Tag Archives: Allesverloren

Restaurants with Christmas and New Year celebration sparkle in Cape Town and Winelands

The Festive Season is upon us.  We have received information about the following Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve packages offered by restaurants in Cape Town and in the Winelands, which we will update as we receive new information:

Christmas Eve dinner

*   Oasis Restaurant, Mount Nelson Hotel:   Christmas Eve buffet and jazz R 495, and R195 for children under 12 years.  Tel (021) 483-1000

*   La Vierge, Hermanus:  3-course meal R450. Tel (028) 313-2007

*   Tides Restaurant at Bay Hotel, Camps Bay : 4-course dinner and complimentary cocktail R 250.  Tel (021) 430-4444

*   33 Dine, Stellenbosch:   3-course dinner R 350.   Tel (021) 881-3792

*   Brio 1893, Adderley Street, Cape Town – eggnog on arrival, 3 courses R400.  Tel (021) 422-0654

*   Jordan Restaurant with George Jardine, Stellenbosch: glass of bubbly, canapés, and 6-course dinner R 500 without wine, R800 with wine.   Tel (021) 881-3441

Christmas Day lunch

*  Grande Provence, Franschhoek:  3-course Christmas lunch plus complimentary drink R 690 Tel (021) 876-8600

*   Oasis Restaurant at Mount Nelson Hotel: Christmas lunch buffet with jazz R 695, and R220 for children under 12 years.  Tel (021) 483-1000

*   Bistro Sixteen82 at Steenberg wine estate, Constantia:   5-course lunch R 425. Tel (021) 713 2211

*   Haute Cabriere, Franschhoek: 5 courses R 480.  tel (021) 876-3688

*   La Vierge, Hermanus:  3 course meal R 450. Tel (028) 313-2007

*   1800 Degree Grill Room, Cape Royale Luxury Hotel, Green Point: “world-class” 3-course lunch R450. Tel (021) 430-0500

*   Chenin Restaurant Wine Bar, Old Cape Quarter:  3 course lunch and glass of bubbly R300.  Tel (021) 425-2200

*   Tides Restaurant, Bay Hotel, Camps Bay:  Complimentary cocktail, Buffet and Bottle of wine, entertainment R 575

*  Allee Bleue, Franschhoek:   5-course lunch R250.  Tel (021) 874-1886

*   Five Flies, Keerom Street, Cape Town:  3-course lunch R275. Tel (021) 424-4442 

*   33 Dine, Stellenbosch:   3-course lunch R 399.  Tel (021) 881-3792

*   Bread & Wine, Franschhoek: lunch R385. Tel (21) 876-3692

*   Guinea Fowl Restaurant @ Saxenburg: 3 course meal R275.  Tel (021) 906-0489

*   La Mouette, Sea Point: 4 course lunch R350

*   Café Bon Bon, Franschhoek: canape, starter, buffet, desserts R475 and half price per child under 12 years

*   Rickety Bridge, Franschhoek: 3 course lunch R 295, R150 per child under 12.  Tel 083 377 4103

*   Blowfish, Blouberg: eggnogg on arrival, 4 course lunch R295. Tel (21) 556-5464

*   Jordan Restaurant with George Jardine, Stellenbosch:  4 course lunch R395. Tel (021) 881-3441

*   Olivello, Stellenbosch: Christmas lunch R 295/R175 per child.  tel (021) 875-5443

New Years’ Eve

*   Waterkloof Restaurant at Waterkloof wine estate, Somerset West:  R 450 for 4 courses, without wine, R590 with 4 glasses of wine added. Tel (021) 858-1292

*   Grande Provence, Franschhoek: 5-course New Year’s Eve dinner plus welcome drink and countdown Champagne R1490.  tel (021) 876-8600.

*   Oasis Restaurant at Mount Nelson Hotel:   New Year’s Eve Buffet and jazz R 350, and R 195 per child under 12 years.

*   Bhandaris Indian Restaurant: 3 course New Year dinner and dance R250. Tel (021) 702-2975

*   Pigalle, Green Point: 1920’s Spectacular 5-course dinner and band, R 1250.  Tel (021) 421-4848

*   Haute Cabriere, Franschhoek:  6 course meal R 550. Tel (021) 876-3688

*   Cafe Chic, Gardens, Cape Town:   5-course dinner, free glass of red or white wine, and DJ.  R 350. Tel (021) 465-7218.

