One of the shock decisions by the Government during the State of Disaster during the Corona Virus Lockdown has been to make it illegal to export South African wines, and to transport wines from wine estates to the ports, just nine days after exports were allowed, and despite the export of fresh fruit and other agricultural products being allowed. The export wine ban means a loss of R200 million per week to the wine industry, says industry body VinPro. Continue reading →
A record 111 South African wines received a coveted 2018 Platter’s Guide five-star rating at the Awards ceremony held at the Table Bay Hotel tonight. Raats Family Wines was named as the 2018 Winery of the Year. Continue reading →
Whilst I spent a week in McGregor earlier this month, I visited Robertson for part of a day, shopping with friends, but also enjoying lunch at the recently opened Four Cousins restaurant owned by Van Loveren, at the entrance to the town on the Worcester side. I was impressed with the quality of the food and vast selection of dishes offered on the menu. Continue reading →
Last week I was invited to try Little Saint restaurant on Upper Bree Street, in the semi-detached section of Cape Town’s top trendy restaurant street. I was pleasantly surprised to find the first working herb ‘garden’ inside a restaurant. Continue reading →
Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* German competition authorities have reacted strongly against Booking.com, which prohibits accommodation establishments from offering better rates to clients booking with them directly relative to the rate they charge via Booking.com. Action is also being taken against a similar booking site Expedia.com
* The contribution of Tourism to the economy nationally has remained at 2,9% in both 2012 and 2013, reaching a total of R104 billion. Just more than half of the spend was Continue reading →
What a fun birthday party Jenny Morris laid on at the new location of the V & A Waterfront branch of Cape Town Fish Market, on the business side of the Waterfront, where Paulaner and Moyo used to be. The restaurant has created The West Coast Village, complete with sea sand, replicating a Strandloper-type restaurant, but just done better!
The Cape Town Fish Market space is massive, and can seat up to 600 patrons in
total, on a green artificial lawn outside, and inside too, a retractable roof allowing the restaurant patrons to sit under the stars if the weather allows it. A minimum of 20 guests must book the West Coast Village, so that the food for this special menu can be prepped in advance. We were seated at long tables, with Jenny’s friends, most sitting at tables set on the beach sand. It is difficult to walk on it, and Jenny’s instruction to bring flat shoes was understandable in retrospect. At the side of The West Coast Village area is a dedicated fireplace, at Continue reading →