Castella Amara – a beautiful name, which means castle at the sea, if my translation is correct. Deon and I hesitated slightly to visit the Portuguese restaurant situated at 47-5th Avenue, Melkbosstrand (Formerly Die Kliphuis). We read some negative reviews, and when Deon started getting cold feet and tried to convince me to rather visit another restaurant, I decided that we should give it a try. The restaurant is situated … Continue reading →
Wow, after being hugely disappointed with the closing of our favourite pub in Oxford Street, we discovered a new pub in Durbanville – Alberto’s Restaurant and Pub in King Street. What a surprise to find this excellent pub/restaurant so close to us. It has been in Durbanville for 15 years (how did we not see it in the almost five years of living in Durbanville?). The food is excellent – … Continue reading →
Two weeks ago Deon bought a groupon voucher for lunch at Goloso Restaurant in Sea Point, Cape Town. We had some reservations (pun intended) about the restaurant, but it was unnecessary, for it is a marvelous little gem in the heart of Sea Point and also very popular. The interior decorating needs a hand, but there was nothing negative we could say about the food. My lasagna was the best … Continue reading →
On Monday 15 June it was a school holiday, as the next day was Youth Day, a public holiday. It was a much needed long weekend for us. When we woke up, it was one of those cold and rainy days in Cape Town. We had to go to Tyger Valley, a shopping centre close to us. Walking past the closed doors of Annapurna, an Indian restaurant that has relocated … Continue reading →
We came across Chris Stewart’s, book Driving Over Lemons: An Optimist in Andalucia (1999, ISBN 0-9535227-0-9) in 2004 when we prepared ourselves for a visit to Spain and what a delight! After this we also read his other books, A Parrot In The Pepper Tree and The Almond Blossom Appreciation Society. Chris was the drummer of the band Genesis for a couple of years. Then, after travelling and working throughout … Continue reading →
Today, 16 June 2015, officially Youth Day and a public holiday, we are hibernating in the study. It is extremely cold outside, so the only option is to stay at home in front of our computers. Leica, our dearly beloved cat, is sleeping soundly on his heated little carpet, especially manufactured for cats. Suddenly the thought dawned upon me – what would be for lunch? It did not take minutes … Continue reading →
Many dishes require preserved lemon, which is not always easy to find at our local shops. When the neighbour decided to trim her lemon tree which flows over our boundary wall, she gave us a box full of lovely lemons. We then decided to preserve the lemons. It is really easy to do this, much easier than finding it at a shop, especially when in a hurry. First of all … Continue reading →
This is a perfect dish for banting, the new buzz word we were introduced to by Professor Tim Noakes. Try my delicious substitute for the traditional white sauce. Ingredients 750 g lamb mince 1 onion 2 aubergines, trimmed and sliced 6 baby marrows, trimmed and sliced 12 ml psyllium husks 1 tin diced tomatoes in juice 150 ml red wine A cube of chicken stock, dissolved in 50 ml boiling … Continue reading →
At last it was Friday again, that means, to us, having lunch at an unknown venue. It was not difficult to choose a restaurant this week, as we followed our own “Kuberkok”, Nina Timm’s advice. So off we went to Hemelhuijs at Waterkant Street, next to the popular Fan Walk. Hemelhuijs is a little gem with an excellent chef hiding in the kitchen, Jacques Erasmus, who is indeed talented. The … Continue reading →
Last week, on 5 June 2015, we celebrated Paula, my sister-in-law’s birthday. They arrived on Friday afternoon. For the birthday feast, we booked dinner at a restaurant in Bloubergstrand, called Ons Huisie, a heritage site. Before we left for dinner, we toasted Paula with a glass of bubbly. Ons Huisie (or Our Little House) was formally a fisherman’s home. We were impressed with the warm atmosphere which met us inside, … Continue reading →
On Friday 5 June 2015, we had to go to Stellenbosch. As we were expecting guests later that afternoon, we decided to go for a quick lunch. We did not plan on having lunch, therefore we did not have our cameras with us, so our only option was a cell phone camera. While driving on the R44, Deon spotted a restaurant just off the road, called España. It was obviously … Continue reading →
Last week, I received a message from former colleague Nina Timm, also known as “Kuberkok”. She wanted Deon and me to be her guests on RSG – popular radio talk show. Nina invites bloggers to chat about their blogs every Thursday morning. Deon tried to get out of the talk show, claiming that he was only the “webmaster” – but, as I am not much of a chatter box, I … Continue reading →
On Friday, 29 May, we headed off to Stellenbosch (yes, again!) for lunch. Unfortunately, the restaurant where we have booked, failed to deliver. We took one bite and decided to go elsewhere. As it is difficult to find a parking space in Stellenbosch and we were parked in central town, we decided to take a stroll down the avenues in search of a new restaurant. It was an overcast, wintery … Continue reading →
