The Long Table Restaurant and Cafe
Dombeya Winery Stellenbosch

Being at the end of the road, the only real issue with getting to Dombeya winery, and the Long Table Restaurant, is that you need to pass a dozen great estates and restaurants. Dombeya, is an indigenous tree that grows on the farm.

It’s autumn in the vineyards and while burgundy leaves still cling to the vines, and the oak trees are clad in a dozen hues of yellow brown, the sky is a blue canvas on which the Heldeberg Mountains preen. A perfect afternoon on which to sit out on the paved terrace and relax into the menu and wine list.

The Springbok shank sounded too good to resist, and they were happy to exchange the polenta for a saffron risotto, which was part of the oxtail dish. Despite this, I did have menu envy as Terry’s duck breast and pear, with a chocolate sauce looked amazing. While I’m not the most passionate vegetable lover the world has seen, the vegetables from their own kitchen garden were special.

The food was wholesome and unpretentious. The wines (Hakell Anvil, a single vineyard Chardonnay, and a Bordeaux blend, Dombeya Altus) excellent. The setting sensational.