Savouring Savoye

 8 June 2024

 

SAVOYE

Vrede en Lust, corner of R45 & Simondium-Klapmuts Roads, Franschhoek

 

We treated the Yorkies to  a luxury one-night getaway at a wine estate that once served as the backdrop for an Afrikaans romcom (Semi-Soet, one of the wife’s favourite movies) and ate dinner at the in-house restaurant, not to be confused with the far more casual Lust bistro close to the entrance to the property. Savoye is part of the building housing rooms, arranged around a hollow square, named for various wine grape cultivars, and is also the breakfast room for guests.

 

The rooms weren’t fully occupied and at any given time during the evening there were no more than 6 people around us. Initially, we took a discreet table at the side, to avoid encroaching on the other diners’ space but it was a cold night and the lovely fire lured the wife to seek out a table just in front of the fire place.  

 

The design and style is modern bistro with light wood furniture and the indoor area has great views towards the pool and lawn beyond.

 

The price of the accommodation not only included breakfast but also a “premium” wine tasting of 3 white and 2 red wines

and we were quite jolly by dinner time, so the wife declined further alcohol and drank sparkling water and I stuck to one beer.

 

Her starter was the garlic butter ciabatta with Feta labneh  and basil pesto (R75)

and my choice was the caprese salad with burrata (R165); we ended up sharing the dishes. 

The dome of burrata in the salad was substantial but extremely soft and light like a aerated set crème Anglaise which detracted a bit from the enjoyment. The tomatoes, on the other hand, were fresh, sweet and sublime, perfectly enhance by the basil.

 

The two slices of ciabatta were perfectly toasted, crunchy and deeply flavourful, a substantial yet complementary contrast to the lightness of the salad. 

 

Her main course was the Mediterranean Orzo salad with artichoke, zucchini, peppers, orzo pasta, olives, Danish feta, sun-dried tomatoes, baby spinach and red onion (R135); with added extra Moroccan chicken making the dish R175).

My choice was the Moroccan chicken with apricots, olives, preserved lemon, cous cous and flaked almonds.

 

I’d expected a tagine dish but once again received grilled chicken breast fillet. The elements were well cooked and combined well, the chicken wasn’t dry and there was an amusing little kick that made me take frequent sips of my beer to mitigate the heat. Thoroughly enjoyable.

 

Only I had dessert, an apple pie with salted caramel and vanilla ice cream. I don’t want split hairs but for me it was an apple cake rather than a pie but never mind the nomenclature, it was a damn delicious apple dessert with good crumb, well-cooked layers of apple, not overly sweet and with oodles of flavour. 

 

The bill, including 2 cappuccinos, came to R862,00 before tip.

 

The following morning we ate breakfast on the patio, looking out over the bluest of clear, blue pools, rolling lawn and a Cape Dutch manor house. Not the shabbiest of circumstances.

 

My choice was the poached egg on chicken livers on toast with Hollandaise sauce and Grana Padano shavings 

while the wife had the eggs Benedict. 

Neither dish was particularly generous but both were scrumptious. The coffee was good.

 

The service was friendly and efficient, the nosh was nice and the ambience of the restaurant, despite the lack of patrons, was warm, literally with the fire but also psychologically and emotionally.

 

Vrede and Lust is a beautiful farm and spending even just one night there felt like an extended break. The Yorkies loved the farm, the room was cosy and the bed very comfortable. We will absolutely return.