Yesterday, Sunday 24 May 2015, was one of those days that improves quality of life. We attended a Food Photo Workshop in collaboration with well known stylist Isabella Niehaus and photographers Hein van Tonder and Francois Pistorius. Hein and Francois have recently returned from Boussac in France where they photographed a recipe book which will be released later this year. Isabella’s beautiful house in Langebaan was chosen as the … Continue reading →
When we were really tired after working very hard, we would head off to our local Oxford Arms Pub for a meal and a glass of wine. It has always been a cosy, comforting space – almost like the pubs in London which we visited a few years ago. On a cold winter’s evening, we enjoyed the fire burning while people were chatting and enjoying their meals. But, not long … Continue reading →
Menu At last it was Friday again and we had an errand to run in Stellenbosch, so it was a good idea to have lunch while we were there. After a Tripadvisor search for a good restaurant, we decided on Basic Bistro on Church Street (23rd out of 182 restaurants in Stellenbosch). We had high expectations! We booked a table, which was a good idea, as when we arrived the … Continue reading →
Deon and I recently went to the quaint Greek restaurant Maria’s on Dunkley Square where we shared this delicious Halva cake for dessert. For Mother’s Day I tried a similar cake, simply called Semolina Cake. Ingredients 115 g butter, softened 125 ml caster sugar 1 cup semolina 10 ml baking powder 3 eggs, lightly beaten 1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind 2 tablespoons orange juice Crème fraîche to serve Syrup … Continue reading →
On Friday, after spending a few hours at my favourite hair salon on Dunkley Square, Gardens, we decided that lunch at Maria’s a few metres away from the salon, would be the perfect spot for lunch. This must have been our tenth visit to Maria’s, but if a restaurant is consistently excellent, that is a very good reason to visit again…and again. Deon ordered grilled calamari and I decided on … Continue reading →
My sister and her husband from Port Elizabeth visited Cape Town last week and invited us to end off their visit together in the fabulous city. So, after a long day of hard work, we met them at their hotel in W&A Waterfront on Thursday evening. As it was the beginning of another long weekend, Cape Town was abuzz with people. Earlier the day Deon tried to reserve a table … Continue reading →
As it was Friday again, we had to find a new restaurant in Cape Town to explore (what a task!). We decided to find a new restaurant in our own village, Durbanville. Deon did a search on the Internet and yes, he found it. Part of the Rust en Vrede Gallery, Yoco Eatery is a combination of the talents of Yolande Snyders and chef Jaco Redelinghuys. Jaco is trained in … Continue reading →
Today we discovered Mariella’s Restaurant on the Capaia Wine Estate in the Swartland. It is located about 30 km from Cape Town just outside the quaint town of Philadelphia. Capaia farm belongs to Ingrid Baroness von Essen and was formerly a wheat farm which stole her heart. The family transformed the farm into Capaia Wine Estate. They also restored the old farmhouse, a beautiful Victorian house and opened a restaurant … Continue reading →
Looking for an excellent restaurant in Stellenbosch? Try Helena’s Restaurant, part of the Coopmanhuijs Boutique Hotel and Spa at 33 Church Street. Executive Chef Nadia Roux is definitely an asset, as her food is beautifully presented as well as excellently prepared. Yes, it was Friday again and after working during the morning, we drove to Lentegeur Psychiatric Hospital where Deon had to do something and then we decided to visit … Continue reading →
On 6 April, Family Day, after a weekend of admin and more admin, Deon and I decided to hit the road. A drive through the beautiful Western Cape country side is always refreshing and if you could include a lunch at a new restaurant, and it is a lovely reward after all the hard work. We decided to have lunch at Backsberg Estate, set in the foothills of the … Continue reading →
My mother-in-law makes a very good chicken pie and I am usually lucky enough to get a freshly baked pie to take home when we visit her. I asked her to write the recipe down for me. This was the result: Step 1 750 g Chicken breasts – diced 5 ml salt 3 cups of water Cook in a pressure cooker for 10 minutes. Step 2 Add the juices from … Continue reading →
You can never make a mistake using one of Jamie Oliver’s recipes. He is really a genius. This pudding is super easy to make and super delicious. I made it in less than an hour and presented it to my mother-in-law who invited us for dinner on Easter Sunday. She thought that it was wonderful, so go ahead and make this spongy, meringuey, lemon curdy custardy pud. Delicious! Serves 4 … Continue reading →
“It all started on a fateful stormy night in 1647, when the Dutch Vessel, The Nieuwe Haarlem, ran ashore on the rocks of Table Bay. Little did anyone know that what transpired would change the course of our history forever.” (Quoted from the menu) The Company’s Garden Restaurant in Victoria Street, Cape Town, is the new gem in town thanks to Madame Zingara, who has taken over and modernized the … Continue reading →
As there was no Friday afternoon outing today, I decided to make my favourite soup for a light lunch. This soup is really very easy to prepare and it takes only about half an hour before it is ready. I found the recipe many years ago in a magazine. I thought that I have lost it somehow, but when I was paging through one of my recipe books a time … Continue reading →
Ingredients 400 g spaghetti, cooked 2 large onions, sliced 15 ml Canola oil 1 packet of diced bacon A can of diced tomatoes 2 tins of creamed mushrooms 6 bay leaves 1½ cup of grated cheese 1 tablespoon of flour, mixed with a little bit of cold water to make a paste Black pepper, lemon zest (use 1 lemon), 10 ml Italian Herbs 1 cube of chicken stock, dissolved in … Continue reading →
On Friday we decided to have lunch locally, so we chose Bakesh Food & Wine in the centre of Durbanville. The name Bakesh means seeking peace in Hebrew. Situated in a heritage building, the restaurant is charmingly decorated in an old world style. The food is a mix of the traditional and contemporary and it is served with hand selected wines. Deon ordered a lamb knuckle curry dish, served with … Continue reading →
It was my birthday on 18 March and Deon and I went for lunch at Phizante Kraal Restaurant in the Durbanville Wine Valley. The farm is situated not more than 1 km from Durbanville. The first owner of the farm Groot Phesantekraal was Captain Oloff Berg. The farm was granted to him in 1698 by Governor Simon van der Stel. In 1897 the Brink family became the new owners of … Continue reading →
I love a Friday as it is our day for exploring Cape Town restaurants! There are so many restaurants in and around Cape Town that it would take years of exploring – and then there will be even more after that. On Friday we were off to Paarl, which is about a 40 minute drive from Durbanville. Our Friday choice was The Spice Route Restaurant, which is situated next to … Continue reading →
We have been here before, but as I had to go to Philadelphia today, we decided to have our Friday lunch at De Malle Meul, previously the home of the famous artist, Pieter van der Westhuizen, famous for his etchings and works in pastel. The De Malle Meul today is a gallery which is dedicated to his work and hosts more than 200 of his etchings. It is interesting to … Continue reading →
Philadelphia is a beautiful little village close to Durbanville. It has a few shops and restaurants, a school and a beautiful Dutch Reformed church. De Malle Meul opposite the church is a restaurant, art gallery and popular wedding venue. It was the studio of the late artist, Pieter van der Westhuizen. Lunch today was at Odds Bistro in Philadelphia. What a surprise it was to walk into this quaint restaurant, … Continue reading →
I found the recipe for this interesting cake in the February 2015 edition of the Tuis/Home Magazine. It was created for the magazine by Karen Dudley from The Kitchen in Woodstock. I served it instead of dessert on Sunday and it immediately became a new favourite in our home. The cake is not at all too sweet, as cakes usually tend to be. I served it with vanilla ice-cream and … Continue reading →
We had to go to Stellenbosch for business on Friday. Of course we had to have lunch as it was Friday, our day for exploring Cape Town. Stellenbosch, for me, will always be a very special town to visit. The sounds, the smell of bread baking, bicycles (yes, I was almost hit by one on Friday), students, beautiful old buildings, bistros and coffee shops, tourists with cameras and many more … Continue reading →
Today, at last, after two weeks of working on a Friday afternoon, we had the chance to explore again. Once again we headed to the heart of the Cape wine lands, beautiful and charming Stellenbosch! We reserved a table at a restaurant situated in a more or less industrial area of Stellenbosch. The address is 7B Distillery Road, Bosman’s Crossing, Stellenbosch. We did not really know what to expect when … Continue reading →
This Friday we were both too busy at work to explore Cape Town’s restaurants. But we will have our outing if there is time next week, maybe to our local pub. When on holiday in London and Amsterdam in December 2006, we explored some pubs. On one of our days in London we left the hotel at 11:00 and returned the next morning at 3:00. We were enjoying our holiday … Continue reading →
Try this super easy chicken pie. It takes about 15 minutes to prepare and after 45 minutes in the oven, your chicken pie is ready. Ingredients 1 already roasted chicken (buy one from your local supermarket) 15 ml olive oil 5ml crushed garlic 1 red onion, sliced 250 ml cream (I prefer 125 ml crème fraiche and 125 ml cream) One punnet of mushrooms, sliced Salt and ground black pepper … Continue reading →
As it was Friday again, we hit the road. This time we went to the beautiful Stellenbosch. When we drove into Stellenbosch, the thermometer immediately zoomed up to 44 ⁰C. It was hot! We planned on visiting the Italian restaurant, La Masseria, which has closed its doors more than a year ago in Eversdal. But sadly, the restaurant was not open for lunch. We then parked the car in town … Continue reading →
We are regular visitors to Quay Four and we have never had a bad experience visiting them. They were closed for a few months in 2014 due to renovations and re-opened again early December 2014. We decided not to go there during the December holidays, as we knew that it would be overcrowded. Two weeks into January 2015, we decided that the time has come to return to Quay Four, … Continue reading →
