Tag Archives: Fairview

Restaurants offering Sit-Down service in Cape Town and Winelands in Lockdown Level 3: a First List!

 

On Monday restaurants were allowed to reopen for Sit-Down Service, after having only been allowed to offer a Food Delivery service from May, and a Food and Alcohol Delivery and Collection Service from June onwards.

I have been requested to prepare a list of Restaurants offering a Sit-Down Service, in addition to the Facebook Group which I created of Restaurants offering Food and Alcohol Delivery and Collection. The majority of restaurants offering a Sit-Down service will continue offering a Food and Alcohol Delivery and/or Collection Service.  Continue reading →

40th edition of Platter’s by Diners Club International 2020 South African Wine Guide launched, with a record of 125 5-star wines!

On Friday evening I attended the launch of the 40th edition of the Diners Club International 2020 South African Wine Guide, at the Table Bay Hotel in the Waterfront, an event that is pretty much the same in format every year, yet was different this year, in the interest of making the event shorter.   

More than 8000 wines from more than 900 producers were rated for the 2020 Platter’s Wine Guide edition. Of the 125 5-star wines awarded, 26 went to Chenin Blanc brands, 18 to Shiraz/Syrah, and 11 to Chardonnay brands. 

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#JAN launches on Via DStv channel 147 this evening, showcases SA Chef Jan-Hendrik Michelin star restaurant in Nice, Best South African restaurant in the world!

At 19h30 this evening ‘JAN’ will be launched on via, on Channel 147 on DStv, a series of nine hour-long episodes kicking off tonight. It celebrates JAN restaurant in Nice, which has been awarded one Michelin star for two years running, and its co-owner Chef Jan-Hendrik van der Westhuizen. I have had the pleasure of eating at Chef Jan-Hendrik’s JAN restaurant three times in the past three years, the most Proudly South African restaurant in the world, and deserving of the highest Eat Out accolade in the 2017 Top 10 Restaurant Awards. Excellent news is that Chef Jan-Hendrik is missing South Africa, and has very gently hinted that he will be setting up a JAN restaurant in the Cape!  Continue reading →

The Yard opens in Waterfront’s Silo District as multi-cultural cuisine Lifestyle Restaurant, Bar, Deli, and Homeware outlet!

The new The Yard in the Silo District of the V&A Waterfront opened last week, as a multi-cultural cuisine restaurant, but also offering a bar, a homeware shop, and a Deli. It is the most unique restaurant I have experienced, in its diverse food offering. Continue reading →

Cape Town’s smallest steakhouse Rare Grill named 2017 Wolftrap Steakhouse Championship winner!


On Tuesday evening I had the honour of experiencing Rare Grill, which was named 2017 The Wolftrap Steakhouse Championship winner, the first time in the five year history of the Championships that a Cape Town steakhouse has won the award. What makes this Award so amazing is that the Rare Grill only opened in Kenilworth nine months ago, and only seats 26 patrons! Continue reading →

Dalewood Fromage Huguenot wins 2016 SA Dairy Product of the Year!

imageFor the first time I was invited to assist in the judging of the 2016 SA Dairy Championships, 72 judges evaluating 895 dairy products entered by 85 producers, both record numbers. A total of 23 products received a Qualité Award, and one of these was named as the South African Dairy Product of the Year 2016, namely Dalewood Fromage Huguenot 12 months matured. Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 26 May

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   Label design can make an important impact on the purchase of a bottle of wine, argues the Wall Street Journal, as can a comedy play on wine brand names for ‘much cheaper wines‘, mentioning Fairview’s Goats do Roam, based on Côtes du Rhône!

*   The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français has dropped to 88th spot on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, the 51 – 100 ranking having been released today, ahead of the Gala awards function on 1 June.

*   Nederburg winemaker for the past 15 years, Razvan Macici, is to take on the role of Distell’s head winemaker as of 1 July, a new position, to oversee the style and quality of the company’s total wine portfolio, driving innovation, and acting as the ambassador Continue reading →

Bertus Basson at Spice Route : a modern South African restaurant!

Bertus Basson at SR Interior doilies Whale CottageI received a personal invitation from Chef Bertus Basson to join him for lunch at his new Bertus Basson at Spice Route restaurant, which opened on the Paarl wine farm 6 weeks ago. He and his charming wife Mareli managed to re-invent the restaurant within five days from taking over the space, modernising it to reflect their promise of ‘A Modern South African Restaurant’, both in terms of its decor and its food offeringBertus Basson at SR Bertus Whale Cottage.

A lot has changed at Spice Route, my last visit having been when Charles Back had taken over the wine estate, previously called Seidelberg, next door to his Fairview.  I didn’t have time to see all the artisan businesses which have opened at Spice Route since Back took over, but they include a Richard Bosman charcuterie outlet, with tastings at R30 (a bit cheeky I thought), a wine tasting centre, and Cape Brewing Co, about which I Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 10 February

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   The Los Angeles Times recommends the One&Only Cape Town as one of ‘Five fabulous, flirty retreats for Valentine’s Day’.   It describes Cape Town as the ‘…continent’s hottest happening city, and One & Only is the place to be for luxurious lodging‘, with three restaurants, including Nobu, the Neo boutique selling ‘South Africa’s hippest designer fashions‘, and an award-winning spa.  It recommends eating at The Test Kitchen, Kalk Bay, Robben Island, and an art tour with gallery owner João Ferreira.

*  It is rare to be able to read a story by UK wine journalist and judge Jancis Robinson without subscribing to her website or to that of the Financial Times. However she has graciously shared details of her trip to the North West Cape, in the Olifants River area, where they viewed 40 – Continue reading →