On a very cold Friday we decided to have lunch at the Crown Restaurant. It is situated on the Meerendal Wine Estate in Durbanville. The picturesque farm is one of the oldest wine estates in the country and dates back to 1702. The estate has a chapel for weddings; a hotel, deli and restaurant. It also has a mountain bike … Continue reading →
Going Greek again, after the previous Friday lunch at a Greek restaurant, we were in the mood for everything Greek. We even watched our favourite film, Shirley Valentine, again! Situated between Somerset West and Stellenbosch on Helderberg Road, we found the unpretentious white building George’s Greek Restaurant is situated in. A donkey with a wide grin welcomed us on the … Continue reading →
Our love for Greek food was ignited in Port Elizabeth when we first visited Zorba’s Taverna in Central. When visiting Cape Town, we could never resist The Greek Fisherman, a Greek restaurant at the V&A Waterfront. We spent a couple of weeks in Greece in 2010 and what a feast it was to live on a diet of Greek food. … Continue reading →
It was Friday again and time for adventure. We were heading to Avontuur Estate Restaurant, which was a very suitable name. The Afrikaans word Avontuur, translated into English, indeed means Adventure. Avontuur Estate is situated against the Helderberg, between Stellenbosch and Somerset-West in the Western Cape. When you drive up to the building in which the restaurant is situated, a … Continue reading →
What do the three restaurants, Indian Chapter; Moksh and Annapurna have in common? The answer is easy – curry. Whether you like tandoori, madras or vindaloo, or a cashewy korma if you prefer your food less spicy, these three Cape Town restaurants are well-known for delicious curries. The first Indian restaurant we visited in Cape Town after relocating from Port … Continue reading →
Gastao’s Restaurant I love the unexpected – well, if it is positively unexpected. It was Friday again, but we decided not to have lunch at a restaurant this time. Having lunch at home seemed like a very good idea. Around twelve in the afternoon Deon asked if I wanted to accompany him to Edward Street in Bellville as he needed … Continue reading →
An easy recipe for a quick but delicious dessert – that is always my goal. These little soufflés are light and fluffy, tasty and easy to make. Ingredients 1 cup double thick Greek yogurt 3 large eggs, whites and yolks seperated, at room temperature 3 tbsp flour A pinch of salt 1 tsp lemon essence A pinch of cream … Continue reading →
We visited this restaurant last year with a guest from Port Elizabeth and when Deon asked if I could suggest a restaurant for lunch last Friday, I remembered the awesome view at Flavours Restaurant, which is situated outside Stellenbosch. Flavours is part of the Devon Valley Hotel. We ordered tapas upon our first visit, which was very good. As it … Continue reading →
Café des Arts Franschhoek is one of the destinations that we love to visit on a regular basis. Maybe it is because of the scenery, the excellent restaurants or perhaps Deon and I have the tendency to form habits easily. Whatever the reason, today we decided to have lunch at Franschhoek once again. As we were driving towards Franschhoek, we … Continue reading →
This is a delicious soup, perfect for hot summer days as it is served cold. Prepare it the day before you serve it, as it has to be refrigerated for at least four hours before serving. It is a perfect starter when you are having guests over for dinner in summer. It is from one of Rachel Koo’s recipe books. … Continue reading →
Franschhoek in our beautiful Western Cape has always been a favourite and on my birthday this year Deon treated me to lunch at Reuben’s – celebrity chef Reuben Riffel’s restaurant on the main road. The restaurant itself is beautiful, with high ceiling and beams, elegantly decorated and the bar area features a wing of an old DC 10 aeroplane as … Continue reading →
When we moved to Cape Town, one of the first restaurants we visited was the delicatessen at Tokara, situated outside Stellenbosch on the R310 in the Helshoogte Pass. I always wanted to return to Tokara and we decided to revisit this beautiful wine farm today, 11 March 2016. Tokara was purchased by GT Ferreira and soon became known for producing … Continue reading →
My brother and sister-in-law from Rheebok visited us on the last weekend of February 2016. We had to find a new venue for lunch. This time, after a Google search, we decided to visit Boschendal in Franschhoek, one of the oldest farms in South Africa. The first owner of the farm was Jean le Long, a French Huguenot. He was … Continue reading →
Exploring the Paarl valley – that was our mission for February 2016. On the third Friday of February we had our usual Friday lunch, this time at Harvest Restaurant, Laborie wine farm in the Paarl valley. Named after the district of La Bri in France, the farm became the property of Isaac Taillefert in1691. The architecture of the beautiful buildings … Continue reading →
As it was Friday again, we decided to head towards Paarl for an early 2016 Valentine’s lunch. We reserved a table at Glen Carlou Restaurant, but as we had some time to kill before lunch, we popped in at Koöperasie Stories between Paarl and Franschhoek. It is an amazing French style shop which sells furniture, crockery, linen and everything else. … Continue reading →
Last Friday, the first Friday of our hottest month February, we decided to have lunch at Nederburg, Paarl. The Red Table restaurant serves bistro-style food inside the beautiful Manor House or outside on the terrace if you prefer the stunning views of the Nederburg vineyards with the backdrop of the Drakenstein mountains. In winter it would be lovely to dine … Continue reading →
Delheim, located in the area of Stellenbosch, is the perfect venue for an outside lunch in summer or a cosy dinner in winter inside next to the huge fireplace. The original farm was called Driesprongh and purchased in 1938 by Mr Hans Hoheisen who planted the first vines. My mom was visiting us early January 2016 and we decided to … Continue reading →
We have been at Diemersdal Farm Eatery before, in fact, a couple of times, but when we heard that our friends Kobus and Erna from Port Elizabeth would pay us a visit in December 2015, we decided to introduce them to Diemersdal Farm Eatery. During the December holidays it is quite difficult to find a table at a restaurant like … Continue reading →
This is a Nigella Lawson old fashioned chocolate cake recipe which I have adapted slightly. It is quick and easy to make. Ingredients 1 cup plain flour 1 cup caster sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda ⅓ cup best-quality cocoa powder 175 grams soft unsalted butter 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 150 ml crème … Continue reading →
It is usually a problem to book a table for lunch this time of the year, as many restaurants are closed for the festive season and others are fully booked. When I phoned Durbanville Hills Restaurant in our Durbanville Wine Valley to book a table for four on 28 December 2015, I was happy to hear that they had a … Continue reading →
An impressive name for an impressive restaurant – situated on Coburn Street in Central Cape Town, this Italian restaurant is not to be missed. Reviews describe the restaurant as “impressive; consistent; simple but tasty food; visited by famous faces; elegant…” These are all descriptive words that we certainly agree with. The interior is modern with beautiful wooden floors, white linen … Continue reading →
If you manage to find this restaurant, you are in for a real Italian treat! Al Dente Pasta Deli is a cosy little Italian restaurant and pasta deli situated in Pickwick Road, Salt River. It is in the foyer of the Upper Eastwood Apartment Block. But once you are there, you will quickly forget how difficult it was to find … Continue reading →
Previously a fishing hamlet, Woodstock has always been an area with a mixed community. It was a grey area which fell outside the implementation of the Group Areas Act, according to Andrew Fleming in Making a Place for the Rich? Urban Poor Evictions and Gentrification in Woodstock, 2011. Woodstock was not part of the racially-motivated removals that took place during … Continue reading →
On the last Friday of October it was time to reload our internal batteries again with a visit to somewhere out there where we would find an awesome restaurant for lunch. We both thought of going to a pub in Wynberg which we had previously visited. This pub, called Caffe Verdi, is situated in the quaint village of Chelsea in … Continue reading →
Under Oaks in the Paarl Winelands has a beautiful history. Ansela van Bengale arrived in the Cape as a slave between 1652 and 1657. She worked as a domestic worker for Jan van Riebeeck and was well-known for her beauty and kindness. Ansela was one of the first slaves to be set free and her daughter Anna married Oloff Bergh, … Continue reading →
On Friday we decided on the spur of the moment to do what we love on a Friday afternoon, which is to find a new venue for lunch. Although we have previously visited Diemersdal, we decided to visit them again, but when we arrived at the restaurant, we were informed that they were fully booked. Not surprising at all, as … Continue reading →
