A few weeks ago we were invited to try the Rotisserie lunch at Leopard’s Leap in Franschhoek and it was just the thing to help us unwind and take time off together as a family.
A relaxed dining experience, the traditional harvest spread is available from Wednesday to Sunday and offers you a huge choice of cooked meats and accompanying salads. We’ve been wine tasting at Leopard’s Leap numerous times, and done two of their fantastic wine and food pairing events but this was the first time I really regretted not wearing elastic-waisted trousers because…we ate a lot.
And the girls exhausted themselves by making new friends and eating way too much ice cream. The mark of a good day.
The Space
It’s a stunning building with an open restaurant and wine tasting area with seating indoors and under a covered outdoor area. The shop is deadly, don’t step in unless you have a will of iron.
With the weather being so beautiful, we sat outdoors, later moving to laze under the trees by the kid’s play area.
The Food
We ordered two different meals for the kids – ham pizza and fish and chips. Cece put her pizza away like a champion, good ratio of cheese to ham there. The fish and chips was dry, sadly.
For the adults (or those pretending to be adults) we headed to the harvest table to pick our choice of salads and vegetables, which are weighed and charged accordingly, and then we chose our meat. I went with the pork belly because I have an acute addiction to pork crackling. Mr H went for the beef. Oh my word was the meat fantastic. The crackling was superb and I feel strongly that they should just offer plates of that. The sides were very “South African” and people were piling their plates with childhood memories. Mr H loved the choices, having grown up with it, and for tourists, it’s a great way to sample traditional flavours…I personally needed some green salads and roast potatoes 😉
The dessert counter was a complete win – I wish I had captured just how wide Rosie’s eyes were when she saw the choices available. I eventually settled for chocolate brownie because I believe that the mark of a good pastry chef is how indulgent, yet not overtly sweet, their brownies are and it was delicious. Mr H had his favorite, creme brulee and he said it was the best he has ever had *gasp*. The girls had ice cream and they devoured it in seconds.
The Drinks
The wine list is great value and I happily sipped on their unwooded Chardonnay which was only R55 a bottle.
The Vibe
Super chilled was the pace in terms of feeling relaxed and welcomed. Service was great and despite how busy it was, never faltered. The kids made new friends and it was lovely to see other families just letting their little ones run around the grassy area without feeling nervous.
Would we return? For a lazy afternoon with a bread board, cake and wine, absolutely…we will just have to find somewhere close by to stay so I can roll myself into a bed with my food coma.
Pros
– The space is fantastic for kids to run around in with enough trees to offer that much needed shade on hot summer days
– The wine list is reasonable and varied
– The staff are excellent
– The desserts were scrumptious
Cons
– The play area could be friendlier for little ones
– The food, whilst there were plenty of options, was very distinct (condense milk covered sweet potato and lots of curried pasta) BUT this would be great for someone wanting to try traditional food so really, I’m being very British.
– It needs to be closer to my house
Disclaimer: We were invited to experience Leopard’s Leap as guests. Our food and wine was comped. My opinion isn’t. To find out more about the winery, visit their website here
No Comments