Tag Archives: NG Church

Restaurant Review: Chez d’Or is a Carstens compromise!

I decided to try the new Chez d’Or restaurant on the main road in Franschhoek for lunch, after the 60th birthday concert on Sunday of well-known potter David Walters in the NG Church, diagonally across the road.  I had read in the local rag ‘The Franschhoek Month’ that six-time Eat Out Top 10 chef Richard Carstens had opened the restaurant, which led me to believe that he was the new owner of the restaurant.   It was a massive disappointment and let-down.

Previously low key Cafe Rouge, which was set back in Bijoux Square, making it hard to see, the new restaurant has been brought forward and expanded in this Square, in the space in which the optometrist was previously located.   Owner Jason de Jongh has re-invented the restaurant completely, with the larger space, more upmarket interior design, changing the restaurant name to bring it in line with his guest house name (Val d’Or), and bringing Carstens in on a three-month consultancy contract only (not mentioned in the article).   Carstens is the South African ueber-chef, who indulges in foams, is a good trainer of staff, and is good at helping set up new restaurants, but has had little staying-power (except at Lynton Hall, where he worked for five years).  Jason explained that he wanted to create a Bistro-style restaurant, with Carstens’ input, but without the type of cuisine Carstens has become known for, so as to not create a huge difference in the quality of the food served after Carstens leaves the restaurant in September.   Carstens is quoted in the article as saying about the restaurant: “Its a classic yet contemporary bistro with Asian influences”.  The red and white tablecloths with white overlays create the Bistro look.  The cutlery is neatly wrapped inside the serviette, probably a Carstens’ touch.

The problem with the restaurant and Carstens’ connection was immediately evident when the hardboard menu started with a list of sandwiches!  These are served between 11h00 – 17h00, and are quite expensive, in ranging from R 45 for an aubergine, mushroom, pepper, coriander pesto and gruyere sandwich, to R58 for a ribeye and aioli or smoked salmon sandwich, and a beef burger.  A further problem was that Carstens explained some of the menu items but not all – the Carstens touch shows when he described the Soup of the Day (the waitress just called it a Butternut Soup).   Carstens described it as a Butternut Soup served with almonds and snoek, changing its nature completely, snoek not being to everyone’s taste.  The spiced tomato, coconut, lime and chilli sorbet soup sounded delicious too.  The wholewheat bread did not look home-baked, and in fact seemed to show its age with first signs of mould, so we did not eat it.  The butter was untidily cut and presented.   Other starter choices are spiced calamari (R58), duck liver pate (R52), smoked rainbow trout (R65), chicken spring roll (R47), and a mushroom and artichoke salad (R45). 

The Pork belly (R85) was served on a tiny portion of mash with butternut, the black eggplant puree looking unattractive in the brown (with green oily bits) mustard sauce.  Overall, the plate of food looked unattractive, and the pork had an odd taste.  My son’s Ribeye steak(R98) was ordered medium rare, but was prepared more to the medium side. It was tender, but the chip portion was tiny, so the waitress brought more, without extra charge.   The spinach was tender and tasty.  The Tempura linefish (R80) was kingklip.  Other main courses are Duck leg (R85), Asian braised lamb shank (R98), and Beetroot and aubergine curry (R70).

The winelist is on the reverse side of the menu, and will not feature on the Diner’s Club Winelist of the Year awards list.  It is simply divided into “Methode Cap Classique Sparkling”, White Wine, Rose Wine, Red Wine and Dessert Wine/Port and is commendably Proudly-Franschhoek in its wine selection, with the exception of the Landskroon and Quinta Do Sul Vintage Reserve ports.  Each wine is described in brief, but no vintages are listed.  The wine-by-the glass prices are so low (R18 for Porcupine Ridge Viognier/Grenache, Haut Espoir Sauvignon Blanc R20, Eikehof Cabernet Sauvignon R18) that one wonders how young they are, and whether they are drinkable.  The Haute Cabriere Pinot Noir is the most expensive wine on the list, at R250, but most wines are under R200, making the wine choice affordable.

