| The Stellenbosch Culinary Challenge |
- a student's quest to visit every restaurant in town,
before her final graduation -
My boyfriend has been trying for a while to get me into cycling - with no avail. However, things quickly changed when we tried out tandem cycling. It's great because I sit at the back and let him do all the cycling :-) but it really is a fun way of exercising and spending time together simultaneously. Because you have quite a lot of momentum, when cycling downhill we decided to put it to the test on Helshoogte Pass, just outside Stellenbosch. Our goal was to see if we could set of the speed camera at the bottom of the Pass, in a 60km/h zone. However, what goes down, must go up, so early Saturday morning we set off for a steep ride, breakfast at Tokara Delicatessen (which would hopefully add to our momentum) and then the downhill challenge.
Set among olive groves and vineyards, overlooking Simonsberg Mountain and the Stellenbosch Valley Tokara is a worthy competitor to the views that Tuscany and the Bordeaux regions in Europe offer. To me, Tokara is like a mini overseas trip!
After cycling to Pniel and back, we were in search of a good breakfast. I had the Avocado on toast, with grilled cherry tomatoes and radishes (R 55) and my boyfriend had the continental butter croissant with eggs and bacon (R 55). It was a cold, drizzly morning, so I had a Earl Grey & Blue Flower loose leaf tea (R20) while the boyfriend indulged in a belgian hot chocolate (R25). The hot chocolate is served with frothed milk and ample real belgian chocolate which provides for a rich, comforting drink. Their food is of very high quality and since having the avocado toast on my first visit to Tokara a few years ago, it has become my standard choice.
Set among olive groves and vineyards, overlooking Simonsberg Mountain and the Stellenbosch Valley Tokara is a worthy competitor to the views that Tuscany and the Bordeaux regions in Europe offer. To me, Tokara is like a mini overseas trip!
One of the Delicatessen's best features is that it caters for everyone. They are extremely family orientated, with ample space for kids to play, jungle gyms, toys and other activities. Yet they also have a very stylish and simplistic interior, adding elegance to the venue. Cyclists are also welcomed and seeing as they are situated at the end of the Helshoogte Pass, they are a popular stop-over. Especially the Delicatessen is quite inclusive.
Belgian Hot Chocolate indulgence
Loose leaf Earl Grey & Blue Flower tea
Hungry after a good cycle
The Delicatessen hosts breakfast and lunch. Options that you can look forward to include salads, open sandwiches and more substantial options such as Pork Belly Cassoulet (R 125), Braised Lamb Neck and various platters. An average main meal is about R 80. The majestic view is however free and is my favourite part of Tokara.
The Delicatessen also sell their own olive products, various delicacies, fresh produce, charcuterie, imported coffees and a selection of handmade belgian chocolates as well as providing a complimentary olive & oil tasting. If a bicycle is not your mode of transport, I can recommend their wine testing hosted in the adjoining cellar and tasting room.
The estate is also home to a fine dining restaurant, with terroir focused cuisine under the guidance of chef Richard Carstens. The restaurant shares in the magnificent view that the area offers and promises a taste sensation as one of South Africa's leading fine dining restaurants. Clothed in our cycling gear however, we gave the restaurant a miss. :-)
The Tokara estate has a lot to offer, most importantly it cultivates a deep appreciation for and celebrates the beauty of South Africa.
To finish our outing, we hopped onto our bicycle and started our journey down Helshoogte Pass - 3 kilometres of downhill cycling in which we hoped to gain enough momentum to offset the camera at the bottom of the hill. It was quite an exhilarating experience, whizzing down the hill on a bicycle with only a few centimeters separating you from the very unforgiving tarmac. We gained our maximum speed at 71 km/h, but unfortunately the bicycle was too light to be picked up by the camera - I knew we should have had a bigger breakfast!
Delicacies available for sale
Comfortable seating area
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Trading hours | Tuesday - Sunday 09:00 - 17:00
Address | Top op Helshoogte Pass, Stellenbosch
Telephone | 021 808 5950
Email | deli@tokara.com
Website | www.tokara.co.za
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