Our features writer Fundiswa Nkwanyana visited the Brightside Farm in Magaliesburg. She had a memorable day filled with delicious food and drinks, and she tells us all about it.
I love this time of the year; December festivities are around the corner and everyone is getting ready to unwind after a stressful year. I recently discovered a fun and different way to spend my Sunday – at a family-friendly outdoor farm-style lunch.
LOCATION
The picturesque family farm is situated one hour away from Johannesburg. It’s known for supplying fresh ingredients to popular Joburg restaurants such as Coobs, Il Contadino, Doughlas + Hale and La Stalla. On arrival, I saw a white horse from a distance and donkeys leisurely roaming around. It was so good to be out of the city and relaxing in nature. As I got closer to the farm, the smell of pigs made me realise that I’m in a functioning farm. Fortunately, this was far from where lunch was being served. I enjoyed walking around the lush green farm, and I saw cows, ostrich, ducks and growing fruits and vegetables.
SEE ALSO: REVIEW: Coobs Restaurant
FOOD
The large lunch table was situated under tall trees that provided the perfect shade on a hot day. We were served a five-course meal, and the friendly waiters were ready to serve champagne and wine from the Cape of Good Hope and Jean Roi Rose collection. Some of the meals that stood out for me were the spinach, ricotta and parsley phyllo parcels served with chervil cream and a micro salad, as well as the summer and berry tart. All the ingredients were sourced from the farm, and I could taste the freshness. The wine selection was of premium quality, and went down well.
THE VIBE
I love day drinking escapades because I like getting home before 9pm. I enjoyed that everyone was mingling in the afternoon breeze, and a singer serenaded us with soft jazz and popular pop hits. People were free to walk around the farm and take pictures. The views of the sunset were breathtaking.
SEE ALSO: REVIEW: Coobs Restaurant
This was the first lunch of its kind hosted at the farm, and I hope it becomes an annual event because you also need to experience Sunday lunch at the Brightside Farm. And if you live in the city, spending a day at the farm, eating and drinking, is therapeutic. I highly recommend this experience.