We skipped the starter to leave space for Carstens’ signature dessert, which is not on the menu – frozen dark chocolate mousse served with saffron ice cream on biscuit crumbs, with mint sauce.   The dessert sounded better than the real thing, which were four unequally cut blocks of frozen chocolate mousse.  The saffron ice cream and mint sauce were delicious.   Other options are an interesting sounding Gin and lemon tart (R40); Poached banana ice cream (R38); Vanilla creme (R38); Chocolate tart, cardamom ice cream with pear (R50); and a Cheese board (R65).

We left Chez d’Or bitterly disappointed, in having expected Richard Carstens’ quality but getting a most unsatisfactory meal, even though he was in the kitchen!   Anyone who would think of coming to eat at the restaurant, on the basis of Carstens’ association with it until September, should not eat here.   I felt cheated, as I could not sense Carstens’ hand here at all.

Carstens is rumoured to be taking over the Tokara restaurant when his consultancy contract at Chez d’Or comes to an end in September, but Tokara is denying this.

Chez d’Or, Bijoux Square, 60 Huguenot Road, Franschhoek.  Tel (021) 876-4197. www.chezdor.co.za  (The website is disappointing, with only a Home page, giving contact details and a restaurant interior shot, no menu or winelist).  Monday – Sunday.  Lunch and Dinner.

POSTCRIPT 30/7: It has been confirmed that Richard Carstens will be the Executive Chef of Tokara Restaurant, in conjunction with Jardine’s Wilhelm Kuehn, from October.

POSTSCRIPT 1/8: I have been informed by Wilhelm Kuehn, the new operator of the Tokara restaurant, that Richard Carstens has left Chez d’Or.  The Chez d’Or staff confirm that he left on Wednesday, the day of our review, and that he left ahead of the end of his contract.    We were clearly told by the owner that he would be at the restaurant until September.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

Handful of keys available in Franschhoek

A unique community project has seen the residents of Franschhoek club together to ensure that the gourmet village retains the grand piano which was brought into the village on loan six years ago, and can continue to be used for concerts in the NG Church.

Talented and passionate classical music performer Christopher Duigan brought the grand piano to Franschhoek, when he started putting on two Music Festivals per year.   The Kawai originally cost  R 270 000.  To retain the grand piano in the village, individual keys are being sold at R 1750 each.  Donors receive free tickets to 10 concerts over a two year period. 

A benefit of keeping the piano in Franschhoek is that one can look forward to the outstanding concerts by Duigan, who was named a Steinway Artist earlier this year, keeping company with Diana Krall, Lang Lang, Abdullah Ibrahim, Keith Jarret, and also Arthur Rubinstein, Franz Liszt, and Richard Wagner, amongst others.

Whale Cottage has supported the wonderful concerts that Duigan has organised for and played in Franschhoek, and this project, and therefore bought the Middle C key. 

There are only a handful of keys on the Franschhoek Grand Piano left for sale.  Contact Karen Minnaar, tel (021) 876-2431.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

Franschhoek Literary Festival Sweet and Le Quartier Francais Sour Service Awards

The Sweet Service Award goes to Jenny Hobbs and Sheenagh Tyler, the organisers of the Franschhoek Literary Festival, which took place in Franschhoek last weekend.  Not only was it extremely well organised, with more than 30 talks and discussions, but it also attracted other cultural events to Franschhoek over the weekend, being the opening of an excellent winter art exhibition (with works by Gordon Vorster, Dylan Lewis and Cecil Skotness) at Ebony, as well as outstanding music performances by Christopher Duigan in the NG Church.   The weather was perfectly organised too!   In addition, it ‘booked-ed” out many accommodation establishments and restaurants over the weekend, a much needed occupancy given the otherwise poor winter lying ahead for Franschhoek in terms of bookings.