*   Gold Restaurant, Gold Museum, Strand Street, Cape Town: 14 course dinner, welcome drink plus bubbly at midnight, live entertainment, marimba band R 600 + 10 % service fee.  Tel (021) 421-4653

*   1800 Degree Grill Room, Main Road, Green Point: 4 -course dinner R 450; or 4-course dinner and access to Sky Bar New Year’s party R750.  Tel (021) 430-0500.

*   Chenin Restaurant Wine Bar, Old Cape Quarter: 4 course meal, glass of bubbly and DJ R 500.  Tel (021) 425-2200 

*   Reuben’s Franschhoek:  6-course meal, and glass of sparkling wine on arrival, entertainment R 1200. Tel (021) 876-3772

*   Pierneef à La Motte, La Motte, Franschhoek:  5-course meal without wine R 650, with wine R950.  Tel (021) 876-8000

*   Five Flies, Keerom Street:  4-course dinner and glass of Pierre “Jordan” (sic) sparkling wine, DJ, R 800  Tel (021) 424-4442

*   Vanilla Restaurant, Cape Quarter:   3-course meal and glass of sparkling wine R595.  Tel (021) 421-1391

*   Tuscany Beach Restaurant, Camps Bay:   3-course meal R895.  tel (021) 438-1213

*   33 Dine, Stellenbosch: glass of sparkling wine on arrival, 3 courses R 299. Tel (021) 881-3792

*   221 Waterfront, V&A Waterfront; 5 course meal, DJ, glass of bubbly R 1450.  Tel (021) 418-3633

*   Brio 1893, Adderley Street, Cape Town: 3 course meal, band, oysters, caviar and bubbly R 1400. Tel (021) 422-0654

*   Paranga, Camps Bay: 5 courses, R 1200

*   Pepenero, Mouille Point:  4 courses and glass of bubbly  R600

*   La Mouette, Sea Point:  arrival cocktail, glass of midnight bubbly, 8 course meal R 650.

*   Boo Radley, city centre:  4 course dinner and party R 450 Tel (021) 424-3040

*   The Kove, Camps Bay:  5 courses R 1000.  

*   Monneaux, Franschhoek: 7 courses and drink and glass of bubbly R 695.  Tel (021) 876-3386

*   Rickety Bridge, Franschhoek: 4 course dinner R395. Tel 083 377 4103

*   Hussar Grill, Camps Bay Drive, Camps Bay: “Dinner and Dancing” R395 + 10 % service charge, no corkage.  tel (021) 438-0151.

*   Blowfish, Blouberg:   3 courses, including a Buffet, an oyster and a glass of bubbly, R 495 Tel (021) 556-5464

*   Beluga, Green Point:   5 course meal, cocktails R 900.   Tel (021) 418-2948

*   Blonde, Gardens:  5 course meal, bubbly, R900. Tel (021) 462-5793

*   Allesverloren, Riebeeck Kasteel: 3 course dinner and Masked Ball R 195. Tel 073 017 4402

*   Marika’s, Bakoven, Camps Bay:  Black and White theme party.  5-course dinner R 220.  tel (021) 438-2727.

*   Twankey Bar, Taj Hotel: cocktails, open bar for selected drinks, canapés and tapas, shooters, bubbly R750.   Tel (021) 819-2000

*   Myoga, Vineyard Hotel, Newlands: 9 course dinner R 985.  Tel (021) 657-4545

*   Vaudeville:  3 course meal, 2 bottles of spirits and mixers, minimum table of 8, R2200 per person. Tel (021) 419-7000

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com  Twitter @WhaleCottage

Bartho Eksteen puts Hermanus(pietersfontein) on the Diner’s Club wine map!

One of the most refreshing wine marketers in South Africa, and focusing predominantly on traditional marketing media, is Hermanuspietersfontein, a mouthful of a wine brand, and also the original name of the seaside town of Hermanus.   Now its winemaker Bartho Eksteen has been named the 2010 Diners’ Club Winemaker of the Year, joining such illustrious previous winemakers winning this honour as Pieter Ferreira of Graham Beck, Carl Schultz of Hartenberg, Günter Brözel of Nederburg, Marc Kent of Boekenhoutskloof, Sydney Back at Backsberg and Danie de Wet of Dewetshof.

Eksteen and his team are proudly-Afrikaans, choosing one of the longest wine brand names in the country(although abbreviated to HPF on some labels), in their choice of sub-brand names (Bloos for their Rosé, Swartskaap, Kleinboet and more), and in their advertising.  Leading their marketing is Gerrie Heyneke, an advertising veteran of The White House, Y&R Cape Town and DDB South Africa.  He is the CEO of grapefuel.co.za.   The winery is visible as a modern structure when one enters Hermanus, on the left,  and has made itself popular as the home to the Saturday morning food and wine market.  

