When Mr John and I went to Franschhoek last month for our winter get away, I was curious to explore low-key restaurants of Franschhoek. While the French inspired town is known for its delicate cuisine, surely the locals don’t eat 5 star food every time they go out? (Or maybe they do!). So I did a little research and found a steak house called the Village Grill. It said it was in the Franschhoek, but I couldn’t recall seeing it so I made contact and booked a table.
Why I Would Visit the Village Grill
- Close to Town
- Well priced
- Delicious
- Cosy
- Good for families or celebrations
The Village Grill in Franschhoek
Mr John and I used Google maps and found the Village Grill on the outskirts of town (as you drive in). Open, lots of parking and red carpet “nogal”, we were warmly welcomed! And, of course, a little over excitable kitty to invite us in, I was happy 🙂
While it was absolutely freezing in Franschhoek, the Village Grill was so warm with their centre room fires, that I actually ordered a cocktail! I’m not even a big cocktail person, but it was so cosy inside and when it was presented to me, I couldn’t resist!
Menu at The Village Grill
The Village Grill has quite an exotic/seafood centered starter menu. Snails, skilpadjies, carpaccio or oysters, trout or prawn cocktails aren’t really our vibe (neither of us eat seafood). I like that they include these South African favourites as it’s a chance to introduce foreign visitors to our food. A variety of mouthwatering items, but not a huge, overblown menu. The Village Grill has a butchery in the back so the quality of their meat is really good. This made choosing REALLY difficult! So we had a steak, lamb shank (a perfect winter special) and the ribs.
It’s not really to our taste though so we turned to the mouthwatering main menu. The Village Grill has a butchery in the back so the quality of their meat is really good. This made choosing REALLY difficult! So we had a steak, lamb shank (a perfect winter special) and the ribs (R169.00), with the ribs acting as our starter.
At first glance they didn’t look very good and we were so let down (and scared to have a horrible meal!). But they tasted GREAT! The meat easily fell off the bone and were delicious (although they did give us a water/lemon bowl). They aren’t traditional American BBQ style ribs. I’ve been tricked this way before; just because something doesn’t look juicy doesn’t mean they aren’t tasty!
For mains I had the lamb shank (think about R170.00), which was a moderate size and Mr John had a steak (R155.00) with two sauces. Why two sauces? Well, the Village Grill has some really interesting choices! We went for the plain Madagascan Green Pepper & Brandy and the second was the Biltong and L’Ormarins Port, with the madagascan pepper being the star.
The quality of his meat was excellent and the steak was really something special. I also enjoyed my lamb shank, but I think the star was the steak, it really was very, very good. The chips and mash were also excellent! Seems like a random thing to say, but actually not all chips are equal and mash can also be a bit ‘ho hum’ at times, they were both great.
To end off our meal, Mr John had the chocolate sundae (small) and I had the cheesecake. The cheesecake included fresh strawberries, couli and curd, which I enjoyed, but the cheesecake itself was very average. Mr John’s sundae, on the other hand, was AWESOME! Caramalised pecans, peanut butter ice cream and chocolate brownie bits, this as a STAR and perfectly indulgent for winter time!
All in all we had an excellent meal at the Village Grill and I’d be more than happy to return. I’m sure it’s really bustling in summer or during festival time. If you’re heading out there this weekend, then consider it as an option. They are well priced, relaxed and you will enjoy your meal.
Make your reservation by calling 021-876-2344 or 083-249-3025 or mailing info@villagegrill.co.za.
Thank you to the Village Grill for having us! See you soon 🙂