The Sour Service Award goes to Le Quartier Francais and its owner Susan Huxter.   Ilse Schermers, curator of the new IS (Ilse Schermers) art gallery, that opened at Le Quartier Francais in Franschhoek last week, had to call this writer to cancel (without explanation) an invitation she had been sent to attend the opening, on the instruction of Mrs Huxter, even though the writer has been a client of the Grand Provence gallery, where Ms Schermers was the curator until recently, for years. 

POSTSCRIPT 24/10:   We received a second invitation, to the opening of a new exhibition at the Le Quartier Francais art gallery on 30 October, with a subsequent withdrawal of the invitation, earlier this week: “I am new at is art and was unaware of the situation between Le Quartier Francais and yourself.  I therefore have to retract the invitation that was mistakenly sent to you.  My sincere apologies.  Alisha Erasmus, Gallery Assistant.”

POSTSCRIPT 25/10: We received another follow-up e-mail today, as if the first had not been clear: “Unfortunately having discussed with Susan  (Huxter) you are not allowed on to the property of le quartier which Is Art is a part of so unfortunately you will not be able to attend!  Regards, Alisha Erasmus, Gallery Assistant”

The WhaleTales Sweet & Sour Service Awards are presented every Friday on the WhaleTales blog.  Nominations for the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be sent to Chris von Ulmenstein at info@whalecottage.com.   Past winners of the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be read on the Friday posts of this blog, and in the WhaleTales newsletters on the www.whalecottage.com website.

Franschhoek becomes Wedding Valley!

The Franschhoek Wine Valley may soon change its name to the Franschhoek Wedding Valley, if the trend to an increasing number of weddings taking place in and outside Franschhoek continues!

 

The value of wedding tourism has never been calculated for Franschhoek, but could easily be in the region of R 25 million per year in direct venue and catering income, and double that when expenditure on accommodation, wine, restaurant meals and shopping in  Franschhoek before, during and after the wedding is added. 

 

Wedding Tourism has become a vastly important source of revenue for the Western Cape, and for Franschhoek particularly, and the valley will soon be called the Wedding Capital of South Africa, in addition to being the Gourmet Capital already.  Between 50 – 100 weddings take place in Franschhoek per month in summer, it is estimated.

 

Some wine estates have indicated that their revenue or profitability is greater from weddings than it is from their wine production!

 

How did this all come about?

 

For the past few years an increasing stream of young South African school leavers have left to do a gap year in London, while university graduates have also sought greener pastures there.  Many have opted to stay in London, due to their earning ability.  The young South African ladies get engaged to their British beaus, and get to choose the wedding venue back home.  Nostalgically, they think of the Cape Winelands, and the Cape Dutch gable buildings on them in particular, even if they did not grow up in the area.

Wedding tourism benefits tourism generally in that 50 – 100 British friends and family will come to South Africa to attend a wedding, and this introduces the country to many first-time visitors, who would not necessarily have chosen this country as a tourism destination.         

The value of the Wedding Tourism industry in the Western Cape has been estimated at R 120 million, according to The South African.   The United Kingdom is the major source of wedding business, with the bride usually being South African and the groom from the UK.    For the price of a wedding and reception in the UK the couple is able to hold a lavish wedding and enjoy their honeymoon in South Africa.    Local weddings are attractive as the weather is guaranteed to be better than in the UK, they cost less, and offer a variety of appealing venues in the Winelands and at top restaurants.  

While Stellenbosch used to be the premier wedding destination just a few years ago, local tourism players have seen an increasing number of weddings taking place in Franschhoek.   The large wine estates surrounding Franschhoek are well placed to cater for large weddings.

