A substantial Cape Dutch-style lodge dedicated to bringing Voyager’s wines to the dining table.
With either a four- or seven-course dégustation at the upper end of the local price scale and most of the accessories of proper fine dining, Voyager Estate marks its territory. It’s a sizeable, impressive space, even if it’s overdue for a lick of paint and a spruce. The food, however, sails less-classic seas, trying to navigate the departure of Santiago Fernandez, who earned the restaurant considerable attention with his post-molecular culinary artistry.
The magnificent desserts are a joy to behold, technically excellent and a pleasure to eat.
Some ideas, like wagyu beef short ribs in black-olive sauce, work well; others, such as cured and spiced raw venison with pickled-radish jelly and beef-fat emulsion clearly need finessing. It’s one of those menus that lists elements – “fish, mussels, yuzu” – without betraying the slightest indication of what to expect, meaning that poached goldband snapper with chicken jus, kohlrabi ribbons, mussels and yuzu gel might under or overwhelm depending on your expectations.
You might wonder whether edible soil is still the height of modernity, but informed, professional service never goes out of fashion. Then there’s the magnificent desserts – a joy to behold, technically excellent and a pleasure to eat. Estate wines are classic and very fine, setting a high bar for the food. When the two align more closely, this’ll be one voyage we all want to be on.
