Come to Benguela Cove but beware of the band

 1 October 2023

 

BENGUELA COVE LAGOON WINE ESTATE

R43, Botrivier Lagoon, Walker Bay, Hermanus

 

There’s an indelible sense of incomparable well-being that comes with sipping a glass of exemplary bubbly, on a warm day, sitting at a table on a shaded patio gazing out at a huge  metal sculpture of an ecstatically stretching, tastefully nude male figure and a lagoon beyond, anticipating a nice lunch.

 

This is where the wife and I slap high fives and exclaim, “This is the life!”

 

We loathe the over-used cliché “hidden gem” when it applies to eateries but Benguela Cove almost suits the term, even if only because the main part of the estate is hidden from the R43 and opens like a peacock stretching its tail feathers when you round the bend of the entry road.

 

We’d driven past many times over many years without  ever turning off to see what lay beyond the hill but today it was the destination for an outing with the dogs  to make the most of a fine Spring Sunday.

 

What you find is a large complex of buildings and even larger parking areas, comprising a wine tasting locale, a large inner courtyard with all manner of metal sculptures, an art gallery and the restaurant at the far end of the main building. Beyond the restaurant there is a vast Astroturf covered space with a metal frame gazebo, probably used for outdoor weddings, and a tarpaulin covered helicopter. On the other side of that there’s some kind of miniature golf course and leisure activity space.

 

The interior of the restaurant is all elegant, tasteful dark wood. Today the only occupants of that space were two musicians doing a daylight cabaret act of anodyne jazzy, doleful pop crooning for the entertainment of the diners, all of whom were outside on the patio. I doubt whether any of the patrons gave a hoot about the music.

 

As soon as we sat down the server asked whether we’d been told that there was a R100 cover charge for the band. We hadn’t been told but it seemed like a mere bagatelle on such a lovely day.

 

However, as it turned out, it was R100 per person. I’ve no idea who these musicians were and why we would be required to pay for the pleasure of ignoring them. We hadn’t come to Benguela Cove for them and if management wants to provided background music, surely they should carry the can?

 

The menu is quite interesting though without major excitement. Your basic upmarket bistro style.

 

Four starters, (R150 to R180) four main courses (R230 to R280), two “favourites” (R220 for fish ‘n chips, R230 for a burger) three sides dishes and four dessert options (R140 to R190.)

 

A cheap ‘n cheerful lunch it ain’t. 

 

We ordered a bottle of the house cuvee, a rather splendid concoction though it was perhaps not such a good idea to imbibe that much on such a warm day. We’re no longer used to day drinking.

 

The sardonically amusing fact is that our vino, at R170,00, cost considerably less than our main course meals.

 

The wife had the beef burger and I ordered the gnocchi with a variety of vegetables, R230,00 each.


The burger on brioche buns, with mozzarella, whiskey and bacon jam flavoured yoghurt, home-made dill pickles and crisp onion, and with a side salad instead of fries, was quite excellent. I ate the delicious pickles (the wife doesn’t care for them) and half a bun and can attest to the yumminess of those elements. 

 

The potato gnocchi were sumptuously spongy and almost literally melted in the mouth. The accompanying sizable hunk of salt roasted and blueberry balsamic glazed beetroot was delectably sweet and earthy and the crisp kale, al dente tiny golden beetroots, apple and kohlrabi slaw and caramelised apple puree were wonderful complementary elements to the gnocchi not only on taste but also textural variation. It’s one of those dishes where one can point out that a vegetarian dish can be as satisfying as a protein rich plate (unless you are my wife; who whole-heartedly disagrees).

 


My dessert was the sauvignon blanc braised pear (R140), with fresh pear slices, salted apple cider foam,  honey comb, milk ice cream and oat crumble. I loved the textural contrasts especially the honey comb and the two takes on pear. The dessert was light, refreshing and not overly sweet.


 

The wife, who loves a chocolate dessert, had the Valrhona Ganaja chocolate mousse (R160), with sour cherry compote, coco nibs, chocolate tuille and milk chocolate and caramel ice cream. I tasted a morsel of the mousse and it was exquisite though it’s an over-abundance of chocolate for my taste. The wife thought that the portion was too generous and the cumulative sweetness got to be too much.

 

The bill came to R1165,00 before tip and inclusive of the R200,00 we paid for a band we weren’t interested in and who wasn’t entertaining at all. I guess the poor sods deserved compensation for being ignored by the patrons.

 

Benguela Cove is probably a great summer’s day destination over and above the restaurant but the latter sure has a splendid setting for views and good, unpretentious, stylish nosh priced at a premium price. Perhaps you pay for the view. 

 

The service was excellent and cheerful.

 

Just check whether they have a band. That’s no value for money. 

 

 

 

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