SMEUL restaurant has officially opened, for guests to experience this special Boland Blaze. The restaurant lives in the newly restored Zomerlust Boutique Hotel, where good food and refinement can be enjoyed on the same property.
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Acclaimed Chef Kevin Grobler leads this venture in the heritage building, offering up delicious meals entirely cooked on fire, as well as a luxury dining experience you won’t soon forget.
First impressions
As you swing into the newly revived Zomerlust Boutique Hotel from the bustling Main Road in Paarl, two things come to mind: heritage and luxury. From the artwork on the walls to the architectural details in the foyer, you immediately sense that no element is random but rather carefully curated and imbued with a story.
As you move towards the back, the sounds of the lively main road dissipate and make way for calmer tones: clinks of fine glass, relaxed conversation and trickling water from somewhere nearby. Completing the sensory experience is the smell of fire – specifically the aroma of fire-cooked food.
Contemporary luxury in a historic setting
Housed within the gorgeously restored Zomerlust Boutique Hotel, SMEUL feels like an extension of the property’s reverence to heritage. Original architectural details remain on display, softened by contemporary interiors and understated luxury – and it never overshadows the building’s history.
Chef Kevin Grobler returns home
Image: Supplied
But the biggest and boldest marker of this new era is SMEUL under Paarl local Kevin Grobler. The restaurant’s kitchen sits tucked away in the historic building and it’s here where Kevin’s vision comes to life. Cooking entirely on open flames and wood-fired Dover stoves, he creates dishes with incredible flavours and textures.
Not only are the meals delectable but some of the menu items come with an entire experience: the baker’s mark on cloudy, light milk bread rolls; cured line fish with naartjie-laden aguachile dressing drizzled by the waiter at your table; and for some culinary theatre – a hot iron with bone marrow butter poured over a 600g Assiete of Beef.
Image: Supplied
The beef carpaccio is oh-so delicate and complemented by an earthy truffle sauce with just the right amount of acidity. The Char Siu Pork Belly arrives beautifully presented, offset by sharp fermented gooseberries. And the deserts look like little artworks, requiring their own moment to savour.
Finishing touches
The ambience is unmatched as you unwind and bask in this building’s heritage. The peak refinement is created by crisp white linen and elegant Riedel glassware, but balanced by the exposed clay brick in the seating area – authentic yet irresistibly luxe. Another seating space overlooks the restored gardens where you’ll be charmed by shaded paths, stone features, a pool and lofty trees… This is where you come when you want to suspend yourself in unhurried silence.
Image: Supplied
Final thoughts
SMEUL is more than a fine-dining restaurant in the Cape Winelands. It’s a homecoming for Chef Kevin Grobler, an embrace of fire-led cooking, and perhaps a reminder that luxury is accessible. It’s a place meant for lingering – hospitality, heritage and fire-led cooking come together here in a way that feels uniquely Boland.
Plan a visit:
- Address: Zomerlust Boutique Hotel, 193 Main Road, Hoog-en-Droog, Paarl
- Open Daily: Lunch 12 pm – 2 pm (last seating) | Dinner 5 pm – 8 pm (last seating)
- Reservations: www.zomerlust.co.za/dine | www.dineplan.com
- Instagram: @smeulrestaurant | @zomerlustboutiquehotel
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Featured image: Supplied
