deserted us. We waited. And waited. I tried the whole “waving not drowning” approach, to no avail.

Whether this was just our bad luck to have chosen a perfect day when the whole world and his wife had decided to lunch there, or just the genuine misfortune of the Bay Café being short-staffed, I don’t know. We decided to bake dessert at home and brew our own coffee.

My verdict: if you’re not in a hurry, and the café isn’t too busy, this is a wonderful spot to kick back and chill. There’s the Stoep & Swing bar next door, and a little down the way you can ogle the motorbike enthusiasts in their leathers as they visit their hangout. With views across the wetlands and the False Bay Coast, all the way to the Hottentot’s Holland mountains, I couldn’t complain too much. Mostly, I enjoyed a bit of sun in my face and relished the fact that I’m a resident of the far south peninsula.

Bay Café on Glen, 12 to 14 Glen Road, Glencairn, Cape Town, is open for lunch and dinner, six days a week. To book, call 021 782 0315.