A wine bar or burger joint with a top-notch menu devised by an acclaimed chef is the perfect solution, which is why foodies will be delighted by these two new offerings on the Stellenbosch culinary scene.
The Bus Stop
Nic Van Wyk, of Bistro 13 at Stellenbosch Vineyards, welcomed the chance to work on a menu for The Bus Stop, a new food-truck-inspired eatery in a converted yellow bus by the pond on the Welmoed Farm.
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“I really enjoyed being able to create a burger and pizza menu that I’d enjoy eating at home,” says Nic. “The patty development was great, experimenting with consistency and flavour. Ryan Boon makes our patties for us.”
Good cheese and soft buns are also essential for the perfect burger, as are the thinner than average “smashed patties” cooked to a turn over a wood fire. There’s the Conductor with smoked mozzarella, the Back Seat with crispy bacon and jalapeno mayo, but Nic avoids overloading with too many different ingredients “You’ve got to be able to taste everything.”
He’s also been working on developing the perfect pizza. “It’s all about the base! I like a thin crispy base; the base is the vehicle for the toppings, not a meal on its own. The wood-fired pizza oven is also essential.”
Spek and Bone
Bertus Basson, of Overture and Spice Route, named his new wine bar on Dorp Street after his family pets, Spek the pig and Bone the boxer, and the sheltered courtyard shaded by an ancient vine has a relaxed and homely feel.
At Spek and Bone his focus on modern South African food hasn’t changed, but here he concentrates on a short menu of small sharing plates. “We love sharing and we love for guests to experience more than one flavour,” says Bertus. “The size of the menu was also dictated by the size of the kitchen – one of the smallest kitchens in the Western Cape!”
The menu may be short, but it has a wealth of deep and complex flavour, from the roasted yellow tail with grilled octopus and miso cream, to the muscadel-flamed lamb kidney with pumpkin seed gremolata, or the sautéed gnocchi with cauliflower and shitake mushrooms. Already standing out as signature dishes are the Boere tartiflette and for dessert the winning peppermint crisp cones.
This article is adapted from one originally published in one of the Sunday Times Neighbourhood: Property and Lifestyle guides. Visit Yourneighbourhood.co.za, like YourNeighbourhoodZA on Facebook and follow YourHoodZA on Twitter.
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