| The Stellenbosch Culinary Challenge |
- a student's quest to visit every restaurant in town,
before her final graduation -
For a recent date night, my boyfriend and I wanted to try something new. We have previously stumbled upon Oppie Dorp, but due to their popularity they could not accommodate us as walk-ins. This time around, we made sure to book in advance and were set for a culinary highlight.
Neither of us have dined there yet and we completely underestimated the restaurant. We were expecting a laid-back dining spot. Oppie Dorp was everything but, they distinguish themselves from many other restaurants in the area and lean towards a fine dining menu, whilst being affordable.
Firstly, I have to mention that their service is impeccable. Our waiter was prompt and the manager visited our table a couple of times. You really get the feeling that you are an esteemed customer, instead of feeling that the restaurant want you to be in and out as fast as possible so that they can fill the table again.
What definitely contributed to our fantastic experience at Oppie Dorp, was that it was accompanied by a great choice of wine. We had a bottle of 2009 Vintage Rust and Vrede which we were saving for a special event and this was it! We were expecting a heavy corkage fee, but were surprised to find out that Oppie Dorp does not charge a corkage fee on your first bottle of wine.
The staff at Oppie Dorp are not sommeliers, but they could have been. They know their wines well and my boyfriend doing his thesis on different cultivars of grapes and production systems was quite impressed.
The staff at Oppie Dorp are not sommeliers, but they could have been. They know their wines well and my boyfriend doing his thesis on different cultivars of grapes and production systems was quite impressed.
Our date night was a gourmet safari, so we already had starters at another spot in town. We therefore opted for mains. The menu contains a number of mouthwatering options but I would really recommend trying one of their specialities, which the manager will embroid on.
In my opinion, Oppie Dorp's flexibility really gives them an edge over competitors - besides the items on the menu you can transform any starter into a main, select your cut, portion size and side servings to suit your preferences.
I had the duck, which was listed under their specialities. Being quite fond of duck, I had high expectations for this dish and I can honestly say that this is the best duck that I have ever tasted. They had two varieties from which I could choose from: the first being a spicy, thai infusion. I however had the duck with a port and berry reduction, topped with orange vinaigrette and served with caramelised onions, cranberries and orange segments (R117). The meat was cooked perfectly, moist and juicy and the citrus is a fantastic combination. I was in food heaven and almost did not want to share even a small bite with my boyfriend.
He had a 300g portion of matured Chalmar sirloin with an unique mushroom and biltong sauce, served with roasted baby potatoes and grilled root vegetables (R 130). His meat was an excellent cut and was really tender. I am really relieved that he enjoyed his food as much, seeing as would not have liked to share my duck!
Succulent duck with a port and berry reduction and citrus vinaigrette
- The highlight of my evening!
Matured Sirloin served with grilled
root vegetables and oven roasted potatoes
Other meal options include: Starters - springbok carpaccio (R62), pork belly (R55) and smoked norwegian salmon (R58), Mains - Fresh fish of the day, venison (R150), beef fillet medallions (R185) and deboned chicken breast (R105).
All main meals are accompanied by vegetables for the table, consisting of a generous portion of butternut slices and creamed spinach.
Chocolate brownie, with a fudge base, ice cream and spun sugar
Usually on date night, it is the company and quality time that we spend together that matters more than the choice of restaurant. However, Oppie Dorp managed to place a strong emphasis on our gourmet experience and largely contributed to the success of the evening. For that, we can really commend them.
Happy diners!
Interior of Oppie Dorp
* If you are planning to visit Oppie Dorp, ensure that you have a booking. They are quite popular and have limited seating available, therefore they cannot readily accommodate walk-ins.
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Address | 137 Dorp Street, Stellenbosch
Telephone | 021 883 3889
Website | www.oppiedorp.co.za (under construction)
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/OppieDorp
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