Last week we hosted our first vegan afternoon tea, and we received this review from two of our guests.
“We recently had the pleasure of experiencing a vegan afternoon tea at Oak Leaf Restaurant in Knysna. The restaurant is situated in the Belvidere Estate, with its ancient oak trees. As always, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the staff friendly and attentive.
Plant-based foods can sometimes be perceived as “boring” and “bland” but this experience dispelled that notion completely! The introductory glass of ice-cold champagne helped set the tone for what was to come.
The high-tea menu featured mouth-watering vegan delicacies; a delightful selection of sweet and savoury treats.
The top layer was filled with sweet treats, including carrot cupcakes with lemon icing, chocolate cranberry cupcakes, a Wholeheartedly Sandy peanut date ball, fresh strawberries dipped in dark chocolate and a chia pudding cup with passion fruit & fresh seasonal fruit. The bottom layer was savoury, with options like rainbow roll stuffed with raw crunchy veg, quinoa, hummus, sweet chilli, coriander & black sesame seeds, a tea sandwich with vegan cheese, tomato & fresh basil, a zesty smashed avo bruschetta and mini Wholeheartedly Sandy spicy bean & walnut bites served with chutney.
Our favourite savoury dishes were the Wholeheartedly Sandy spicy bean & walnut bits and the rainbow roll, and our favourite sweet dishes were the chia pudding cup and the delicious peanut date ball. These plant-based treats were anything but boring!
The tea selection was also impressive, with a variety of rooibos, black, oolong, green, herbal, and fruit teas to choose from. We had the Peach Jasmine Oolong and Herbal Immensely Beautiful, which was light and refreshing and served in a beautiful clear glass tea jug which allows you to watch the infusion in real time.
This was a wonderful experience! Leeanne and Chef Sandy outdid themselves! The treats were delicious, the tea was refreshing, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. We would highly recommend this to anyone looking to indulge in a unique and enjoyable vegan experience in Knysna!”
– Peter & Lisa
