MARIANAS by Bibi van der Zee published on 2 July in the British Spectator.
At last, after many years of questing, I have had the perfect lunch. On
holiday in South Africa, and alone for the first time since our honeymoon
back in the pre-baby mists of time, we found our way to the tiny but famous Marianas, where they serve only lunch, and that just four times a week.
Peter, husband of the eponymous chef, greeted us like old friends and
ushered us to a little table, wreathed round by grape vines and anemones,
and looking down over the garden, through the vegetable plot, and up to
purple mountains that drowse behind Stanford.
We ordered wine by the glass, and the first sip of Hermanuspietersfontein
Sauvignon Blanc actually brought tears to my eyes. Peter brought home-made bread and talked us through the day’s menu, local foods all cooked with Mariana’s own twist of humour, some classical style and a subtle hand with ingredients. Starters were barley salad, springbok rillette, pear salad or gruyère tart, followed by pickled fish, confit de canard with lentils, apricots and honey, springbok pie, oink nek or skaap and dinges (’sheep with two teeth - lamb but slightly older, has a bit more flavour,’ explained Peter).
My pickled yellowtail fish in a cold curry sauce was tangy and wonderful,
while Mike’s tender oink nek (deboned neck of pork) came in a sea of buttery gravy. Full of giggly happiness and wriggling our toes in the sun, we ended our meal with a shared glass of sparkling wine with Peter and Mariana, and my favourite sort of rambling amiable political conversation. It’s an odd feeling to know you have actually had the perfect lunch. The quest for the perfect dinner, however, continues.
Since her return, Bibi has been drinking nothing but South African wine.

With just 40 days to the start of the eagerly awaited  Soccer World Cup and the arrival of plane loads of frenzied fans, the locals in Stanford have come up with their own solution to home grown hospitality. The Village has an impressive collection of talented chefs, artists, wine makers, bakers and warm wonderful people who are pulling out the stops to ensure that visitors, both local and from abroad,  experience the warmth of the Overberg.

The renowned country restaurant, Marianas, is offering cooking workshops  and her foodie fans will be delighted to hear that she will be open for Friday evening meals during June, with a special menu showcasing local produce.

Mosaic Farm invites their guests to indulge in a weekend of  ‘Slow Food and  Good Wine’ at the Spookhuis.

If you’re still hungry for culinary knowledge, you can join a cooking demo at Blue Gum Country Estate’s “Ready Steady Cook” while Dad and the children head into the outdoors on a nature exploration.

Children will be entertained while their parents enjoy their time out - adventure camps, playgroups, soccer tournaments on the village green, horse cart rides and a ‘Kidz Kamp’ on a nearby farm have been arranged to keep them happily and safely occupied.

There will be no excuse for feeling frazzled, or not being well groomed. Lots of specials are on offer at the spa, and Moms and the teenagers will be indulged and pampered.

The local pub will have live music and a cabaret show in the evenings and a foot-stomping, good ol’ fashioned Barn dance will be hosted by Stanford Hills Wine Estate. The regular Evening Market will ensure that guests sample the delicious local produce. Galashiels Lodge will share the secrets of the Scottish tipple at a Whisky tasting evening. For a touch of refinement, a traditional English High tea is also on the cards.

Our close neighbour in Baardskeerdersbos, renowned artist Niel Jonker will be sharing his bread-making secrets at the 2 day “Sourdough Experience”

Great specials are on offer for accommodation, so don’t let that long winter holiday get you down. The village of Stanford is warm and inviting, any time of year.

The House and Leisure magazine’s prestigious Best of SA awards, have announced the country’s top five hotels, spas, lodges and restaurants for 2009. We are immensely proud of Mariana and Peter for being selected Runners up in the Restaurant category.

“South Africa has some of the most exciting, luxurious and welcoming leisure destinations in the world, and it was a wonderful challenge having to choose just five in each category,” says Naomi Larkin, editor of House
and Leisure magazine. “Our shortlist includes destinations with a unique South African touch and a global appeal.”

The finalists were:
• Hartford House (Mooi River, KwaZulu-Natal)
• La Colombe (Constantia, Western Cape)
• Marianas (Stanford, Western Cape)
• Ritrovo (Waterkloof Ridge, Gauteng)
• The Tasting Room (Franschhoek, Western Cape)

A lunch at Marianas is a delight to the senses. From the minute you walk into the quaint, unpretentious house and smell the mouth watering dish slowly roasting in the open country kitchen, you know you’re in for a treat. While you gaze out onto the vegetable patch and to the mountains in the distance, Peter will entice you with the daily specials on the blackboard, delighting you with his  wicked humour. Mariana builds seasonal flavours with a strong South African twist, harvesting vegetables from her garden. It’s all so fresh, so innovative, so pleasing - you won’t get closer to real, unprocessed food in a restaurant than at this country bistro.

Bookings essential:  028 341 0272. Thurs-Sun lunch. NB No credit cards
12 Du Toit Str, Stanford.