At the end of a recent trip to Plettenberg Bay, after a one-night stop in McGregor, my Parisian friend and I stopped for lunch and a wine taste at Nuy on the Hill, on the R62, between Robertson and Worcester, at the invitation of its Marketing Manager AC (Arthur Claude) Goodger. I have driven alongside it hundreds of times, on past trips to Plett and to Temenos in McGregor, but had never made a stop. We were impressed with the quality of the food and service, as well as the wines we tasted.
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Tag Archives: Dash Restaurant
Recession impacts on Cape Town and Winelands restaurant openings and closures!
The recession has taken its toll, and a number of restaurants have closed down. Interestingly, a number of chefs are moving too, an unusually high staff turnover, some of the movements due to the restaurant closures. It is noticeable that many restaurants which opened earlier this year have closed their doors already. Despite the recession, new restaurants have opened or are in the process of opening (we have previously listed restaurants which opened and closed earlier this year). We will update the list of restaurant openings/closures/changes regularly, and welcome contributions:
Cape Town
* F.east Indian Restaurant has opened on the corner Long and Bloem Streets, in Cape Town
* Bean There Fair Trade Coffee has opened on Wale Street, two doors down from Honest Chocolate
* What’s On Eatery on Watson Street has closed down
* Chef Christo Pretorius, previously of De Huguenot, has started as Sous Chef at 1800 Restaurant at the Cape Royale Luxury Hotel
* Wildflour has closed down on Regent Road in Sea Point.
* 221 Waterfront has closed down in the V&A Waterfront, and a ‘concept store’ McDonald’s is opening in its space
* Dash Restaurant at the Queen Victoria Hotel has lost its Chef Oliver Cattermole (now at Le Franschhoek Hotel), Manager Darren Morgan (now at the One&Only Cape Town), and F&B Manager Alton van Biljon. Executive Chef Stephen Templeton has also left for a position in the Caribbean.
* Harbour House has opened a branch in the V & A Waterfront (right), where Fisherman’s Choice was
* Café Extrablatt has opened where shu used to be, in Green Point
* Mezepoli from Johannesburg has opened in the Nando’s space in Camps Bay
* Goloso Italian Deli and Wine Bar has opened on Regent Road in Sea Point, near KOS
* Clarke’s Bar and Dining Room has opened, two doors away from Bird’s Café on Bree Street, as an American-style diner, owned by Lyndall Maunder, ex-Superette
* A late night dinner and dance restaurant will open in the ex-Brio space, with a chef from St Tropez, and a DJ from Cannes
* Chez Chez has opened as an Espresso and Cheesecake Bar (serving 13 different cheesecakes), 3 De Lorentz Street, Tamboerskloof.
* The Black Pearl is the new name of the Tapas, Restaurant and Cocktail Bar, with new owners, of the ex-Seven Sins on Kloof Street.
* Bistro on Rose has opened at 35 Rose Street
* Rhapsody’s franchise restaurant, mainly in Pretoria, has opened next door to Café Extrablatt in Green Point, where Doppio Zero used to be, with Exceutive Chef Claire Brown, previously with Ginja and Pierneef à La Motte
* Wale Rose Lifestyle has opened in Bo-Kaap, on the corner of Wale and Rose Street, serving Cape Malay as well as ‘cosmopolitan food’.
* Andy Fenner (JamieWho?) and friends have opened Frankie Fenner Meat Merchants in Metal Lane, 8 Kloof Street, opposite McDonald’s. They are stocking Farmer Angus McIntosh’s beef, Richard Bosman’s pork, and eggs and chicken from Simply Wholesome. A barista will make coffee, and Jason will bake special chorizo muffins and bacon brioche for them. Saturday markets in the parking area outside may be on the cards.
* Renamed Blues Beach House restaurant (right) in Camps Bay has re-opened, having been reduced in size by about half, and changed its menu to ‘beach food’*
* Chef Leigh Trout, ex- Mange Tout at the Mont Rochelle Hotel, has bought Bird Café and Gourmet Eatery on Bree Street, with Kevin Mink.
* Chef Jacques de Jager, has left Salt Restaurant, setting up a consultancy. Chef Daniel Botha from Le Franschhoek Hotel has taken over his job.
