The Bistro and Tasting Room has opened at Brookdale Estate in the Paarl Winelands, offering visitors the opportunity to taste wines grown on the estate, vinified by winemaker, Kiara Scott.
The Bistro at Brookdale promises a relaxed, contemporary Paarl Winelands dining experience. Seasoned executive chef Gary Coetzee is at the pass, assisted by restaurant and tasting room manager Michelle Michaels. Coetzee’s experience includes nearly ten years overseeing the kitchens at Singita in the Sabi Sand and a decade as private chef for the Kerzner family at Leeukoppie Estate in Hout Bay.
Built and decorated in a contemporary style, with both indoor and outside dining spaces on the wide terrace overlooking the vineyards. The menu features fresh and wholesome cuisine, with flavours that honour international cuisine in a South African style.
Chef Gary describes the style of the food as ‘chic bistro’, with produce sourced locally to provide a conscious balance of choice for meat lovers and vegetarians alike.
Starters include Char-grilled Baby Gem Lettuce with pickled red onion, avocado, croutons, capers, wakame & cashew dressing; Steamed prawns, prawn lollipop with avocado, lettuce & Harissa aioli; Main course highlights are Duck leg confit; Poached Yellowtail Veronique and Cauliflower risotto. End off with a Cheese Board, or on a sweet note with Coconut panna cotta, Coffee hazelnut tart or the show-stopper Ruby port & Valrhona chocolate fondant.
The Brookdale Bistro experience is complemented by an exciting wine list that showcases the Brookdale and Mason Road ranges, in addition to other interesting wines from the Paarl region and beyond. The award-winning flagship wine, Brookdale Chenin Blanc Old Vine leads the pack with tasting notes describing the wine as ‘unmasked, crushed stones ride a wave of white citrus. On the palate, the sensational white fruit continues. The mineral structure presents vertical and endless, enlivened by soft buoyant acids and a mouth-coating citrus purity. The finish is luminous, with a real granitic freshness.’ The wine is also available at the Bistro in Magnum and Double Magnum (Jeroboam) size.
Open Tuesdays to Sundays, and dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings. The Tasting Room is open daily from 11:00 to 17:00 (closed on Mondays).
