As we prepared to move east to Sabi Sand Gamer Reserve(where we are now for 3 days--no reviews here, the food is great at Savanna Private Game Reserve) we headed out for our last dinner in wine country.
Foliage came with many high recommendations and is great for anything and everything with a huge varied menu for everyone, vegetarians, carnivores, even vegans. Managed by Tawanda, who greeted use at the door with a huge grin and seated us taking our drink orders and getting us water, it is a simple setting a terrarium of shoots and windows on one side facing the street, and probably will never win a décor competition. Our server Paulette explained the menu and helped us to make some choices, but since it is a la carte and we were quite full from lunch, we decided to share many dishes so we could taste more.
There was a Bread Selection for 25rand(barely $2) which we all shared and it had a yummy Buchu Seed Loaf with an onion baguette(Sam grabbed that) with a Pork Lard spread made with parmesan crumbs. There was also a tasty and novel Babaganoush spread made from pickled aubergine.
Same started with a Beetroot Carpaccio, Tartar of raw beetroot & pickled radish, smoked beets and granadilla His main course was a gorgeous Charred Beetroot and Burnt Corn Risotto with nartjie(those mandarin/satsuma oranges found here) foam and mushroom puree. He was ver happy with the menu and his choices.
I ordered up a glass of Chamonix 2016 unoaked Chardonnay as I had tasted it with the winemaker Thinus Neeling ( a handsome and totally entertaining gent, who became the youngest winemaker ever in South Africa 4 years ago at 25!)just two days prior. A fab amuse of Bitterballen(which we have not had in years since our last Holland America cruise) made from Pork Crackling crust and stuffed with Venison that had an awesome Guava Paste Dip that was more like a fruity spice sauce. Sam got a potato tuile with pickled radish and guava puree. A great start for sure.
Two of us split two starters and mains each with ours being the Garden Vegetables, Herb powder(turmeric), Berry Sherbet Powder, Ginger & Lemongrass Mayo, Charred Beetroot, Pickled Cauliflower, Onion & Radish, Heirloom Carrots and Lentil Puffs, which was a divine salad that would make anyone and everyone happy. The other starter was Salmo's Raw milk Fig Leaf cheesecake with Forest foraged herbs & Gooseberries. Paulette explained that Salmo was 14 years old and milked his cow and made raw milk cheese supplied to the restaurant for making this savory cheesecake served on a digestive biscuit crust. It had a smoky flavor and was served with an amazing Spice tomato vinaigrette which was really a candied tomato jam that made the very rich and flaky cake truly wonderful.
The others shared the same cheesecake and their other starter was Neil's Bacon Steamed Bun in ramen broth with Beetroot, Radish, Pumpkin Seed & Celery Root Pesto which was good, but apparently the beet covered up all the bacon taste leaving it to be a Beet Steamed Bun!
We both split the same mains starting with the BBQ & Braised Eland Brisket, Potato Gnocchi, Braised Red Cabbage, Cauliflower Confit & Grilled Carrot. When Paulette placed it down and announced the anise puree, I almost died, but luckily we could not taste a bit of licorice. The meat was a tad dry at the center but the sauce was plentiful and superb making up for that one minor flaw. Even better was the BBQ Warthog "Skilpadjie" or sausage, with Apple Chutney, Marrog(spinach) Pomme Puree, Prickly Pear & Radish Salad with Onion Puree. I have to say this was my first warthog ever and it was superb indeed; tasty, tender and full of gamey, buit not overpowering, flavor. The preparation was akin to pulled meat with a somewhat wrapped sausage.
Will tried and liked the jammy Topiary Shiraz with his game, while I adored the 2016 La Motte Millennium of Shiraz, Cabernet, Pinotage and Grenache, an excellent blend.
It was a fine meal as we headed back to the magnificent Leeu Estates to pack up for our trip east the next day.