* Cocoa Oola has opened on Kloof Street, where Oishii used to be
* Sommelier Neil Grant, ex-sommelier of Rust en Vrede, is opening Burrata, a new Italian restaurant in the Old Biscuit Mill in mid-February
* Societi Brasserie has opened in Constantia
* Manna Epicure is now owned by Betsie van der Merwe from Johannesburg
* Luke Dale-Roberts, just crowned Eat Out Top Chef, has opened the Pot Luck Club, a Tapas Bar next to The Test Kitchen.
* Chef Scottie Henry is the new chef at Sinatra restaurant at the Pepper Club Hotel
* The Mussel Bar has opened on the Victoria Street level of the Bay Hotel in Camps Bay.
* Peter Tempelhoff of the McGrath Collection, and The Green House in the Cellars Hohenhort Hotel specifically, has been honoured with the title Grand Chef of Relais & Chateaux. He is the first Cape Town and only the third South African chef to receive this honour.
* The Bungalow has opened as a 400-seater restaurant where La Med used to be, part of the Kovensky Group, also owning Pepenero, Paranga, The Kove and Zenzero.
* Chef Brian Smit is now at Tides Restaurant at the Bay Hotel in Camps Bay, previously with Noisy Oyster in Paternoster
* La Belle Café & Bakery has opened in the Alphen Boutique Hotel.
* 5 Rooms Restaurant has opened at the Alphen Boutique Hotel
* Gypsy Café has opened in Observatory
* Kuzina in the Cape Quarter has been sold, and whilst still serving Greek food, it is now called Rocca.
* Sabrina’s has opened where Depasco was, at the corner of Kloof and Long Street
* Arts Café has opened at Artscape.
* Chef Craig Paterson has started as Executive Chef at Dash (Queen Victoria Hotel), the V&A Hotel, and Dock House
* Caveau at the Josephine Mill has closed down
* Café Sofia in Green Point has become Slainte
* Knead has opened a large outlet in Lifestyle on Kloof, Gardens
* Mitico has opened a pizzeria and ‘spaghetteria’ on Kloof Street, where St Elmo’s used to be
* Mamma Mia in Steenberg is closing down at the end of February
* Don Pedro’s in Woodstock will re-open on 14 February, under Madame Zingara management
* Madame Zingara is said to be re-opening in its original building on Loop Street
* Tong Lok on Kloof Street has closed down.
* Mason on Kloof Street has closed down
* Buzz on Kloof Street has closed down
* Black Pearl on Kloof Street has closed down
* Myög has opened as a frozen yoghurt outlet, at 103 Kloof Street
* Thai Café has opened in the Cape Quarter
* Bruce von Pressentin has been appointed as Executive Chef at The Restaurant@Longridge
* David Higgs has resigned as Executive Chef from Radisson Blu Gautrain in Johannesburg (previously with Rust en Vrede).
* Paulaner Bräuhaus in the V&A Waterfront is closing down on Sunday 19 February!
* The Fez is closing down.
Franschhoek
* The Olive Shack at Allora in Franschhoek has closed its restaurant operation, and will only operate as a shop selling olive-related products.
* Leopard’s Leap has opened its Tasting room and Liam Tomlin Food Studio and Store outside Franschhoek
* 
The Kitchen and The Tasting Room has opened on Maison wine estate in Franschhoek, with Chef Arno Janse van Rensburg (ex Ginja, Myoga), and Manager Julian Smith (ex Azure, Grande Provence, Waterkloof, Pierneef a La Motte) (left)
* Haute Cabriere Cellar Restaurant has re-opened with new decor, and new chef Ryan Shell.
* Reuben’s is opening a Franschhoek branch in nhis self-owned building off the main road, and will run it concurrently until its Huguenot Road branch lease expires next year
* Franschhoek Famous Pancake House, with owner Gideon, has re-opened as a take-away pancake outlet, in Mont View Centre, next to the gym, in Fabriek Street, Franschhoek.
* Batho’s Place African Restaurant has opened in the township in Franschhoek. 082 090 8660
* Chef Oliver Cattermole, previously with Dash and What’s On Eatery, has started as Executive Chef at Le Franschhoek Hotel.
* Dieu Donné in Franschhoek has leased its restaurant to Martin and Marco from Durban, and they have renamed it Roca. Chef Jo van Staden has returned to Durban with her husband, Chef Gerard van Staden, who has returned to the Beverley Hills Hotel, after a short stint at the Pepper Club Hotel’s Sinatra restaurant.
* Chef Chris Smit of Café BonBon has resigned
* Café Le Chocolatier has opened a chocolate manufacturing and demo outlet Le Chocolatier Factory, next to its restaurant, in Franschhoek
* Bijoux Chocolates has opened on Huguenot Road in Franschhoek.
