I decided to limit my ordering to dishes that were distinctly South African, so I began with oysters from the west coast. These, I must say, were exquisite—smooth, creamy, with a briny hint of the ocean. The oysters can also be ordered in a creative sushi version which come served with soya tomato concasse, and a lime and pesto aioli. Other starters I highly recommend are the pea vine and goat’s cheese salad, and the springbok carpaccio, which is served with a warm chili corn scone and strawberry jelly topped with whipped moderna honey.

For my main course I selected the rack of lamb, which comes from the Dorper Sheep, a breed that was developed especially for the arid regions of South Africa. One of the pleasures of a visit to South Africa is the high quality of its organic beef and lamb. The Dorper lamb rack, prepared with mint and marula nut, has the flavor and texture that makes one happy to be a carnivore, and is served with a lemon, thyme and pea risotto.

Wine, of course, is one of the best reasons for a visit to this country because it is an incredible bargain. There is probably no place that has such a variety of world-class wines at such great prices. The wine cellar at the Cape Grace Hotel is devoted to South African wines, but does make an exception by including French Champagne along with some delightful local sparkling wines.

The wine list is very manageable in size and has been carefully selected to give the best representation of South Africa’s wine producing regions. This allows guests at the Cape Grace to make an exciting survey of South African wines, including lesser-known local cultivars such as Pinotage and Chenin Blanc. Cape Town is conveniently located in close proximity to the majority of South Africa’s wine growing regions, which spread out from it like the wings of a butterfly. Therefore, a trip to Cape Town could be entirely devoted to the exploration of South African wine making. To see the complete menu, go to: www.onewaterfront.co.za/