This is the apple tart we all know, but with a slight difference. A splash of rum to the sauce elevates the tart to a new level. Ingredients 200 ml sugar 37, 5 ml butter 3 extra large eggs 250 ml self-raising flour 2 ml baking powder 2 ml salt 60 ml milk 1 tin of tart apples Sauce 250 … Continue reading →
Situated at the V & A Waterfront opposite the harbour, this is the perfect restaurant for a lazy Friday lunch. One of our favourite restaurants, Quay Four, lost out today, as we decided to give Seelan a try. Elegantly decorated and with crisp white tablecloths and serviettes, friendly staff and an inviting menu, this restaurant is a must to visit. … Continue reading →
This is a mild pasta dish, perfect if you like salmon. Ingredients 450 g spaghetti 3 tbsp. olive oil 5 ml crushed garlic 4 spring onions, chopped 3 x 150g fresh salmon fillets, skinned and cubed 150 ml thick cream 5 ml dill 20 ml vodka A pinch of curry powder Salt and freshly ground black pepper Zest of one … Continue reading →
Deon follows Dave Pepler on Face Book and this is where he found this unbelievably easy recipe for cheese cake, called Lulu Ferreira’s Cheese Cake. I did not really think that it would be successful, but decided to give it a try. I adapted it slightly, as I had berry yoghurt in the fridge. (We buy delicious, double thick yoghurt … Continue reading →
We all love surprises and even better, to be surprised! Lucky brother Stephan’s wife organized a treasure hunt for his birthday. All the way from Port Elizabeth to Rheebok, close to George in the Western Cape, my sister-in-law, Sanet, left clues for Stephan. She was always somewhat ahead of him, leaving clues in balloons, while a friend had the task … Continue reading →
Last Friday we had an errand to run in Stellenbosch, and we just had to have lunch. I googled and found a Greek restaurant, called Dimi’s, situated on Dorp Street. We arrived at 8 Dorp Street, but there was no Dimi’s. Instead, it was Ya-Ya’s Café situated in a beautiful building where Dimi was supposed to be. Later one of … Continue reading →
As usual on a Friday, we were debating early morning on where to have lunch. A friend mentioned a new Indian restaurant in Aurora and as we love Indian cuisine, we decided to have lunch at Moksh, meaning “highest level of satisfaction”, as well as “freedom”. In retrospect, we will recommend anyone who loves spicy food, to visit this rather … Continue reading →
As our first visit to Phizante Kraal Restaurant on the Durbanville Wine Valley was a great experience, we decided to pay them a second visit when Deon’s brother invited us for lunch. We were early and waited for them on the lawn while admiring the beautiful view of the mountains. It was a perfect winter’s afternoon. We were again very … Continue reading →
Deon is always seeking the best pork recipe ever. This time he tried the recipe of Errieda du Toit, author of the recipe book Huiskok, Glanskok. Although I am not very keen on eating pork, I have to admit that the aromas that escaped from the oven were really aromatic enough to convince me to taste this dish. It was … Continue reading →
Cold – it is cold in Cape Town. What is a good solution to conquer the cold? Prepare a hearty stew or, as known in Afrikaans, a bredie. I made this version of tomato bredie, but as it was too cold to spend much time cooking in the kitchen, I used tinned tomatoes rather than fresh tomatoes to speed up … Continue reading →
Another Friday afternoon without the delightful thought of lunch at a new venue somewhere in Cape Town, how disheartening. Deon was at a workshop in Stellenbosch and I was busy doing assessments at my education centre. But, there is always light at the end of the tunnel, when I returned from work after 16:00, Deon, whose workshop finished at 15:00, … Continue reading →
I have always liked food in smaller portions – a huge steak with every bite that tastes the same is not for me. That is why Tapas is my kind of food – small portions, but a variety of flavours – that is what I like. We found a perfect restaurant that serves excellent tapas in the Cape Town city … Continue reading →
One of our stops when visiting Darling, was a very small mall, called the Mantis Mall. The sweet shop in the mall is well-known for making exquisite toffee, called Darling Sweet. Members of the public can watch the whole process of toffee making from beginning stage to packaging stage. The toffee is entirely manufactured by hand, with most ingredients locally … Continue reading →
As a reward to ourselves for working hard during the first six months of the year, we decided to spend a couple of days in the small village of Darling, 75 km from Cape Town and 25 km from Yzerfontein along the West Coast. On our way, we noticed the dull and grey shrubs that is called Renosterveld, often dominated … Continue reading →
