I’ve lived in Cape Town for nine years, and ’til this day, I am still blown away by how diverse the region is. A short 45 minute drive can take you from the city, to the farmlands, to quaint seaside towns, and everything in between.
We were invited for lunch at Lust (pronounced Lhoost, not as in love and lust – my bad) on the Vrede en Lust Estate in Franschhoek. The 260 seat restaurant is large and opens up into the gardens, but still has a homey feel. The buffet table and specials change daily and there’s an extensive set menu and two separate build your own pizza and sandwich menus.
In typical Kayli fashion, I couldn’t choose which starter I wanted, so we had three. YOU CAN’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO, MOM!
Chicken Livers
Gently cooked, the pieces hadn’t broken up and crumbled into the sauce. Since they’re made to order, you can control the heat – so I asked for them to be very hot. They were perfect (for me, Marvin suffered through one bite). The tomato sauce was slightly sweet to counter the heat, and the crispy onion rings gave beautiful texture.
Bone Marrow
When I see bone marrow on a menu, nothing stops me from having it. This was an absolute treat. A large portion of salted, roasted marrow bones, with fresh red onion and a sweet tomato relish. I was pleased that the relish was on the side, as I prefer marrow to be simple on toast, while Marvin liked the combo. It’s hard to make bones look good, but the plating really was quite lovely.
Pumpkin, Biltong and Gorgonzola Salad
Although there were only three deep-fried gorgonzola balls, gorgonzola is anything but subtle. One prod with a fork and the melted cheese oozed all over the plate. The sweet roasted pumpkin and cashews held their own with the fierce cheese, but the biltong was completely overwhelmed. I loved that the chef used chives, not as a garnish, but as a main component of the salad greens. Marvin was so into this salad, that I he was too distracted to realise that I was finishing the bone marrow.
Beef Rump
Compared to a fillet, rump is a tougher cut, but it has far more flavour. Unfortunately, this cut just wouldn’t cut. The “seasonal veg” consisted of two glazed carrots, but the chips were well cooked. The Café de Paris butter (which is my favourite) didn’t even save it, overall the dish was dry and a bit of a let down.
Ostrich Fillet
We always compete to see who orders the better meal course-by-course, and Marvin won this fair and square. A tender ostrich fillet, in a red wine jus, with sweet onion marmalade, crisp mixed veg and delicious, creamy mashed potatoes. I hate losing, and I lost hard. Every component of this main was perfectly put together.
Sundae
When we walked in, I saw one of these sundaes arrive at someone’s table and even though I don’t really like sweet food, it was such food-porn, I had to have it. And I was so glad that I did. Crunchy brown sugar meringues, biscuit, honeycomb ice cream, salted caramel sauce and berries. It. Was. Life. *insert whatsapp praising glowy hands*
People always ask me if I write bad reviews. And the answer is no, I don’t write bad reviews, I write honest and fair reviews. You can’t let one thing going wrong cloud your judgement and make you slam a restaurant. Was my steak a let down? Yes. Would I go back to the restaurant again? Yes, of course! I worked in a restaurant long enough to know that things go wrong – it’s life.
Overall, we had the most beautiful day. The staff are friendly, without being in your face. The restaurant and the space surrounding it is gorgeous. Make sure you go past the bakery before you leave. There are fresly baked breads, cakes, and cold meats – take some home with you, you won’t regret it!
Directions to Vrede en Lust
Vrede and Lust Wine Farm
Corner R45 and Klapmuts Road
Franschhoek
7680
021 874 1456
