Something Special Simmers in Suider-Paarl
In the heart of Suider-Paarl there is characterful country cooking simmering in a side street near the station. The largest town in the Cape Winelands and the third oldest town in the country, it’s famed for its vineyards, mountains and schools producing some of the country’s best rugby players, and has a vibrant community of nearly 200 000 people.
There is a tantalising aroma of flavourful cooking that entices you up the stairs into the loft that chef Mynhardt Joubert calls home. It’s a sanctuary that he shares with fellow food-lovers, one that he opens for dinners and special occasions. It is over delicious meals in his kitchen that friendships are forged, milestones celebrated. With a background in performing arts and with his genuine warmth, he is a natural entertainer, accommodating groups of between 10 and 30 in this bright, effervescent space.
Mynhardt and his team display real country hospitality. Tear your eyes away from the pots bubbling on the stove and walk down into the sitting room. Over a welcome drink and delectable canapés, you can admire the eclectic collection of much-loved art, each piece telling a story. There is a bright orange wall covered with framed Springbok Hits covers. In front of it, a Formica table with a box of glass drink bottles that transport you on a magic carpet ride back to your childhood. Light streams in through a cameo window display of towering orchids. When it is time to be seated for your surprise menu, the bell rings, and you start to enjoy four or five courses.
Today’s feast begins with a Beetroot and Shiraz Soup with Black Charcoal Ciabatta, a hearty recipe that friend and cooking partner Frikkie got from an Anthony Bourdain book and over the years has made his own, serving it with farm butter. The Biryani, a firm favourite from Myhnardt’s childhood in the Free State, is served with some tasty side dishes. Yotam Ottolenghi provides inspiration for the Whole Baked Trout.
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