The Sweet Service Award goes to Babylonstoren, for its very efficient delivery service. Driving all the way from Franschhoek, the delivery is free, an estimated delivery time is communicated on the morning of the delivery date, the driver usually arrives ahead of this time (under promise, over deliver), and the drivers are friendly and professional.
The Sour Service Award goes to SANTACO Taxi Association, for its calling of a six day strike of its Taxi members in Cape Town and the rest of the Western Cape province. The Association is using the strike as a means of protesting against what it refers to the unfair impoundment of its members’ taxis by the City of Cape Town. The City and its Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis is taking a hard line against the taxis breaking road and driving City by-laws. Not only is every taxi driver not earning an income in the week ahead, but so too is every employed member of staff who cannot get to their jobs via taxi in this period.
The WhaleTales Sweet & Sour Service Awards are presented every Friday on the WhaleTales blog. Nominations for the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be sent to Chris von Ulmenstein at chrisvonulmenstein [at] gmail.com. Past winners of the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be read on the Friday posts of this blog.
Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323
Twitter:@Ulmenstein
Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide, WhaleTales Blog, Camps Bay Clean
Taxi violence in the city centre this afternoon led to the City of Cape Town issuing the following media statement:
‘CITY OF CAPE TOWN
1 AUGUST 2023
MEDIA RELEASE
City urging minibus-taxi industry to refrain from violence, disruptions
The City of Cape Town notes the intention from SANTACO in the Western Cape about the implementation of possible stay-away action later this week or early next week. Unfortunately, minibus-taxi operators this afternoon already blocked roads around the Station Deck minibus-taxi facility, preventing MyCiTi buses and other vehicles from exiting the central business district via Nelson Mandela Boulevard and the N2 highway. Law Enforcement is currently on the scene. The City wants to issue a stern warning ahead of this potential strike by the minibus-taxi industry in Cape Town to refrain from violence, attacks on other public transport operators, intimidation, and traffic disruptions. Read more below:
‘We know from hard learnt experience that strike action is often marked by intimidation of non-striking public transport operators, threats, violence and destruction of public and private property. We respect the right to peaceful protest and strike action, however, I want to make it very clear that the City will not tolerate any thuggish behaviour. We will hold SANTACO accountable for any losses and damages. The general public has equal right to get to work to earn a living and provide for their families. I am calling on all working within the minibus-taxi industry to please remain calm, and for SANTACO to resume efforts of constructive engagement soonest,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas.
SANTACO withdrew from engagements with the City and the Western Cape Government (WCG) last week.
‘The City and the WCG sent a joint letter to SANTACO with proposals to address some of their concerns, among which the impoundment of vehicles that are operating illegally without operating licences, or contrary to their licence conditions. I urge SANTACO to return to the negotiations so that we can resolve these issues in a peaceful manner, in the interest of all operators, the industry in general, those employed by the industry, and most importantly, the thousands of commuters who rely on minibus-taxis to get to and from work,’ said Councillor Quintas.
If need be, the City will apply for an interdict to protect human lives and public and private property.
The illegal blockade in the CBD during the peak hour period this afternoon is an indication that should the strike go ahead, it may have an impact on the MyCiTi N2 Express routes between the Civic Centre MyCiTi station and Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha in particular, and to a lesser degree on other routes operating across Cape Town.
The City will make operational decisions in the interest of the safety and security of commuters and employees. We will closely monitor routes and Law Enforcement will conduct regular patrols.
As a precautionary measure, MyCiTi commuters and those relying on the minibus-taxi industry for commuting are advised to anticipate delays in coming days, and to plan accordingly.
We will keep the public informed as best we can in coming days.
End
Issued by: Media Office, City of Cape Town
Media enquiries: Councillor Rob Quintas, the City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Tel: 021 400 7197 or Cell: 082 042 3502, Email: Roberto.Quintas@capetown.gov.za (please always copy media.account@capetown.gov.za)’
On Sunday I had the pleasure of attending the Sunday Buffet Lunch of What I Ate at Ate, created and curated by my friend and chef, cook and connoisseur Tania Olivier. A new business for Tania,she passionately presents quintessential South African dishes locals remember with nostalgia, and visitors to our city can experience in the cosyness of her home on Kloof Street.
Tania Olivier
Tania grew up in Paarl, in an Afrikaans home, and was inspired to cook by her mother Helene, who used the South African Bible of cooking: Kook en Geniet. Many of the recipes of Tania’s dishes come from the cook book. She has also researched South African cuisine extensively, including C Louis Leipoldt, one of the first persons to document South African cuisine, dating as far back as the early 20th century. He was a poet, a doctor, reporter, and food expert. During the meal Tania shares stories about our local cuisine and her specific dishes.
The invitation is for 12h00, and one is offered potato and beef or chicken samoosas with a glass of wine on arrival. Seated at a long table of ten on Sunday, yet able to seat up to 16 guests in her open-plan lounge, office and kitchen, one randomly chooses a seat, and enjoys getting to know the persons on one’s right and left. An unexpected guest arrived last minute, and he shared his fascinating food business story with me. A lovely couple from Stellenbosch sat opposite me, and we had lively discussions about beach cleaning, the Barbie movie as well as Oppenheimer, the short term accommodation business, and developments at La Motte in Franschhoek.
