Sink your teeth into a meaty eland burger

WHEN we tweeted we would be visiting !Khwa ttu to try the eland burgers, people following our West Coast adventure replied that it would be worth driving all the way from Cape Town just to have one.

This turned out to not be an exaggeration; after just one bite Divine Lady D began asking questions like “how far is this place from town?” and “how long do you think it would take to drive here?” Because not only are the burgers delicious, but they cost just R60. Burger aficionados will no doubt recognise the competitive price. For the record, !Khwa ttu is about an hour/70km from the CBD, on the R27.

The eland are hunted on the farm, and every bit of their meat is used in the restaurant, for the burgers as well as carpaccio, salami, and other dishes. The burger includes a 200g patty of deliciously soft mince on a bun, served with chips, three big fat onion rings, and plenty of cheese sauce. Jane Wallace, who runs the restaurant, says they will soon be introducing a second option, without the bun and a different sauce.

The restaurant also offers Ormonde wine tastings (see story elsewhere on this page), and on the last Friday of every month you can book to be driven in a 4x4 up to one of the koppies for sundowner drinks and snacks (the kitchen is open all other days from 8.30am until 3pm).

● !Khwa ttu is a San culture and education centre where you can go on guided nature tours, visit a replica San village, learn survival skills, listen to stories, see a photographic exhibition, or spend the night. For more details, call 022 492 2998, e-mail info@khwattu.org or see www.khwattu.org.

PICTURE: BIANCA COLEMAN WILD THING: Darling Lodge guest house has a slightly wild garden.