Eksteen himself is a character, much like his wines, and his Die Bartho 2008 blend was awarded a 5-star 2011 Platter rating  for the first time last week. However, it is the 2009 Hermanuspietersfontein No.5 Sauvignon Blanc that won the Diner’s Club award, the wine produced for the first time exclusively from grapes of its own vineyards.   His prize is a SAA ticket to any wine-producing country in the world plus expenses. Eksteen was previously a winemaker at Wildekrans in Bot River, winning SA Champion Young Wine in 1996.  He launched the Bartho Eksteen label for his Sauvignon Blanc, and five years ago he became a partner in Hermanuspietersfontein Vineyards.

The Diner’s Club Winemaker of the Year was judged on Sauvignon Blanc submissions this year.   Chairman of the judging panel, Dave Hughes, said of the six finalist wines submitted: “There was not a single wine amongst them that was not deserving of praise.  Where they differed was in style” .  Every one of them was expressive of their location and, taken together, represented virtually the entire taste spectrum that can be produced locally. We tasted the typical cool-area grassy nose and sweet gooseberry fruit; lemons and limes on the nose with a ripe tropical fruit palate and citrus zing; dusty hedges and zippy acidity; exotically oaked with opulent sweet fruit; a tropical fruit salad; and West Coast green peppers, grass and green figs”.

At the awards evening last night, the 2010 Diners’ Club Young Winemaker of the Year was awarded to RJ Botha of Nitida in Durbanville, and went to the winery’s 2009 Calligraphy, a Bordeaux-style blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

To celebrate thirty years of the Diner’s Club Winemaker Awards, a commemorative pack of 12 wines made by past winners of the Award, including Rust en Vrede, Graham Beck, Allesverloren, Thelema and Bouchard Finlayson, has been made available via the Diner’s Club Wine Society.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com   Twitter: @WhaleCottage

April is Food Festival time in the Cape

Four food festivals in April will give food lovers something to look forward to, and will be a tourism boost to the towns in which the festivals will be taking place.   Unfortunately, some of the festivals overlap, but being longer than one day each, may still attract visitors to all events.

The South African Cheese Festival takes place over the long weekend (for those taking Monday 26 April off) from 24 – 27 April at Bien Donne, outside Franschhoek.  It offers Turophiles (cheese lovers) lots of cheese tasting, with artisan cheese makers displaying their special cheeses, as well as more standard supermarket ones at the Checkers Cheese Emporium.  Well-known entertainer Nataniel will be one of the celebrities doing a cooking demonstration, as will Soli Philander (Cape Talk), Beyers Truter (Beyerskloof), and food editors of women’s magazines.   Related products such as breads, pestos, wines, preserves and olives will also be sold.   The Festival is open from 10h00 – 18h00 daily, and the entrance fee is R 110 on the weekend days and R 90 on the week days.  Tickets must be bought at Computicket and Checkers, and are not available at the gate.  More information: www.cheesefestival.co.za

The Lamberts Bay Crayfish and Cultural Festival runs from 22 – 25 April, and offers crayfish at R 70, which includes salad, potatoes and a choice of two sauces.  Oysters will also be available at R 10 each.   Paella will be served at beach restaurant Muisbosskerm.  More than 100 stalls will be set up, and a new addition is the Music Festival, which includes performers such as Steve Hofmeyer, Thys die Bosveld Klong and DJ Ossewa, amongst others!   Ticket prices change per day of week, and range from R 40 – R 140.  More information: www.kreeffees.com

The Riebeek Valley Olive Festival takes place for the 10th year in Riebeek Kasteel and Riebeek West from 30 April – 2 May.   Olives are prepared and presented in numerous ways, to taste and to eat, as are the excellent wines, especially shiraz and ports (Allesverloren in particular), from the region.   No entry fee.  More information: www.riebeekvalley.info

The Prince Albert Olive Festival is only two days long, on 30 April and 1 May, and is a celebration in honour of the Prince Albert valley and what is produced from it, focusing on olives.  Entertainment is offered with the play “Dinner for one”, “antique” films will be screened, open gardens can be viewed, historical walks are offered, and a half marathon has been organised.   African Relish is offering a Cookery Course.  More information : www.patourism.co.za

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com