Tania welcomed her guests, and explained the starters to us. Her Pickled fish made with yellowtail was sweeter and less curry-tasting she said. The dish was flavoured with Indian curry and to it was added roasted nuts, thinly sliced red pepper, and it was plated on a bed of rocket. It was finished off with a sauce and yoghurt, and topped with a black sesame seed dressing. It was a beautifully presented dish, on a large platter, almost looking like a salad. Being such a cold day, her mushroom soup made with mushrooms and cream and a hint of truffle oil, served in Le Creuset mugs, was a perfect start to the meal.
Pickled fish
Tania and her assistant chef Trust quietly work in the background, finalising the main courses, and the conversation at our end of the table got going very quickly. Tania wants to tell the South African food story, and Chef Trust will add a Xhosa dimension to it, he having prepared an oxtail dish for the main course.
The main course was an indulgent feast, its star attraction being the roast leg of lamb, accompanied by some vegetables, cooked as is and unseasoned, she said. She added thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper later, and had cooked carrot and onions in the lamb sauce. The lamb was sourced from the Karoo, a winner lamb region in a chefs cook-off, comparing lamb from various parts of our province.
Roast Leg of Lamb
Bobotie is the most typical South African dish, and served in numerous South African households, with its origin being the slaves brought to Cape Town from Malaysia and Indonesia in the late 17th Century. Tania had generously made two versions of the dish, one more fruity with lamb and apricots, and another with beef, wanting us to detect the difference. They were served with white rice. In addition, she offered the most beautiful looking beetroot popsicle dish, looking like small toffee apples, with baby beets dipped in saffron and cinnamon-infused beetroot candy on a skewer. It’s simplicity of presentation in a white bowl with a few red splashes looked like a modern art work. If that wasn’t enough food, she offered a huge lettuce, avocado and parmigiana salad, as well as a roast cherry tomato and feta salad. Roast potatoes as well as mash, and the oxtail cooked in an African style in a tomato sauce finished off this amazing feast.
Beetroot popsicles
As if we had not eaten enough already, we were served three desserts:
*. One of the best known traditional desserts is Malva pudding, a South African speciality with Dutch roots. It contains apricot jam or preserves. It is drenched with a sauce or syrup. Its name comes from the original use of Malvasia wine in its preparation. ‘Malva’ is the Afrikaans word for marshmallow, and the textures are similar. It was served warm, with custard.
*. Another beloved South African dessert and cake is melktert, made with a homemade shortcrust pastry, its filling being a creamy, cardamom and cinnamon custard, topped with a hint of cumin and lots of cinnamon.
Melktert
*. A dessert I had not heard of before but was made in Tania’s parents’ home was Japie se Gunsteling (Japie’s favorite) , a baked orange pudding, containing lemon and orange juice, and served with freshly whipped cream.
Japie de Gunsteling
A choice of tea or coffee was offered with the desserts, and brought a wonderful Sunday Lunch to a close.
Dining for ten
Footnote: On Tuesday I guided Swiss tourist Melvin and he asked me about a restaurant at which he could eat traditional South African dishes. I thought of Biesmiellah in Bo-Kaap, but have not been impressed with its service nor pricing. Another restaurant servicing Bobotie is closed for a winter break. I thought of Tania, and called her, asking if she had any Bobotie left over from the Sunday Lunch. She said that she had, and 45 minutes later we arrived to a table laid for two, and spoilt with Bobotie and rice, left-over lamb roast, oxtail in a tomato sauce, and a dessert of Japie se Gunsteling, with espresso for me and Stokkies Rooibos for Melvin. Melvin was impressed with the dishes he tried and the amount of South African cuisine information which Tania shared with him.
What I Ate at Ate, Tania Olivier, Cell 060 529 9891. R700 per head
Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323
Twitter:@Ulmenstein
Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide, WhaleTales Blog
Yesterday world tennis history was made when 20 year old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz won the Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final against Serbian Novak Djokovic in a close to five hour long battle.
I don’t know much about Tennis, but when I saw a Social Media post of the Camps Bay Social Club that it would be screening the Men’s Single Final, I spontaneously booked a table. And what a great vibe it was in the restaurant, with the sentiment strongly in support for Alcaraz.
The Sweet Service Award goes to Woolworths Dash, the delivery service offered by Woolworths. It is similar to Checkers’ Sixty60 in promising delivery within an hour of placing the order. I placed two Dash orders in the past week, using the service for the first time, and all the products ordered were delivered, with no out-of-stocks. Ice cream ordered arrived frozen, not the case with a recent Babylonstoren ice cream delivery. The admin process of placing the order was super easy, a maximum of 30 items allowed. And the delivery took place within less than an hour of the order being placed. It will be my new Woolworths shopping method, another advantage I bring that it is delivered to my front door.
Yesterday we reported that South Africa was named by The Telegraph as the 2023 World’s Best Holiday Destination. Now it has been revealed that the UK publication has named Cape Town as The Greatest City on Earth’.
A total of about 27000 The Telegraph readers participated in the survey. The 2023 Top 10 Cities in the World are the following:
1. Cape Town
2. Venice
3. Seville
4. Vancouver
5. Rome
6. Florence
7. Rio de Janeiro
8. Sydney
9. Kyoto
10. Dubrovnik
Cape Town is described as ‘a remarkable city gleaming at the continent’s edge’. It is praised for its location at the foot of Table Mountain, its beaches, the scenery of the Cape Peninsula, and the nearby Winelands and wine regions. The favourable exchange rate, the quality restaurants and hotels, and its long summer days are further Cape Town assets.
Cape Town has topped the Greatest City in the World list in the past ten years, excluding 2020 and 2021 due to Covid.
Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323
Twitter:@Ulmenstein
Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide