I always fancy the idea of a long Sunday lunch, especially when the invitation comes in the form of a get together with good friends at the most glorious R&V Estate in Stellenbosch.
My husband officially declared some time ago that this place, “Makes the best steak on earth”, and in our attempts to constantly recreate this exact same steak at home on a regular basis, I most probably agree with him. Just writing this induces a kind of small delightful smirk, a know-it-all kind of smirk, that I have the answer to the question: Who makes the best steak in Cape Town?
When I feel like steak (which admittedly is not that often), I want something memorable- and luckily for me, my meat-eating, braai-loving husband knows best in this department. There is none better than that of R&V in Stellenbosch.
The R&V sirloin (there is only one option) is a fat, soft lump of perfectly spiced, perfectly cooked piece of heaven. The thin layer of fat is singed on top, salted and dripping with herb butter, which oozes decadently over the whole plate. As if this picture alone could get any better, it is accompanied by an ample serving of seasoned chips and (to make you feel a bit healthy) a well-dressed Greek salad. One can enjoy a generous glass of R&V Estate Vineyards Syrah complimentary with this life-altering piece of meat. The wine is richly textured, seductive and velvety, and comes from some special Syrah vineyards on the property. R&V has been growing and making wine here since 1694, and has an established red wine pedigree.
If you were tempted to have the one other option on the menu (don’t) it is proper Norwegian Salmon seared and served with baby potatoes, chunky asparagus spears dressed in olive oil and parmesan cheese. The second option is a good one if you happened to have had sirloin for breakfast, or once in your life had a cow named Daisy- we can’t eat things with names. The paired wine however is very moreish, Donkiesbaai Steen, crisp and delicious with nuances of pear, candy apples and figgy notes. As a predominantly white wine drinker, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The service is relaxed but professional, and the tables are nestled under the old oak trees surrounding the cellar. A newly constructed deck section seats even more people, as the ever-popular offering grows in fans. There is no booking allowed, it is on a first come, first serve basis which may mean in the height of summer season you may have to wait, but with all those delicious wines for tasting inside (R100 tasting fee), who cares!
The best thing about the lunch is the cost, simply put R240 for the sirloin and R260 for the salmon, no extras (except of course gratuity- at your discretion) and now they are also open on Sundays! Hurrah!
