What could possibly be better than a combo of warm hospitality, an uplifting ambience and good food? Bella-Louise Restaurant in Clanwilliam is making its mark on all fronts.
Here they like feeding people – with largesse being the operative word. But much more important than that is the atmosphere. It’s a restaurant with heart, run by the enthusiastic Louise Nortje, who knocks out plate after plate of much-loved dishes.
Kick off with the signature Orange Blossom Blooming Cocktail – a blend of citrus chai gin, rooibos-infused vermouth and orange juice. Then onto the loveliness of half-shell mussels steamed in Cederberg Sauvignon or the wholesome beetroot, butternut and feta salad topped with crunchy nuts. The biltong, brie and roasted tomato salad also hits the spot.
Crispy on the outside, the juicy eisbein comes with faultless mash and sauerkraut. There’s also a heaving but tender lamb shank, oven-roasted to perfection overnight in a wood-fired pizza oven and drizzled with a rich gravy – served with the creamiest mash and roasted veg. Other mains choices are extensive: pork belly, lamb curry, ribs, seafood, burgers, steaks, pastas and sensational pizzas.
Desserts are a sword to the chest demanding merry resignation. There’s malva pudding with the obligatory ice cream and vanilla anglaise, a very chocolatey choc mousse with a thick quenelle of cream and four oh-so-crunchy and syrupy Cape Malay koeksisters set atop ice cream.
Cracking restaurants such as Bella-Louise deserve to be visited: Open from 17h00 – 21h00 daily: 1 Augsburg Rd, Clanwilliam. Phone 083 4603773.
Photos: Cederberg ClickClick
