Restaurant brokers Eric and Robin Gagnon were on a mission to enjoy the local tastes on their recent trip to South Africa. 

We sought the advice of Peter Antoniades, a We Sell Restaurants broker and South African native who suggested they seek out Babotie, a local dish on their travels.  This dish consists of layers of lamb and beef along with curry and other spices.   The intricately spiced minced meat is then baked with an egg-based topping.

The meat portion of the dish is cooked separately and is layered, “like a meat lasagna” according to restaurant broker Eric Gagnon.  The dish is served in a traditional style with yellow rice and a chutney that is both sweet and spicy on the side.  The diner combines the three elements, meat, yellow rice and chutney to deliver all the flavors into one bite.

Restaurant broker Eric Gagnon was on a mission to find the best of this classic dish and made multiple inquiries among the locals he met to secure the best possible experience.

On his second day, he hit pay dirt as a hired tour guide reported that the best babotie was to be found in the region of Stellenbosch at Kalfi’s Restaurant .  As we were already touring this important wine region (the second largest in South Africa)  we decided to detour for lunch and experience the local dish firsthand.

It was a chilly and rainy day in South Africa and we entered a restaurant with a huge fireplace serving up the main heat for the business where wood snapped and cracked.  A local resident served as our waitress and she was happy to discuss the babotie which she agreed, was the best to be found.

After a short wait (but much anticipated moment), the dish arrived.  According to restaurant broker Eric Gagnon, it was everything promised and perfect for the cold wintry day.  The curry was strong but not overpowering, the flavors quite pleasant and the rice and chutney served as a good balance to the overall strength of the beef and lamb in the meat component of the dish.

Will it be a restaurant broker favorite or land on our home menu?  Probably not.  But for those dining in a native land, it is important to try the local cuisine and in this endeavor, we have succeeded.

Another wonderful taste on our journey was experienced within the wineries.  Anura Vineyards served this plate of cheese and preserves along with their best wines.  The three preserves featured here were flavors of French Onion, Fig and jalapeno jelly.  All had flavors very consistent with their bases – like the French Onion which tasted like the rich flavors of French Onion soup except for the sweetness of the jelly.  These were wonderful when paired with the correct wines and strong cheeses.   We purchased all three to bring home and enjoy.  Unfortunately, the thugs at the TSA were kind enough to confiscate them from our carryon baggage upon our return to the United States.  Luckily, it was offered at Anura Vineyards and can be found online at http://www.anura.co.za/ so we plan to order from their website so we can enjoy it here at home.

The restaurant brokers advice for anyone traveling abroad is to ask questions and research ahead of time so you can enjoy the experience of dining on local favorites. 

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