The independent, authentic guide to the restaurants of South Africa

This winelands stalwart has seen a make-over; the interior is now lighter and fresher and certainly fresher, while retaining a sedate personality (it’s popular with an elderly international clientele). Changes also in the staff, with a new and experienced floor manager team, while chef Edgar Osojnik has for many years been a steady hand at the rudder.

Service has always been gracious, but there’s more attention and knowledge to it now, based on this visit. I was later informed that they feel they are at their best for dinners (this was lunch), so that’s next. Buitenverwachting’s the kind of place where the napkin is folded to look like a chef’s tunic, while cutlery and crockery is dated. The unironed tablecloth also hinted at the improvements still available – though this has morphed into a sophisticated-country option rather than out-and-out fine dining.

The vine views from conservatory balcony with its reed roof are delightful, as are the charming courtyard seats, where they now also offer a daytime tapas menu; there’s also a R140 high tea. Dinner may be the pinnacle, but lunch is certainly no bistro menu, there’s even a degustation option, curiously called “fine bites” at five or seven courses, so it can be as expansive as you desire.

Prices here are high. Most starters are knocking on R100; while mains also start here (for “favourites” like beef stroganoff) and go up from there. But you are treated to those extras like an amuse bouche and friandise post your meal. And, as it turns out, the portions here are very big indeed. My amuse was a mini caesar salad (also on the menu as a starter) here with Norwegian salmon, white anchovies and parmesan foam. It was fantastic. All elements very pure and elegant, including the toast finger and hyper-crisp bacon. I saw a full starter (R105) go out and it is seriously generous in salmon – could be a light eaters’ main.

Starter of a vegetable tian (R73) was surprisingly rustic, not the roll of vegetables and jellies that made the sophisticated tian, but the ciabatta it was served on, with a tomato coulis and pesto – Provencal style, and soaked in olive oil with a sweet balsamic sorbet element. A generous portion, tasty in the “bagna cauda” portion, but with variable temperatures (some fridge cold). My least favourite flavour element was the tian which would have loved some caramelisation.

Where my starter had a surfeit of starch, the main of argan oil-panned chicken breast with a drumstick roasted in chermoula spice came with only a suggestion of “cauliflower couscous”, where the grains of starch were cleverly mixed with the tiny florets of cauliflower (R132). The dish was also served with a tomato and sweetcorn salsa (not indicated on menu). The chicken was perfectly cooked, and it was another gargantuan portion, reassuringly wholesome.

Dessert was “Orange Chocolate Schnitte with Deep fried Mango Raviolis and Passionfruit” (R54). The raviolis were bland and tasted only like fried shortcrust, while the passionfruit was dry pips, the dessert only saved by the good choc-orange cake. Other options (should have gone with one of these) were yoghurt creme Catalan with poached rhubarb and saffron ice; vanilla pannacota with strawberry balsamico sorbet and cannolis.

Double espresso was very good, the petit fours – like shortbread and biscotti, choc truffle – ok. All in all, its food of that mixes “comfort” with technical adventure but never quite pyrotechnics. This, and the generous portions, makes it a very approachable option.

Tues-Sat lunch and dinner, also high tea and tapas. 021 794 3522