Lucky Number? Nic goes solo at Bistro 13

22 October 2014 - 02:16 By Kim Maxwell
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
SIGN UP: Bistro 13 at Stellenbosch Vineyards is minimalist and modern
SIGN UP: Bistro 13 at Stellenbosch Vineyards is minimalist and modern
Image: SHELLEY CHRISTIANS

There's a lot to like at Bistro 13, a casual winery restaurant that opened a month ago in the Stellenbosch winelands.

It starts with home-baked breads, introducing a small menu and a relaxing country space only 40km along the N2 from Cape Town's CBD.

Chef Nic van Wyk trained at La Colombe at Constantia Uitsig, partnered Michael Broughton at Kleine Zalze's Terroir, then impressed palates at suburban Barnyard Brasserie in Tyger Valley. Bistro 13 is the first restaurant he is calling his own.

The winery, Stellenbosch Vineyards, has a tasting room next to the restaurant so it footed the bill for the decor. It is modern and minimalist, and opens onto a deck under shady trees.

Ducks waddle over, and a designer jungle gym and lawns make it easy for parents to sip wine, casting an occasional eagle eye over offspring.

The steak tartare has followers (it is local grass-fed beef), but we fancied sliced lamb rib on salad leaves (R65). Fattily tasty, suiting the cut, this richer starter was lifted by mange tout, red onionand sweet and sour coriander dressing.

Better still, an inspired salad of mildly curried crispy calamari rings and heads (R60) partnered chilled potato and herb vinaigrette under a stack of avocado and sweetly pickled cucumber. It was especially magical with well-priced Stellenbosch Vineyards 2014 Sauvignon Blanc (R100).

The restaurant stocks only this winery's labels , but the selection will expand once it is licensed.

Beef top-rump (R130) is like a fillet, but with more grunt. It is served on an intense brandy and black pepper jus alongside puffy onion rings, fried potatoand a cheese-topped brown mushroom.

Other mains include mushroom risotto, crumbed pork with smoked mash and braised lamb shoulder with creamy barley. Fried shell-less prawns (R110) languish in lots of tomato, chilli, basil and intense seafood stock flavour.

The deck was filled with fashionable families and burly farming types with appetites to match. An attractive group of Belgian fashion students suntanned on the lawns while waiting for their lunch.

Our four-year-old joined a friendly soccer brawl, returning to polish off crumbed hake fingers and hand-cut chips (R40). An "ice-cream sandwich" (R25) with chocolate sauce and Romany cream crust also hit the spot.

As a new venue, the bistro's weak point is that its lunch/dinner menu is still finding its rhythm. Macerated strawberries (R40) had too much yoghurt parfait and not enough meringue crunch. The brandy pudding (R50) came with marvellous prune ice cream but was cloyingly sweet for summer.

You'll already find skill in well-priced dishes and wines, and decent service. Have patience. At Bistro 13, I suspect Van Wyk is only warming up.

  • Bistro 13, Stellenbosch. Welmoed Estate, Baden Powell Drive, Stellenbosch. Open Tuesday to Sunday. 021- 881-3044, www.bistro13.co.za
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now