The view from a restaurant’s kitchen has to be fantastic. Not only for the guests, but more importantly so for the chef.

Last Sunday was a glorious spring day in the Stellenbosch Winelands. I have been longing to visit George Jardine at The Restaurant at Jordan since they opened their doors late last year, and finally had the opportunity to spend a leisurely lunch there with my husband and kids. Upon entering, my eyes quickly scanned the ultra-stylish, open-plan kitchen. Proud George was plating his smoked gurnard with a large perfect twirl of homemade fettuccini in a puddle of herby, garlicky butter. Incidentally, the oak smoker, which is situated in the veggie and herb garden, burnt down in the process… for the third time.

As I wandered into the cheese room, packed with magnificent local cheeses, it hit me: the view. Proteas, restios, pampas grasses, willow trees, a dam, vineyards and vineyards, snow capped mountains…

The floor-to-ceiling doors were completely open and all the tables were set outside. We ate out of bowls and on beautiful burnt sage butter designed plates: a suckling pig stuffed, rolled and roasted on smooth, sweet parsnip puree with chopped spinach and lardoons; slow-cooked sticky short rib with roasted Jerusalem artichokes; hand-line caught hake with silky mussels and a few more scrumptious dishes along with a couple of bottles of sublime Jordan Nine Yards 2006 and chardonnay 2008.

As the day went by, we watched as the snow melted and the mountains turned a jeweled pink during sunset. And George and his wife Louise, who is totally in control of a calm, well-organised restaurant, beamed all day in this little piece of heaven.

We headed back to Cape Town smiling too!

Happy eating!
Abigail P.S. My son even got to vacuum-pack his cars in the vac pac machine!