HILDA’S KITCHEN AT GROOTE POST LAUNCHES DELECTABLE WINTER MENU

Now open in July for the first time, in celebration of the Soccer World Cup
Hilda’s Kitchen, Groote Post’s well-loved restaurant, has created a captivating menu for the winter season. With the West Coast becoming an increasingly attractive tourist destination, the country hospitality of Hilda’s Kitchen, amidst the rustic charm of Groote Post, promises to entice wine aficionados, gastronomes and nature-lovers alike. Adeptly using local and seasonal produce and combining these with her culinary creativity, Debbie McLaughlin – Hilda’s Kitchen’s internationally-trained cordon bleu chef – has, in her eclectic and delicious winter menu, devised unique expressions of her famous dishes.
Groote Post is one of the few wine cellars, let alone wineries with restaurants, open on Sundays in the Darling district and surrounding wine routes. And for the first time, in celebration of the 2010 World Cup, Hilda’s Kitchen will be open during the month of July. The Groote Post tasting room, traditionally closed on Sundays in July, will now be open 7 days a week.
Visitors to Hilda’s Kitchen will be spoilt for choice with an array of epicurean delights, accompanied by Groote Post’s superb range of wines, charged at cellar door prices. Delicious new options on the Hilda’s Kitchen menu – with suggested wine pairings – comprise:
NEW WINTER MENU
STARTERS SUGGESTED WINE PAIRINGS
Line fish soup with mussels and chorizo Groote Post Chardonnay (Wooded)
Cauliflower and cumin fritters with lime yoghurt Groote Post Unwooded Chardonnay
Sweet potato turnovers with a green herb chutney Groote Post Sauvignon Blanc
MAIN COURSES
Braised beef with celery root mashed potato Groote Post Merlot
Lamb osso bucco with orange, lemons and capers Groote Post Shiraz
Chicken tagine with pumpkin and chickpeas Groote Post Weisser Riesling
DESSERTS
Orange polenta cake The Old Man’s Sparkle
White chocolate and macadamia nut brownies Groote Post Noble Late Harvest
Apple tarte tatin with homemade vanilla bean ice cream Groote Post Noble Late Harvest
In order to avoid disappointing regular patrons, Debbie includes as many ‘old favourites’ as possible, on a rotational basis.
The award-winning Hilda’s Kitchen – named after Hildagonda Duckitt, a grande dame of Cape cuisine, who once lived on the Groote Post farm – resides in what is now a national monument, a restored 18th-century manor house, and is managed by Shaun and Debbie McLaughlin, whose names have been synonymous with the hospitality industry for years, and who have established Hilda’s Kitchen as a rare West Coast gem. Hilda’s Kitchen has fast become a popular destination for tourists and ‘foodies’ alike. Judged by the 2010 Eat Out Guide as one of South Africa’s Top 10 Alfresco Restaurants, Hilda’s Kitchen is, without a doubt, a must for all visitors to the West Coast – it will undoubtedly tease your senses and taste buds.
Fun for the whole family at Groote Post
Situated in the Darling Hills, Groote Post is only one hour’s drive from Cape Town along the West Coast Road, the R27 (it is 11 kilometres from the West Coast Road, after turning off at the Darling Hills Road towards Darling). Owned by the Pentz family, Groote Post is a beautiful, historic farm with a rustic atmosphere, undulating hills and vast open spaces. In addition to wine-tasting and sales, and lunch at Hilda’s Kitchen, Groote Post offers a jungle gym and rolling lawns where children can play; nature walks; bird-watching, including a hide on the farm dam; and game drives in their 2 000-hectare game camp which is home to indigenous species such as kudu, black wildebeest, red hartebeest, bontebok, springbok, eland and gemsbok. The farm, which is part of the famous West Coast spring flower route, also holds much appeal for environmentalists.

New road – the Groote Post Highway

The long-awaited upgrade to the Darling Hills Road, from the R307 Darling/Mamre road to Groote Post, was recently completed. The result is a super smooth gravel surface which rides almost as smoothly as tar.

Opening Hours

Hilda’s Kitchen: Open for lunch Wednesday to Sunday (Booking essential)
Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays

Wine-tasting and sales: Open Monday – Friday: 08h00 -17h00
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays: 10h00 – 15h00

Groote Post closed: Easter Friday, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day

Game drives: Prior booking essential

Contact: Tel: 022 492 2825
Email: wine@grootepost.co.za
www.grootepost.com