Eating out
DO YOU remember the traditional family Sunday roast when your mom started cooking early in the morning and your family sat down for a long leisurely lunch, followed by dad reading the papers and the children playing in the garden?
With our lives much busier and parents working full-time, Sunday lunch is not something many people get to enjoy these day.
I have to admit my children won’t recall Sunday lunch as a defining memory of childhood, which is why I eagerly accepted the invitation to the buffet at the Peach Tree restaurant in the Southern Sun Cullinan Hotel.
While I was a tad apprehensive about taking my4-year-old twin daughters, the staff were warm and welcoming – even as they crawled under the table, rolled on the floor and swayed to the music from Mike Perry, who played soothing melodies on the grand piano.
The Sunday lunch buffet truly serves up an elegant all-you-can-eat dining experience with white linen tablecloths, crystal glassware and silver cutlery.
The team of skilled chefs prepared an assortment of fine culinary dishes.
Diners have plenty to choose from, and with the wide selection of dishes everyone is sure to find something they like.
There is always a soup of the day for starters and the cold salad selection include Greek, Waldorf, potato, pasta, chickpea and an option of creating your own.
Be sure to bring a big appetite to take advantage of the indulgent hot dishes such as oxtail casserole, lamb curry, beef ribs, roast chicken, macaroni cheese and a variety of vegetables. The carvery offered slivers of beef and lamb.
The main event at any good carvery is the dessert selection – and we weren’t disappointed.
Keep space for the beautifully displayed sweet treats; warm malva pudding with custard, macaroons, vanilla bean crème brulee, an array of beautiful bite-sized cakes and seasonal fruit platters.
I like to try a little bite of everything so started with a bowl of chicken and corn chowder, followed by a selection of salads.
From the warm section, I tried the oxtail, which was quite possibly the best I have eaten, lamb curry, roast chicken and a medley of vegetables, including my favourite – creamed spinach.
The decadent desserts meant it was difficult to choose… I had the malva pudding with warm custard and then went back for bite-sized portions of crème brûlée, chocolate mousse and lemon meringue.
Don’t judge me. My children went back to the desserts four times and, obviously, I had to accompany them…
The Sunday we were there, two people were celebrating their birthdays and both were given an exquisite cake to take home – another reflection of the personalised service that one can expect from this 5-star establishment.
The Southern Sun Cullinan and the Southern Sun Newlands hotels both offer Sunday Buffets lunches from 12.30pm every Sunday.
Price and contact details: Southern Sun Cullinan, call 021 415 4000 (R195 per person). Southern Sun Newlands, call 021 683 6562 (R185pp).