Freedom Day is celebrated today with Restaurants on Regent Road going out onto the street, bringing their cuisine and beverages outside on a perfect weather day

An initiative of the City of Cape Town to get Capetonians back to the city, it follows similar previous events organised by the City on Bree Street and Long Street.

My friend Gary Peterson joined me on a walk along Regent Road, from Piazza da Luz up to Church Road, and back.  It was a wonderful opportunity to window shop, to shop for food as well as for clothing and other items sold by shopkeepers on the Festival strip.

Even better was bumping  into friends along the way, like Gary’s friend Bary, Renate Flint and Theresa Kallie, George Sax, my hairdresser Isabella Morgan, and Franklin Stern and his Camino walking maestro Pam, embarking on her 13th Camino in August.

Gary and I started our walk with a tea and coffee as well as Greek biscuits at Kanele Café, a new coffee shop on Regent Road, with a side hatch to order from and a dedicated front room with seating,  in the building which also houses The Greek Fisherman Restaurant.

We became hungry from our walking and chatting along the way, so we tried our luck in trying to get a table at the new Mexican restaurant Una Mas (meaning Just one more), and we were lucky that Sean Biden found us a table inside. We had an efficient and friendly waitress looking after us, only the bill taking some time. Gary and I shared tortillas with guacamole which contained Pomegranate pips and bits of corn, followed by the best tasting and most beautifully presented  Churros with thick chocolate sauce and a hint of Cayenne pepper. Not only the food was wonderful, but the music played was fabulous, wanting to get up and dance!

I tried to do a summary of all the restaurants that are participating in the Regent Road Restaurant Street Festival, it being the restaurants that have pavement frontage, counting 20 in total. It was not logistically practical for restaurants in Piazza da Luz (such as Zest), and in The Point Centre (such as NV-80) to participate:

#  Delicious Fish

#   Kleinsky’s

#   Mischu

#   Moro Gelato

#   Lexi’s (Photograph)

#   Jarryd’s

#.  Mykonos Taverna

#.  Kanele Café

#.  The Greek Fisherman

#   Bokeh Creative

#.  Regent Road Burger Bar

#.  Una Mas

#.  Three Wise Monkeys

#.  Sundoo

#.  My Sugar

#.  Vagabond

#.  Bootlegger

#.  Latitude Café

#   KAMA Sushi and Chinese

#   Brad’s Grill

It is an excellent initiative of the City of Cape Town, supported by Councillor Nicola Jowell, and a fantastic success in terms of resident support and restaurant participation. The 24C weather, the public holiday, and the live music set up along Regent Road all contributed to the buzz. Congratulations to all the organisers and participants, a lovely way to celebrate Freedom Day.

 

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.whaletalesblog.com www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide