Mention the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands and one of the first places that springs to mind, well… for this writer anyway, is Rawdons, probably as a result of having been associated with this particular area of the Midlands for more than 20 years. And not to mention having spent many a rugby-watching Saturday cosied up in front of one of the fireplaces in the hotel’s pub.
Run by the Dean family, Rawdons Hotel and Flyfishing Estate, to give it its full name, was opened in 1956 by brothers Graham and David Rawdon, mainly to provide accommodation for parents of boys at nearby Michaelhouse boarding school – their father’s vision. (Interestingly, the brothers were involved in establishing Lanzerac in the Cape.)
In 1967, the farm was taken over by the Attwoods, Don and Wendy, who have since handed the hotel over to their daughter, Susan, and her husband, Peter Dean.
Recently, the 23-room venue, which also features a delightful lakeside cottage, has undergone extensive renovations, with more than R2 million having been spent on refurbishing the rooms. Here guests needs are catered for with everything from tea, coffee and television, to the most efficient underfloor heating system I have ever come across. It was so warm, we could have slept on the floor in the well-appointed, contemporary bathroom. Just what you need in the middle of a Midlands winter.
Later this month, renovations are due to start on the dining room and kitchen, which is in the capable hands of Chef Craig Hutton, who started his career in Dullstroom, where he later opened his own restaurant, The Two Chefs Bistro.
Hutton, who has an intense love of the bush, has worked in a number of game lodges in South Africa, as well as having managed a luxury tented camp at Kapama Game Reserve.
Although new to Rawdons, he is not unfamiliar with KZN, having spent time at Shortens Country House in Ballito.
Hutton’s philosophy on food is to create a meal from raw ingredients, rather than buying anything as a finished product. He describes his food as trendy and contemporary, while adhering to classic styles. His presentation is said to be minimalist, with attention to detail focused on good-tasting, fresh food.
Expect the likes of oven-baked chicken breast stuffed with spinach and feta cheese, wrapped in phyllo pastry and served on a pool of tomato coulis, or pickled pig pie – tender steak cubes cooked with Rawdons’ Pickled pig ale and served in a pie dish topped with golden flaky pastry.
Puds include apple pie with almond streusel topping and vanilla ice cream or cream, and an upside-down banana pudding with toffee sauce.
Currently experimenting with weekly specials, among them masala dusted calamari with Chinese mayonnaise and chilli sauce, and grilled chicken breast served on creamy sherry, bacon and bean ragout, Hutton is also turning Rawdons’ famous Sunday lunch on its head. Here you can tempt your tastebuds with dishes like deboned chicken with wild rice and butternut, and pork loin stuffed with chestnuts, cranberries, prunes and apples. And coming from Dullstroom, and with a number of trout dams at Rawdons, expect some interesting variations here.
However, if pub fare is more your bag, head for the bar area, where you can warm up before two fires, while warming your belly with a substantial burger or delicious lamb curry. Hutton admits to being unfamiliar with pub menus, but judging from the number of people tucking in on a recent Saturday night, it seems hardly necessary for him to tinker with what is on offer.
Staying with the pub... if you are a smoker and assume you will be able to puff away in the bar area like you still can in a number of other hotel establishments, think again. Rawdons’ strict no-smoking policy means no billowing is allowed anywhere within the walls of the establishment, so wrap up warm and head for the garden, where ashtrays are in evidence.
As far as breakfast goes, you can choose between continental or cooked.
Having had your fill, why not try a spot of trout fishing or take a stroll along one of the many walking trails. There is also a pool, bowling green and volleyball court, or dabble in a spot of lawn tennis.
When you are done with that, don’t forget to pop in to the famous Rawdons brewery, situated a stone’s throw from reception. It has been operating since 1996, turning out Tiddly Toads, Whistling Weasels, Pickled Pigs and Pie-eyed Possums.
Yes, you can drink them, so buy a gift pack, take them home and enjoy memories of Rawdons Hotel and Flyfishing Estate while you sip on the tipple that takes your fancy. - The Mercury