Finding a Gem at The Old Gaol

This weekend, The Bulls Fan and I packed up the car and set off for a weekend away at the sleepy little seaside town of Vleesbaai, about 4 hours from Cape Town. Wanting to take it slow, we decided to stop for an early lunch in the farm village of Swellendam. Growing up, my grandparents owed a house near Malgas along the Breede River, about an hour's drive on the other side of Swellendam, and so we would visit the little town every time we travelled to and from the river - and once a week while we stayed with them, as they'd go through to do their weekly shopping. As a result, Swellendam holds a very special place in my heart and, even though it's much bigger now and more tourist-focused, it's still a wonderfully beautiful town to visit. 

These days, we usually stop for lunch or coffee at one specific coffee shop, bypassing all of the other eateries that have sprung up over the past ten years or so. On Friday, however, I thought it would be nice to try something new. Driving past the new little shopping centre, our attention was caught by The Old Gaol on Church Square - with its quaint veggie garden out front, and delicious-sounding specials chalked on a blackboard, we just had to try it. I can wholeheartedly say that we found a true gem! To begin with, the service was faultless - we were warmly greeted at the door and shown to a lovely table overlooking the garden. Our friendly waitress was incredibly efficient and I was positively drooling when she finished explaining the specials. A little notice on the table informed us that the eatery now serves a selection of artisan coffees, but that they still offer coffees made in the traditional method on request. My cappuccino, made the "modern way", was the perfect start to a wonderfully memorable lunch.

Keeping this traditional is actually a big focus of this little eatery, which is renowned amongst locals and visitors alike for their absolutely delicious melktert (milktart) baked in a copper pan, just like in the days of yore, and roosterkoek, bread baked over hot coals and served with a variety of sumptuous fillings. Their menu also boasts seasonal South African favourites such as chicken pie, bredies (traditional stews), lamb shanks, oxtail and bobotie. Given that we'd arrived in spring, we didn't get to enjoy the likes of their Moroccan Lamb Shank or curries (will have to return in winter for those!), but we were absolutely delighted with our respective choices from the Specials Menu.

The Bulls Fan made his mind up in two seconds flat - Beef Burger with Homemade Mushroom Sauce and Crispy Potato Wedges (R60). I deliberated, as I do, between a few items until finally decided on the Leek Tart, served with a fresh Greek Salad (R48). The burger was enormous - easily the size of two standard burgers - and was served on a deliciously fresh ciabatta bun, with juicy slices of tomato and a thick, creamy mushroom sauce. The patty is homemade and The Bulls Fan declared it to be the best he'd ever tried. That was the last I heard from him, as he disappeared into his happy place of tomato sauce, sticky fingers and big, satisfying bites. My leek tart had literally been taken out of the oven as we ordered, as it was being baked for the lunch service which started about 20 minutes after we arrived. A huge, piping-hot slice, it was stuffed to the brim with deliciously soft, buttery leeks, and had a tasty, thick homemade crust - real comfort food. The salad, which was generously sized, was crispy-crunchy fresh, with a variety of lettuces, plump olives, chunks of feta, onions, roasted peppers and even a dollop or two of basil pesto. I'm pretty sure that the salad leaves are harvested from their gorgeous veggie gardens that circle the building outside.

It's not often that I eat at a place that's quite far away and start planning another trip just to be able to go back. That's exactly what I'm doing at the moment, so that we can once again enjoy a delicious lunch at The Old Gaol on Church Square... only this time, I'll make sure that we have a few hours to spare!