Gåte Restaurant has been scooping up awards left, right and centre of late and it’s no surprise. The restaurant, located at the beautiful Quoin Rock Wine Estate in Knorhoek, is not only a visual feast but an absolute culinary delight.

Gaining Recognition

At the recent World Luxury Restaurant Awards for 2019, Gåte was awarded the 2019 Haute Cuisine Global Winner, the 2019 Molecular Cuisine Global Winner and the 2019 World Luxury Restaurant Awards’ Best Head Chef – Global Winner accolade – which recognises sustained commitment to service excellence and outstanding achievement in the international restaurant industry. A staggering set of achievements indeed.

 A Journey Across the Globe

The new full dinner menu, launched in August 2019,  is a 14-course journey around the globe, taking influence from different countries and creating new and exciting experiences for diners. There is also a reduced 7-course dinner available, as well as a 6-course lunch.

We recently visited to experience the 6-course lunch menu – a whirlwind of flavour around the world.

The Gåte Lunch Experience

Head Chef, Nicole Loubser, has brought her own unique touches to the new menu, having drawn inspiration from her home country of Namibia and from other global travel experiences.

The menu begins, as with any good travel story, at the ‘airport’ where you’ll enjoy a macchiato before your flight. But of course, this is no simple coffee, this is a flavourful tomato soup, cleverly coloured to resemble coffee and served a with savoury mini biscotti.

It looks just like an espresso with milk but of course, befuddles the brain (in a good way) with amazing savoury flavour. A great talking point to get the meal started.

While you’re taking in the views from the ‘business lounge’ also enjoy the Gåte cigar, which has become a signature for the restaurant.

The Cape Doctor

One last look at the Mother City before leaving comes in the form of the next dish of stunning shucked Saldana Bay oysters. They are served on a dramatic smoking dish, resembling the table cloth as it covers Table Mountain blown in by the infamous Cape Doctor southeasterly.

The oysters are beautifully fresh and topped with a compressed green apple for freshness, a little cola tonic and Elderflower espuma, giving them a wonderfully nostalgic flavour. Served with Quoin Rock’s Brut MCC, this course was one of our favourites.

Off to Italy

Leaving the Mother City we jet off to Italy to experience a fresh Caprese ‘salad’. I say ‘salad’ because this dish involves meringue shards, an iced dome, balsamic pearls and a basil-infused sauce, so is quite unlike any salad you’ve had before.

It’s certainly the way I’d like to always enjoy a Caprese going forward.

Throughout the meal, courses were paired with Quoin Rock wines, standouts for me were the Quoin Rock Chardonnay and the Brut MCC. The MCC served in a glass so fine that the bubbles stream in one fine line from the centre of the glass, which is purposely scratched to allow this to happen (did you know MCC bubbles need imperfections in the glass to truly flourish?).

Back to Africa

After a brief visit to Austria for a lamb and smoked cheese croquette, it was back to Africa, to a dish that is close to chef Nicole’s heart. An Oryx Gemsbok main, inspired by her home country of Namibia.

The beautifully tender gemsbok is crusted with a spice mix (coriander and other dried spices that are reminiscent of biltong flavour) and served with an incredibly intense reduction that is packed with meaty flavour. An absolute delight.

To the Tropics

It wouldn’t feel like a trip around the world without a stop off at an island and so the final dish is just that. A pina colada inspired dessert – which truly spoke to my love of this cocktail.

Flavours of pineapple and coconut with an impressive coconut glass and featherlight tuile. I could picture myself in the tropics, swinging in a hammock and soaking up the sun; it’s always a great result when a dish can transport you like that.

Be Transported Yourself

If an overseas holiday is not an option for you right now, you can certainly get a taste of it with Gåte Restaurant’s new global menu. A fun, flavour-filled experience that takes the best local influences and fuses them with globally diverse ideas. Book your tickets… or seats shall we say, without delay.

Gåte Restaurant Opening Hours

Daytime Experience: Tues – Sun, 12h00 – 14h00, R650. With wine pairing R950.
Evening Experience: Tues – Sat, 18h00 – late, Gourmet menu: R1450. With wine pairing R2150.
Tasting menu: R1050. With wine pairing R1500.

Quoin Rock Wine Estate, Knorhoek Road, Knorhoek Valley, Stellenbosch | 021 888 4750

*Prices are correct at the time of going to press. 

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