AS it is with families where one sister is prettier and more popular than the other, so too it is with related restaurants where, irrespective how good, they have less attention then they deserve. It was Uitsig restaurant that put Constantia Uitsig farm on the culinary map with the late Frank Swainston wooing diners with superb Italian-inspired cuisine.

To his credit, Clayton Bell has not only kept some of Frank’s signature dishes alive – the trippa alla Fiorentina and Marquise au Chocolat among them, but has also introduced items that are more contemporary.

My Animelle con I carciofi, veal sweetbreads with procuitto, artichokes, baby peas in a Verjuice sauce can proudly stand alongside any dish that popular sister La Colombe serves. The mushroom tart, field mushrooms overlapped on a delicious disk of puff pastry, is perfect to begin with or as a light lunch on its own.

Although I’ve written about The Uitsig Country Hotel here before, it deserves a second look-in for its unpretentious and comfortable décor which made it one of our favourite places.
Our cottage 16 had a grand view of the mountains and a wonderful fireplace which meant rather than explore the farm or the rest of Constantia, we curled up in the oversized armchairs in front of the crackling fire with a book, or watched TV or, most romantically, the colour of the mountain changing as the afternoon progressed.

This hotel is highly recommended for luxury getaways that won’t require a second mortgage.
www.constantia-uitsig.com

Locals will remember the hoo-hah surrounding the opening of Cap de Classique de Oudekraal on the Atlantic Coast where The White House advertising agency stood previously. The merits of building on such pristine land aside, it is an unrivalled location sandwiched between The 12 Apostles and the ocean.

More elegantly and appropriately called The 12 Apostles Hotel or 12A, the property now is a deluxe five-star where exquisite attention to detail (and an in-house wedding planner) guarantees a special visit.

Perhaps better suited to sunny climes when it is possible to enjoy the pools and mountain walks, The 12A is has a four-floor main hotel that includes the excellent Azure restaurant and the sexy Leopard Bar and two accommodation wings.

We were in the Llandudno wing with mountain views to the left and unrivaled sea views ahead. Rooms are decorated with coir matting which adds texture and a look rich in beach-house detail like shell encrusted mirrors. The sitting room on a lower level has two chairs and a couch that converts to a bed.

Breakfasts are legendary at Azure with a vast selection including sparkling wine and oysters but it is at dinner when the delicious blue décor becomes a cocoon of comfort and hearty dishes like crayfish cocktail in a zingy Marie Rose sauce to start and a divine chicken and prawn Malay-style curry satisfy.

Chef Roberto de Carvello has a separate menu that incorporates Fynbos from the hotel’s kitchen garden on the mountain. The Fynbos Springbok shanks are headily redolent of what Khoi cuisine could have been.
www.12Apostles.co.za 021-437-9000.