A couple of weeks back I was invited to enjoy a leisurely wine tasting at the oh-so-beautiful Steenberg Farm in Tokai, followed by lunch at their restaurant, Bistro Sixteen82.
(Just as an FYI – they also have another restaurant at Steenberg called Tryn – formerly Catharina’s – more about that restaurant over here)
Bizarrely, as a fan of their wines & someone who had paid the farm a visit before for a tasting, I never had the pleasure of dining at Bistro Sixteen82… this invite was therefore a very welcome surprise. 🙂
First up a little bit about their wine tasting options. They do 5 different tastings:
- Express Tasting (R70 pp) – kick off with a glass of their Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, followed by any 2 Estate, Fleet or Flagship wines.
- Bubbly Tasting (R130 pp) – 4 different Steenberg bubbles.
- Classic Tasting (R90 pp) – kick off with their 1682 Chardonnay MCC, followed by any 4 Fleet or Estate wines.
- Flagship Tasting (R150 pp) – kick off with their 1682 Pinot Noir MCC, followed by 5 Flagship wines of your choice as well as their signature Magna Carta Sauvignon/ Semillon blend.
- Proprietors Collection Tasting (R200 pp) – This one’s for the serious wine lovers… Try their Magna Carta, Capenis Chardonnay & Angela Estate Pinot Noir.
Not sure which one to go for? I would suggest the classic tasting as a nice middle ground option, or the Flagship tasting if you’re wanting to splurge a little (and don’t have to drive).
Right, now onto lunch! Bistro Sixteen82, named after the year that Steenberg was established, is a beautiful, relatively intimate space which also has a small outdoor section, perfect for the summer months.
I really loved the ceiling detail as well as crisp white & natural colour palatte. Here’s a quick look around:
Having already opened its doors back in 2009, it’s definitely not a “new kid on the block” but rather a well-established classic. Their menu is focused around bistro-style dining with a good selection of ever-changing “specials of the day” to complement the regular menu items.
On the day, Executive Chef, Kerry Kilpin, kicked us off with a little calamari-based amuse-bouche to get our mouths watering for more:
Then it was down to some serious deliberating… after some back & forth, we decided that the specials board was just way too tempting, so ended up ordering both starters & mains from there.
For starters I had the West Coast Mussels with a Tumeric & Coconut Veloute and Tomato & Coriander Salsa (R96) while my dining partner, James, went for the Sundried Tomato & Goats Cheese Tortellini with Pan-fried Prawns, Spring Veg Salsa and Lemon & Herb Cream (R125):
For mains I went for the Ethically Sourced Fish with Sticky Rice, Ponzu, Garlic Aioli, Citrus & Shimeji Mushroom Salsa (R185) while James went for the Grilled Venison with Celeriac Puree, Green Bean Salsa & a Gooseberry Jus (R235):
For dessert I had the Lemon Posset with Yoghurt & Granadilla Sorbet, Berry Coulis & White Chocolate Shortbread (R75) and James had the Ariaga Chocolate Namelaka with Salted Fudge Crumble, Vanilla Mousse & Coco Nib Latte Ice Cream (R92).
All round a really lovely meal. Loved the setting, the service was friendly & attentive, pricing is on the higher end, but aligned with other Cape Town restaurants at this level, all the flavours were good & the wine (of course) was beautiful.
Just for interest sake – I opted for their 2018 Black Swan Sauvignon Blanc to pair with my dishes & James opted for the 2016 Syrah – both paired really well, they were just on the pricier end if ordering per glass.
But ja, for all these reasons I’m going to give Bistro Sixteen82 the following score on my Miss K Kiss-o-Meter scale (AND recommend that you pay them a visit):
Other notable mentions:
They have vegetarian & vegan lunch menus, an evening tapas menu (also with vegetarian & vegan options) as well as a children’s menu so you can include the little ones.
Bistro Sixteen82 is open 7 days a week:
- For breakfast: 09:00 – 11:00
- For lunch: 12:00 to 15:00
- For dinner: 17:00 to 20:00
For reservations, contact them on 021 713 2211 or reservations@bistro1682.co.za.
xxx
** This was a media invite & therefore the cost of the meal was on them. **