Mogg’s Country Cookhouse, Hermanus: a winning recipe﻿

Mogg’s Country Cookhouse, Hermanus: a winning recipe

3/2/2016

By Roxanne Reid
How often do you have a three-course menu at a restaurant and find that just one of them was worth getting excited about? Visit Mogg’s Country Cookhouse, Hermanus, and you won’t have that problem; they have a winning recipe and you’ll get three five-star courses exploding with flavour.

We’ve been to Mogg’s Country Cookhouse in the beautiful Hemel-en-Aarde Valley of the Overberg at least 20 times in as many years and we’ve always left happy. That’s 10 out of 10 for consistency. The setting is peaceful, in a garden overlooking a small dam in the country, surrounded by hills and farms.

There’s space for kids to play, as well as a sand pit and jungle gym to keep them amused. In good weather you can sit outside in the shade. Inside, the decor is unsophisticated country style and the atmosphere laid back. Service is friendly and the food by a passionate mom-and-daughter duo is five-star quality.

There’s no substitute for good ingredients, freshly prepared by people who care about flavour and detail. And that’s what Jenny, Julia and their well-trained kitchen staff deliver time after time. [Update: Sadly, Jenny passed away in 2022 but Julia and her staff continue to deliver the good stuff.] I’ve eaten at better-rated fancy-schmancy restaurants in Cape Town and the Winelands that have left me disappointed or frustrated, but Mogg’s grabs me by the taste buds and makes me fall a little deeper in love every time.

Seven months ago on a trip to Hermanus I chose a delicious Mediterranean salad starter with roast aubergine and chickpeas, succulent lamb shank as a main course, and a piquant passion fruit curd with fresh berries for dessert. Portions are generous so I wasn’t sure I could eat dessert, but was determined to try. It was all just plain yummy.

My latest trip to Hermanus was dreamed up mainly to eat at Mogg’s again. This time there were four of us, so with a little cooperation and plate swopping, we sampled nine choices from the menu.

For starters we had wild mushroom, Gorgonzola and rocket phyllo baskets with fresh tomato and spring onion drizzle; and a fresh corn fritter stack with sour cream, crispy bacon and avocado topped with chilli, lime and coriander drizzle. Both were fab, but the crisp fritters probably had the edge, so many well-married flavours that my brother debated getting another to take away for later.

Our four mains were: Gruyere and artichoke soufflé with a stuffed red pepper; braised beef short rib on horseradish mash with a mouth-watering spiced beetroot relish; succulent slow-roasted lamb shank with garlic, basil and lemon sauce; and my personal favourite, Duck spring rolls on an Asian noodle salad with sesame and ginger. All were beautifully cooked with finger-licking flavours.

If you enjoy good food that’s scrumptious but not overly finicky or precious, I can’t recommend Mogg’s highly enough. If you’re going wine tasting along the Walker Bay wine route or exploring Hermanus and Onrus, book a table for lunch at Mogg’s. Better yet, make a special trip just to eat there – you won’t be sorry.

Bring granny, grandpa and the kids, or arrange a small wedding or private function for up to 60 people.

Note that all meals I’ve ever enjoyed at Mogg’s have been unannounced and paid for in full.

Need to know
Mogg’s Country Cookhouse
28 Nuwe-Pos Farm Rd, Hemel-En-Aarde Valley, Hermanus
Tel 076-3140671
Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday 12:00-14:30
Website https://moggscookhouse.co.za/

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