Silver Orange Bistro, Hartbeespoort

Seared tuna served at the Silver Orange Bistro.

© Silver Orange Bistro

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The Silver Orange Bistro is the realisation of a long-held desire by chef-patron Leon Nel to own his own restaurant.

A classically trained chef, Nel completed his hospitality studies at the Pretoria Technikon and gained 5-star experience working in some of the city’s top boutique hotels before converting his grandparents' farmhouse in the Hartbeespoort area into the 60-seater Silver Orange Bistro in 2004.

Google the Silver Orange Bistro, and you’ll find unscripted reviews from diners that only praise the restaurant's friendly, well-informed service, exceptional food and award-winning wine list.

Visually striking plates of food (that taste as delectable as they look) are a signature element of the bistro. Nel considers food preparation to be an art form, but his dishes are never contrived or pretentious. Instead, each plate is a dialogue using tastes, flavours and textures to unlock diners' emotions.

His attention to detail and use of mostly local and seasonal ingredients sees his menus, which change bi-weekly, feature starters such as roasted artichoke and butternut squash salad, seared tuna tataki or duck and fig samoosas.

Main courses include sophisticated comfort classics like slow-braised springbok shank, Scottish salmon and a Thai seafood curry – all of which elicit groans of gustatory delight.

Silver Orange Bistro's desserts change every 2nd day and are all freshly made, with natural, preservative-free ingredients. Regular diners know to request the homemade ice creams and sorbets, while 1 food critic described Nel's traditional malva pudding and custard as 'deeply restorative'. The frozen peanut fudge ice cream bar is so popular it has been on the menu for over 7 years!

The restaurant's wine list, with over 180 wines, has been awarded Diamond status by Diners Club, the ultimate wine accolade for a restaurateur. The wine-list selection – featuring mostly local red and white wines, 11 local Cap Classiques and 9 French champagnes – is personally overseen by Nel, assuring diners the best quality and value.

The Silver Orange Bistro is a gourmet interlude not-to-be-missed by epicures travelling through the North West province or who'd like to take a drive of an hour or so from Johannesburg or Pretoria.

Leon Nel succeeds in serving comfort food that is classy, modern and which reflects the terroir-specific identity of the chef and his restaurant.