Best Restaurant Specials to take advantage of this Winter.

Winter makes me hungry, really hungry. Not for the decorative platters of cut fruit, delicious salads, veg tapas and chilled soups that I live on in Summer, but for warm cooked food that is rich in flavour, comes in a broth, warms me as it fills me up. Freshly baked bread, thick stews and mushroom risotto, to name a few, next to a fireplace with red wine for perfection. Which is why I’m always on the look out for special offers that restaurants are running.

Here I bring you a precise summary of a few top eating spots you’ll want to get to, their opening times and how to connect with  them directly. After all, it is the season to be eating …

Terroir

The winter special offer is valid from 2 May to 30 September, at both lunch and dinner. Two dishes from the à la carte menu, with a glass of Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection wine at R295 per person. The four-course tasting menu with or without wine pairing costs R395 or R495 per person respectively. Individual à la carte orders can still be made, and will be charged at the listed menu price.

Terroir is open for lunch from Tuesdays to Sundays from 12h00 – 14h30 and for dinner from Tuesdays to Saturdays from 18h30 – 21h00. Advance reservations are highly recommended. To book call 021 880-8167 or email restaurant@kleinezalze.co.za. Please note that Terroir will be closed for their annual winter break from 3 July and re-opening on 25 July 2017.

Faber

Bulpitt and his team have masterminded a 3-course winter set menu that will run from a Wednesday through to a Sunday for lunch only. The FABER winter set lunch menu is priced at only R250 per person. Be sure to enquire about Avondale’s premium organic wines for the finest pairing with this delectable menu.

The restaurant is open for lunch from Wednesday to Sunday from 12h00 – 14h30 and for dinner from Thursday to Saturday from 18H30 – 21h00 (From 1 May to 30 September). Reservations highly recommended. For bookings and more information call 021 202 1219 or email faber@avondalewine.co.za. Visit FABER on Facebook and follow faber_sa on Instagram. Please note that FABER will be closed between the following dates for a little rest and recuperation: 26 June – 11 July 2017 (opening from Wednesday, 12 July)

Makaron

Just in time for winter, Carstens is heating things up at this Etienne Hanekom-designed gourmet destination with an innovative menu of small plate cuisine. “Globally, there’s definitely a trend towards small plate tapas-style dining, with people sharing flavours and textures around the table,” explains Carstens, who took the helm of the Makaron kitchen in 2015. “The idea here is flexibility, and we want guests to decide for themselves how they discover the menu.”

Makaron Restaurant is open daily for dinner (closed on Wednesdays during winter between May and September), from 18h30 – 20h30. Diners can choose four/five/six courses from the ’small plates’ menu for R450/R565/R675 respectively. An optional wine pairing is also available, at a cost of R770/R940/R1100 for both food and wine. Restaurant is closed on Wednesdays from May to September, and only open for dinner. Majeka House and Spa are closing annually from 25 June to 29 July. Connect at www.majekahouse.co.za.

Read my post – A night at Majeka House and their new Small Plates Menu.  

The Pot Luck CLub  **Favourite

“The Lucky Lunch” winter promotion at The Pot Luck Club is valid from Tuesday, 30 May until end September 2017 / lunch only / Priced at R250.00 per person / Monday through to Friday. “The Lucky Lunch” is in a sense, a Japanese Kitchen Style Lunch Menu that includes: Crispy calamari / Beef tataki / Pork belly with XO and steam bun / Chick pea fries / Fish taco / Doenjang-jjigae Soup. 

Open Monday to Saturday lunch 12:30 – 14:30 and dinner 18:00 – 22:30; Sundays 11h00 – 15h00. To book, go online via www.thepotluckclub.co.za, or call during office hours to 021 447 0804. The Pot Luck Club will be closed for their annual winter break from 26^th June to reopen on the 9^th of July 2017 

The Shortmarket Club

Since opening its doors in mid-2016, The Shortmarket Club ­has dished up its modern interpretation of contemporary bistro-style cuisine to huge acclaim, and between now and spring, there’s an extra dose of European flair with the introduction of a prix fixe menu at lunchtime, Monday to Saturday.

Randles and Widdison are adding their own spin to the concept, by convincing a handful of maverick Swartland Independent Producers to dig out a barrel or two of wine you’re unlikely to find on any other wine list. Each month a new winemaker from the region will put their own unique stamp on the menu, pairing a carafe of ground-breaking wine from their cellar with Randles’ winter-friendly food.

The three-course prix fixe menu at The Shortmarket Club is available at lunchtime only, Monday to Saturday, until 30 September 2017.The Shortmarket Club is open for lunch and dinner daily (closed Sundays) and breakfast on  Fridays and Saturdays. Bookings should be made online via their website: www.theshortmarketclub.co.za, however tables can also be reserved telephonically on (27) (21) 447 2874. SMC winter closing dates are from 12^th June and reopening on the 27^th June for dinner service. 

*Details and pics provided by Manley Communications.