Delaire, Stellenbosch

The new Delaire is something to behold. Especially if you were ever familiar with the original. The GDP of a small country has been poured into this property, and the result is a feast for the senses, and also quite a statement for one potential future direction for the Cape wine lands. Here, diamond magnate Laurence Graff has upped the ante, and we can expect a few more of the world’s players to continue the trend.

The wine still needs attention, and winemaker Chris Kelly has recently left the cellar, but the restaurant is under the very sure hand of Christian Campbell with a good team on the floor, including sommelier Tatiana. The interior is a page from a contemporary magazine, not so much Wallpaper as House & Garden: to call it eclectic would be slightly unfair, as there is a strong South African theme, but there’s also lots more – all of the highest quality, in the “Kentridges as decor” idiom. As this was just a first look (and the deck, with its panorama of the Helshoogte Mountains, is some look) I won’t comment in depth on the menu, suffice to say it is not pretentious food, but the dishes are given quite a make-over in look. My Niçoise salad was a plate of beauty and still tasted like it should. Look forward to returning.

Related posts:

1. Genki Sushi, Stellenbosch A restaurant that really deserves to be my recent sushi...
2. Stellenbosch safari: Greengate moves, Arpeggio boils and Mila bakes The fantastic Greengate, which until recently was at Skuinshuis on...
3. Great sushi in Cape Town and Durban Cape Town Nobu, One&Only, V&A Waterfront. 021 431 5111. Dinner...