On The Road: Bar Bar Black Sheep.

There are more restaurants in Riebeek Kasteel that serve lamb shank than anywhere else in the world. It’s as if nicely fattened sheep stroll into town, knock on each restaurant’s door, let out a final bleat and like cheap prostitutes they collapse, offering their legs to the chefs. Which isn’t a bad thing – lamb shank is delicious. But the town has more to offer, culinary-wise.

Go to Bar Bar Black Sheep. Like we did yesterday. Sit in the courtyard under the pergola. Order as many of the starters as you can consume comfortably without losing enough space to eat a main. The tapas platter with red pepper humus, chourizo in red wine and the mussels is awesome. Baked lemons are great too. That strawberry & Parma ham salad, genius. Rapidly consume bottles of  Santa Cecilia Chenin Blanc 2010 (hopa!) and Sequillo White 2010. Drink them out of the thrift store tumblers. Order mains like the Zamalek-battered fish & chips, huge lamb burger or tractor-tyre sized fishcakes with pineapple salsa. Drink the Lammershoek Roulette Blanc 2009 (bang!) and the best of all, the Mullineux Syrah 2009.

Skip the sub-par espresso. Rather go to the Royal Hotel next door, say, “Fuck you, Louis Gossett Jr.” and drink pink gin & tonics with cucumber. Admire the view over the Swartland while the 35′C heat plays games with your mind. Or is that the gin. Or the effects of blood draining from your head to your stomach to deal with the overindulgences of the earlier lunch you sure won’t forget in a long time, not just for the food or the wine, but for the fact that skipping town and getting on the road into the oven of a countryside with a bunch of mates is always going to be the best thing you do all weekend.

www.bbbs.co.za