An absolutely perfect ending to a marvellous holiday. Restaurant Tokara @ Tokara Wine Estate (7. December 2023)
One last evening in South Africa – spent at the Tokara Wine Estate! And that’s definitely a great idea to finalise your South Africa holiday this way. Started off with a “Pink Mojito (white rum, cranberry juice, lime juice & mint)” (110 ZAR), which was truly delicious and watching the sundowner works perfectly.
To finalise, it was time for one last “Tasting Menu” (950 ZAR) and the respective “Wine Pairing” (650 ZAR). And the dinner started with a “game fish tartare with pineapple salsa & nori rice crisp”, which was super lovely. The fish was indeed a bit gamey in taste, and the serving on a rice crisp worked miracles as a combination.
The “potato bread with umami butter”, which was served as an addition to the rice crisp, was delicious. The only thing I don’t like about these brioches type of breads was the fact your fingers are always very oily and greasy.
The next course sounded somewhat plain, but actually turned out to be quite exquisite. The “tomato with watermelon, lemon thyme, home-made feta and rice crisp” was so incredibly aromatic and had, yet, a versatility in terms of flavour, which was truly stunning to my palate. A dish I absolutely loved!
Next in line was the “raw black Angus beef with burnt onion, mature cheddar, horseradish crème fraiche, mustard seed & ciabatta chips” and it was a firework of flavours and textures – but it was thus overwhelming, because the density of the flavours was too much. I think, in this case, a little less would have been a little more. However, it was for sure a delicious few bites.
The “springbok loin with chakalaka, kale, apricot, sweetcorn polenta, bay leaf infused jus” was exquisite. The springbok was cooked to perfection and the combination with the crunchy, salty kale, and the Cape Malay flavours of the chakalaka really worked a charm.
Last but not least, it was time for the “dark and white chocolate pave with chocolate sponge, blackberry and hazelnut praline ice cream”. Personally, not being too big a fan of chocolate, I was not blown away, however, the hazelnut praline ice cream and the white chocolate pave were two elements I quite enjoyed finishing off dinner.
On top of that, you get to have a look into the kitchen and can see the staff at work – unfortunately, only when you walk in, but it is still nice to be able to watch them.
What I truly loved about the Tokara is not only the friendliness and professionalism of the service, and especially the female sommelier, but also the view you have over the valley at sunset.
To me, this was truly a perfect ending of a nice holiday. On top of that, the estate has also quite a few lovely art pieces, which are worth looking at if you have a bit of time and don’t arrive too late (since then it gets surprisingly cool outside).
To me, finalising my holiday in South Africa with a dinner in the Tokara Wine Estate was a great ending. Amazing dishes, breathtaking view, exquisite service, and a lovely ambience. Make sure to book well in advance, though, the Tokara Wine Estate is definitely booked out early.
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Contact Details:
Restaurant Tokara @ Tokara Wine Estate
R 310 Helshoogte Rd
7600 Stellenbosch (ZA)
Tel.: +27 21 885 2550
E-Mail: reservations@tokara.com
Homepage: https://www.tokara.com/tokara-wine-estate/tokara-restaurant/
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
