The first time I dined at Jessica’s in 2013, I was wowed. If you spend much time eating out in small-town South Africa you can start choosing what you’ll have before you’ve seen the menu, such is the familiarity of the dishes. Jessica’s was nothing like this. It took local ingredients and managed to create dishes that were both hearty and sophisticated. Dishes that were utterly unique in such a small town.
A year later, I was disappointed. The food is still good – meals start with tasty homemade bread and superb local olive oil, plus there still isn’t a chicken liver or a snail to be found on the menu – but somehow the originality and finesse no longer seem to be there. Local produce still takes centre stage – particularly ostrich from Oudtshoorn and Karoo lamb – and this is definitely a place for meat eaters. The lamb shank is recommended – especially for those with a sizable appetite. Many of the herbs and veggies are grown in the area and as much as possible is sourced from the Western Cape.
The restaurant itself is as charming as ever – a Victorian house converted into an intimate dining room. With its polished wooden floors and paintings from local artists adorning the walls, it manages to marry homely with elegant. This is also what Jessica’s aims to do with its cuisine, though the balance has skewed more towards the former than the latter. But that’s not to say the food isn’t good – it’s flavourful and filling and Jessica’s is still undoubtedly one of the best places to eat in Montagu. Plus with a menu that changes pretty much on a monthly basis, the finesse that I remember being wowed with on my first visit might well be back by the time you drop in.
Expert Review
The first time I dined at Jessica’s in 2013, I was wowed. If you spend much time eating out in...
The first time I dined at Jessica’s in 2013, I was wowed. If you spend much time eating out in small-town South Africa you can start choosing what you’ll have before you’ve seen the menu, such is the familiarity of the dishes. Jessica’s was nothing like this. It took local ingredients and managed to create dishes that were both hearty and sophisticated. Dishes that were utterly unique in such a small town.
A year later, I was disappointed. The food is still good – meals start with tasty homemade bread and superb local olive oil, plus there still isn’t a chicken liver or a snail to be found on the menu – but somehow the originality and finesse no longer seem to be there. Local produce still takes centre stage – particularly ostrich from Oudtshoorn and Karoo lamb – and this is definitely a place for meat eaters. The lamb shank is recommended – especially for those with a sizable appetite. Many of the herbs and veggies are grown in the area and as much as possible is sourced from the Western Cape.
The restaurant itself is as charming as ever – a Victorian house converted into an intimate dining room. With its polished wooden floors and paintings from local artists adorning the walls, it manages to marry homely with elegant. This is also what Jessica’s aims to do with its cuisine, though the balance has skewed more towards the former than the latter. But that’s not to say the food isn’t good – it’s flavourful and filling and Jessica’s is still undoubtedly one of the best places to eat in Montagu. Plus with a menu that changes pretty much on a monthly basis, the finesse that I remember being wowed with on my first visit might well be back by the time you drop in.