 

Jenny Prinsloo, CEO of the Franschhoek Wine Valley Tourism Association (FWVTA), says Franschhoek is well placed to be the perfect wedding venue for large and smaller weddings, offering an exclusive and personalized service to wedding guests wishing to make the most of their most memorable day.   “It is an exotic destination” she added, and well set to provide top quality catering, wines, professional staff and beautiful settings

 

Has the credit crunch affected the wedding industry in Franschhoek?   Most wedding venues state that the number of weddings they have hosted this season, and bookings ahead, show that the number of weddings will remain roughly the same.   However, what has changed is a shift in the period in which they are being held, the days of the week on which they are held, and the number of persons attending a wedding.

 

Karen Minnaar of the N G Church says that the number of bookings for the church for weddings will be down slightly, to 40 this year, from 44 last year, the best year for the church as far as weddings go.    She predicts that the number of weddings will not increase next year.   Up to 90 % of the weddings taking place at the church are held on Saturdays.    Most weddings are with “mixed” couples, a term a number of wedding venues used to describe the South African/UK partnership between bride and groom.

 

What does a wedding cost?     It can range from R 150 000 for a wedding of around 150 guests, up to R 500 000 at the exclusive La Residence, and this includes the wedding venue, food and wine only.  All other weddings services such as décor, music, special wedding cars, flowers, etc are contracted out and paid for separately.

 

The largest wedding venues are Allee Bleue, Le Franschhoek Hotel, Boschendal, and Vrede & Lust.

 

Allee Bleue’s Ashley Whaley, co-GM, says that weddings earn more revenue, and are more profitable at this stage than the estate’s wines.    Wedding bookings have increased year on year, and she sees an increasing number of international brides and grooms.  The estate prides itself on being the largest wedding venue in the Valley, in that up to 220 wedding guests can be accommodated.   The average wedding size is 150 guests.   Up to three weddings are hosted per weekend in summer, making it about 10 – 12 per month.  The wedding ceremony is conducted in the Conference Room, which is dressed as a chapel, and the reception takes place outside, with a free-form tent catering for less favourable weather conditions.   Allee Bleue’s weddings have the benefit that there is no noise control, and that they can carry on late, being located outside Franschhoek.

 

The Le Franschhoek Hotel is a popular wedding venue, especially as it can accommodate a large number of the wedding guests in its 79 rooms as well, being the largest hotel in the Valley.   Sunette Pringle, Head of Banqueting, says the hotel’s wedding business is growing year on year, and the hotel hosts one wedding per weekend.  She is not seeing a reduction in wedding business for the season ahead, but does see “international” weddings becoming smaller, with about 30 – 80 guests, while South African wedding groups are around 100 in size.   The Hotel has a number of Americans marrying at the venue, in addition to South African and British residents.  

 

Boschendal fits the Cape Dutch gabled building requirements of wedding couples most perfectly, and is steeped in tradition and history.  The ceremony is usually held at the nearby St George’s Anglican Church, drinks are served outside under the oak trees, and the reception is held in the restaurant.   The wine estate sees itself as a restaurant first and foremost, and does not actively encourage weddings.  Its catering offering offers bridal couples less flexibility in that the buffet must be utilised.   The estate only hosts one wedding per month with up to 120 guests on average, says Boschendal’s Neil Els.

 

Vrede & Lust is one of the most sought after venues, and is trendy since Johannesburg socialite and TV personality Gerry Rantseli married her second husband on the estate last year.   The wedding was featured in the Sunday Times’ social pages.   Wiena Riedel, Hospitality Manager of Vrede & Lust, sees a definite reduction in the size of their weddings this season, down from around 120 guests to about 60 – 70, and attributes this to the global credit crunch.    It is one of the most active wedding estates, with an average of six weddings per month, which can increase to 12 in March.  The estate is seeing an increase in weddings held on weekdays, due to the 15 % discount it offers for mid-week weddings.

 

Smaller weddings are held at Grande Provence, Mont Rochelle, Haute Cabriere, Dieu Donne, La Petite Ferme, Rickety Bridge, Le Manoir de Brendel , Franschhoek Country House, and La Petite Dauphine.

