The Cavalli Estate situated on the R44 just outside Somerset West, en route to Stellenbosch, is one of those kinds of places that simply just wows you. If I was into marriage and all that stuff, this would definitely be on my top 3 dream wedding venues list, but for now, I’m just happy that I get to enjoy their gorgeous setting, their beautiful wines and their amazing food…
For those who haven’t yet been to Cavalli, here are some quick facts: The estate stretches across 100 hectares of prime land located in the prestigious Helderberg region, it boasts 26 hectares of vineyards, 10 hectares of indigenous fynbos gardens, a contemporary restaurant (which I’m going to be telling you all about here), a 350-seater function venue, a wine-tasting facility, a retail contemporary art gallery & luxury boutique and a world class equestrian facility. Yup, that’s right – they have horses too! It’s like every little girl’s dream…
I was recently invited to try out their new dining concept: ONE at Cavalli. It’s the brainchild of Michael Deg who was recently appointed as their new Executive Chef.
Michael graduated from Christina Martin School of Food & Wine in 2004, then moved to Dublin where he worked at the 5 star Dylan Boutique Hotel under the mentorship of Padraig Hayden, working his way up from commis chef, to chef de partie then to sous chef at age 25. From there he was also the sous chef at Padriag’s own restaurant, The Camden Kitchen which has been in the Michelin Guide since 2010. He finally moved back to SA at the end of 2013 where he worked as the sous chef at Delaire Graff under head chef Christiaan Campbell. Then in October 2014, Chirstiaan moved to Bochendal and Micheal was appointed Head Chef.
But before we get to the food, let me give you a quick tour:
Absolutely gorgeous right?
On the wine front we decided to go with a little pairing option, that way we could work our way through the Cavalli range to see what we loved most. I ended up buying a bottle of each of these, plus a bottle of their Valkyrie which is a rich blend of Malbec and Petit Verdot… #yum
Their champion wine of 2017 – a blend of Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Verdelho…
A Viognier and Verdelho blend – soon to be discontinued, so had to snap up one of these…
Their maiden Cabernet Sauvignon… I’m going to be keeping this one aside for next winter…
To kick things off, Michael gave us a little sample of the buffalo mozzarella, elements of tomato, basil & pine nut brittle starter:
I know peanut brittle with a savoury starter probably sounds weird, but that sweetness really pulled it all together…
This was a beautiful dish. The touches of citrus countered the richness of the braised pork cheek and every other element just worked so perfectly…
I wasn’t a huge fan of the texture of the cured trout, so that was my only complaint – but could also a personal thing – the rest of the elements were very interesting though…
And I was really glad that he did, because normally I would totally skip over any chicken dishes, but this really was a lovely dish. Would happily order this again…
Which if you want bang for your buck is definitely the best option. This dish is huge! I tried my best, because it’s freakin’ delicious, but couldn’t finish it… That bone marrow crumble and that tender beef fillet though, oh my goodness… still thinking about it…
Gorgeous, just gorgeous… Both look & taste…
Equally impressive… I’m a sucker for citrus & chocolate, just such a perfect pairing…
How cute?
on my Miss K Kiss-o-Meter scale. The service was flawless, the food was incredible, and that setting… well really, you can’t get more beautiful than that. If you want to really treat yourself (and come on, you deserve it), I highly recommend that you book a table and pay them a visit.
The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner Wednesday through Saturday and Sunday for lunch. For reservations call them on 021 855 3218 (9am – 5pm Monday to Friday) or email restaurant@cavalliestate.com.
I also spotted something cool on their website: If you don’t yet use the Uber app, you can sign up & use their promotional code (CAVALLIESTATE) and receive a free first ride up to R200. That way you can enjoy a bit of wine without worrying about the drive back. #HighFiveToThat
Also, for those who love a little bit of arts & culture in their lives, also pop down to their art gallery while you’re there. It’s a really beautiful space:
xxx