Cocktails & lunch on a perfect Indian Summer day in Franschhoek, Cape Town...

What perfect days we've been relishing in Cape Town. We're currently in the middle of an Indian summer....hot, balmy days smack bang in the middle of autumn, and with winter right around the corner, we're making the most of it.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting two fine establishments in Franschhoek (a village that is one of the Cape's gems just 50 minutes out of the busy city centre) - Le Quartier Francais (LQF) on the main street and Bread and Wine Vineyard Restaurant a short distance away, on the Moreson Estate. My date was Paul van der Spuy of bluecollarwhitecollar fame and wheatgrass hair notoriety.

I don't usually do cocktails over lunch which is clearly ridiculous because it's a fabulous way to ease into a Saturday. LQF has an inviting selection of what they call 'food based' cocktails with unique South African ingredients like mebos, sour figs and buchu, all locally sourced. I opted for the light Francais 75.  LQF chef Margot Janse has also created a fabulous bar menu - I loved the tempura beans with a soya and sesame dipping sauce- next time I want to savour the Prawn Popcorn and Wildebeest Popovers! And thanks to Eleanor for the warm welcome and to Elizabeth for the great service.

The Francais 75 is made with Lady Bonin's Earl Grey tea, infused with dry gin, Miss Molly Bubbly, fresh lemon and sugar ~ tempura beans on the side...

From cocktails to lunch at Bread and Wine Vineyard Restaurant,  5 minutes from LQF, tres convenient. We were warmly greeted by Tina Jewell and well looked after by Cintelle. What a gorgeous setting - the restaurant has a rustic, comfortable feel to it and sitting outside under the trees in 35 degree heat was so cool, literally. The man behind the magic at Bread and Wine is Neil Jewell, aka the 'Charcuterie Guru', who opened the doors in 1999 and who believes in unfussy food, 'fresh, tasty and infused with a passion for life'.

As you enter...

Coolness under the trees...

Loved the red bread, made so by the addition of beetroot juice and fermented beets...

 Fig and Buffalo Ridge bocconcini, with hazelnut and port...

Carrot ravioli, parsley, dukkah and pickled radish...

Bacon wrapped springbok with butternut, granola and sour figs...melted in the mouth -superb!

 An excellent Mercator Premium Chardonnay ... salu!

West Coast mussels in a Cafe de Paris butter...

Dessert was the lemon tartlet with delicate champagne jelly and berries...

 Looking up...the leaves are turning....

The view as you leave Moreson...what a beautiful estate, what a perfect day, what a stunning city we are so fortunate to call our own...

Le Quartier Francais cocktail emporium, corner  Berg & Wilhelmina Streets, is open from 12h to 23h (the bar menu is available until 22h) | 0218762151 | www.lqf.co.za

Bread and Wine Vineyard Restaurant at Moreson trades for lunch Monday to Sunday from 12h-15h | (021) 876 3692 | www.moreson.co.za

All photos are taken on a Canon 600D - copyright DIVA PR