  

Mont Rochelle caters for weddings with an average size of fifty guests, and has seen a trend to smaller and more intimate weddings.   They host only one or two weddings a month, so that the hotel operation is not affected.  La Petite Ferme also focuses on its restaurant business, and will not accept wedding bookings between November and February.  It caters for about two weddings a month in the remaining summer months, with about 60 – 80 wedding guests.  If the bridal couple want dancing, they have to book all the accommodation at La Petite Ferme.    Wilmari Dippenaar, wedding co-ordinator at La Petite Ferme, says she is satisfied with the number of wedding enquiries she is receiving, and cannot see any change due to the downturn.

 

Dieu Donne has only been open for a year, but can also see a steady increase in its wedding bookings, with one to two per month and up to 140 guests per wedding.   The ceremony is held on the downstairs terrace, with the superb backdrop of the Valley, and the Reception in the restaurant upstairs.

 

Rickety Bridge Winery can cater for up to 85 guests, and offers an attractive wedding package with accommodation on the estate and at the neighbouring Basse Provence.  One wedding is hosted per week, and this booking level continues until April.   Cindy Muller says that the Winery offers its wedding clients good value for money.  Franschhoek is attractive because of its beauty and proximity to Cape Town, and the village “is steeped in romance”, she says.

 

Le Manoir de Brendel has its own chapel and spa, and is a popular venue because of this feature.   Shirleen Waskis, who co-ordinates the estate’s weddings, says that the last two summer months have been on par with last year as far as wedding bookings go, but sees a decline for this month.  She says that the next three summer months will be back in line with the past year.  Wedding sizes have reduced, and bridal couples are becoming more demanding, wanting more for less.   The property can cater for about 50 guests in the chapel and in-door venue, and can accommodate larger weddings in its gardens.  

 

La Petite Dauphine is one of the newest wedding venues, and caters for small intimate weddings, of round 30 wedding guests, but can accommodate up to 100 guests.   Marie-Louise Oosthuizen manages the weddings, and says that her clients are mainly locals, from Cape Town.   The venue only hosts day-time weddings, and February and March are particularly good wedding months.   She says that for smaller weddings, her guests are likely to book the accommodation over a four day period, and a series of wedding-related activities are planned for the wedding guests.    She has also seen a trend of an increasing number of same-gender weddings being held at her venue.

 

Haute Cabriere is one of the few Franschhoek restaurants focusing on weddings.  Nicky Gordon says Franschhoek is a popular wedding venue because of its natural beauty and setting, which makes for good wedding photographs, and it offers a good spread of accommodation, from 5 star indulgence to 3 and 4 star value for money accommodation.    The restaurant has 2 – 3 weddings per month from November to mid-year, and is a popular venue for winter weddings, given that it can host the service in the wine cellar, and the reception in the restaurant.   An increasing number of foreigners are getting married at Haute Cabriere, with one of the couple being from South Africa originally.   Gordon does not see a decline in the wedding business due to the credit crunch, whilst the restaurant is seeing the downturn for meal bookings.   

Wedding tourism is a huge contributor to the tourism industry, and Franschhoek benefits from it in the summer months.   It is not only the wine and wedding estates that benefit from weddings, but also many other tourist sectors.

In “mixed” international weddings, the South African bride recommends the accommodation, car rental, restaurants, and trips to take before and after the wedding to her wedding guests, thereby making the planning of the trip to South Africa easy.   The bridal couple offers more than just a reception, to “compensate” for the far distance the friends and family have travelled, and the money they have spent on the ticket and the trip – often a wedding in Franschhoek will be followed by a picnic at Boschendal the day after, and a sailing trip may precede a wedding whilst the group of guests is in Cape Town prior to the wedding.   

Weddings convert tourists to regular visitors, given their surprise and delight at the beauty, value for money, safety and quality they experience in the Winelands.