#WineRoutingWithLloyd - Steenberg (Part 3 - Bistro Sixteen82)

After checking in and relaxing for a bit next to the pool, we headed on back up the tasting room at Steenberg. This is where Bistro Sixteen82 can be found, & I was expecting a great dinner. But what I got was not just a great dinner, it was an incredible educational, dining experience that is worth talking about. 

The modern contemporary design aesthetic from the tasting room & hotel follow through into this welcoming space, giving the restaurant a relaxed, yet vibrant & alive feeling. 

So Bistro Sixteen82 was opened back in 2009 & one would describe it as a proper bistro & tapas styled restaurant, that offers breakfast, lunch & dinner.

I honestly didn't really know much about the restaurant at all in the aspects of what they serve etc. So it was really a unfolding discovery as we went along. So, in the evenings, they only have a Tapas menu to eat from & their lunch menu is quite a bit more extensive in the sense that they have a selection of starters, mains & desserts to choose from. (Also, they have a full separate vegetarian & separate a vegan menu for those who are a bit more specific about what they eat.)

So we just ordered a few of the tapas from the specials board, & well, me being me, I popped another bottle of the Steenberg 1682 Chardonnay MCC just because it was another great day of #WineRoutingWithLloyd.

When my Dad & I eat out, you know there will always be Oysters. It's a given, & this evening was not going to be any different, so we got a plate of fresh West Coast Oysters, & washed them down with a glass of bubbles. 

Gambas, "Persillade" - which is essentially a prawn dish served with a sauce/seasoning made from chopped parsley, garlic, herbs & olive oil. 

Baby Patagonian Calamari - pan-fried baby squid. Always something to get right, either you'll end up with a plate of tubes that are like rubber. But these were cooked perfectly, with a great texture & slight bit of crispiness. 

Pickled Fish "Tacos" - Probably my favourite dish of the eve. Thinly blocked slices that have been mixed with a variety of fresh herbs & are served in a hard 'taco' shell. Again, a beautiful balance of flavours that play around & the changing textures of fish & crisp taco. 

And a chocolate dessert that I'm still salivating about. Great balance of both flavour & texture. And beautifully presented. A visit here is most definitely worth it, & you'll immediately get the idea that Chef Kerry Kiplin had quite a bit of Asian influence when putting her meals together. 

So earlier I mentioned that this was an educational dining experience. A big issue that has ruffled our seafood menu's is sourcing seafood that is ecologically responsible. So, Bistro Sixteen82 & ABALOBI, are pioneering SA's 1st restaurant-supported fishery that supplies sustainable & traceable premium quality seafood caught by small-scale local fishers. Providing smaller fishing communities with better prices for their fish & in essence a better livelihood for their entire family. "The direct route from boat to plate, ensures sustainability both for fisherfolk & for the resource."

Image: www.southervines.co.za

When a piece of fish is brought to your table, alongside your plate is a wooden fish with a QR-code, that when scanned using the mobile app, will give you the entire story about the fish from hook to cook. You can trace exactly where this fish is from, where it was caught, how it was caught & by whom it was caught. So you can eat in peace knowing the full story about the fish on your plate. 

Check out Bistro Sixteen82 here. 

#WineRoutingWithLloyd - Steenberg (Part 2)

Checking in to the Steenberg Hotel itself was an experience that just exudes luxury & the finer detailings in life that I so love. Stopping at the hotel doors, with a welcome party waiting for your arrival, your luggage gets whisked away & before you know it, you are ushered inside whilst your car is being parked for you. The most friendly welcome & glass of bubbly on arrival after being escourted to a private lounge where the host comes & sits with you taking you through the features of the hotel & room amenities. 

A very interesting fact on how this spot at Steenberg became a fitting place for the hotel. Back in 1741, when travelers came to the country by ship, the estate was situated 1 day's journey from Table Bay & 1 day's journey from Simons Bay, making it the perfect stopover & most travelers would have to overnight. And so, an early 'hotel' was established to accommodate & supply hospitality to these travelers.

Fast forward some 270 years later, add some restoration & you find yourself in the lap of luxury. The beautiful 24 luxury room, 5-star, boutique hotel is situated on the estate in the Constantiaberg amphitheatre of the Table Mountain Range. The top class accommodation varies from the striking heritage rooms, contemporary premier rooms, family rooms & rooms in the original Manor house which date back to 1740. 

The rooms are absolutely exquisite in my opinion. We stayed in a room in the old Manor House, that is decorated in a modern contemporary style with all the trimmings that you can imagine, finished off with 2 chandeliers in the room. Naturally, you can find a coffee station, equipped for that early morning coffee before you head on out to breakfast. 

Time for breakfast & Catharina's Restaurant, which is situated in the original winery is where you can find a freshly spread buffet breakfast, or you can opt in to just order a hot breakfast from the menu. So either way, you are sorted for the day. (Oh, this restaurant is actually open to the public for breakfast, lunch & dinner. So even if you're not staying over, you can pop in to enjoy a 5-star dining experience of contemporary South African cuisine.)

When you're not up at the tasting room drinking wine, you can relax next to the pool & sip on a drink & catch up on some reading. Or if you really want to relax. There is a spa on site, that I have heard is incredible. I didn't get to visit though, but from some of my friends have been & I followed their adventure online & I had some serious FOMO. So on my next #WineRoutingWithLloyd trip, I will make point of popping in here for a spa day. 

So please do check out Steenberg Hotel here. I can imagine that this is most definitely one of the places that you really need to add to your bucket list.