* Terbodore Coffee Roasters have opened a coffee roastery and coffee shop, at Goederust, outside Franschhoek
* The sushi restaurant has closed down
* MCC Franschhoek has opened in the Village Square, opposite the church, stocking 34 MCC’s from Franschhoek and serving food as well
* Judy Sendzul has sold her share in The Salmon Bar to Gregory Stubbs of Three Streams trout farm
* Babel Tea House has opened at Babylonstoren, serving sandwiches, cake and teas.
* Donovan Dreyer from Grande Provence has resigned and starts as Restaurant manager of Indochine at Delaire Graff on 6 January. Aldo du Plessis has taken over as Restaurant Manager at Grande Provence.
* Mon Plaisir Restaurant has moved next door to the Chamonix tasting room
Stellenbosch
* De Huguenot Restaurant and Harry Q Bar have closed. The De Huguenot Estate will concentrate on weddings and events only.
* Cavallo restaurant is said to open on the stud farm on R44, between Stellenbosch and Somerset West, in 2012 or 2013
* Chef Anri Diener has left Majeka House, and Chef Tanja Kruger from De Huguenot Restaurant has taken over her position
* Vanessa Quellec has joined Wild Peacock Food Emporium, to promote their Valrhona Chocolates
* The owners of Sweet have returned to Sweden, and Dimitri has bought it and renamed it Dimi’s.
* Manager Chris Oliver and Chef Marissa Chandansing of Johan’s@Longridge have left, and will start a new restaurant, details as yet undisclosed
* Casparus will close between 24 December and 9 January
* Laurille and Lynne from Olivello Restaurant on Marianne wine estate outside Stellenbosch are handing over the ownership of the restaurant to Alex and Jane Bradbeck on 23 January.
* Cupcake on Dorp Street has closed down, and Dorpstraat Deli opens at the end of February
* De Oude Bank Bakkerij has opened a bar, serving Bartinney wines, and craft beers.
Paarl
* Chef Matthew Gordon has opened Harvest, a new restaurant at Laborie
* Peaches and Cream on the Main Road in Paarl has been taken over by Anica Bester
* The Spice Route Restaurant has opened on the ex-Seidelberg, now belonging to Fairview.
Somerset West
* Events manager Mandy Smith and Restaurant Manager Allan Ware have been retrenched at Waterkloof
Hermanus/Overberg
* Mediterrea in Hermanus has changed its name to Grilleri
* Patron Chef Stefan Louw has taken over the running of Heaven on Newton Johnson wine estate in the Hemel en Aarde wine valley.
* Ex-Hermanos chef/owner Wayne Spencer is now at Burgundy in Hermanus
* Simone’s Restaurant has opened in Napier
* Tipples Bar and Grill has opened in Hermanus
* Rivendell Estate and Bistro has opened as a restaurant and winetasting venue on the road between Hermanus and the N2, near the Kleinmond turn-off.
Garden Route
* Katarina’s has opened at the Kurland Hotel.
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter:@WhaleCottage
Hotel Review: Queen Victoria Hotel chic and classy – fit for a Queen!
The Queen Victoria Hotel, which opened about a month ago in the business section of the V&A Waterfront, is a chic and classy addition to the accommodation collection in Cape Town, and is a unique tribute to Queen Victoria, after whom the V&A Waterfront is named, with her son Alfred. I felt like a queen for the stay with the royal treatment we received, it co-inciding with Mother’s Day.
A Google search led me to a review of a biography of Queen Victoria, and I learnt from it that Queen Victoria ascended to the throne in 1837 at the tender age of 18, and was a short (“less than 5 feet tall”) and feisty lady, who took to wearing “black robes with white caps and veils” after the death of her husband Prince Albert. These two colours, to which Newmark Hotels’ consultant interior designer Francois du Plessis has added a modern silver and grey, and regal shades of lilac/purple, create the stylish interior of the hotel, developed out of the original office building of the V&A Waterfront management company by architect Tarryn Cohen of Peerutin Architects. It is hidden to the Waterfront visitor, and that adds to its charm in not being in the midst of the V&A hustle and bustle.
One is greeted at the dramatic black marble entrance by a doorman, and the reception desks are immediately visible at the entrance. We were welcomed by GM Bobby Pringle (ex-Oyster Box), who was the Duty Manager for the day, and we were impressed to be taken to our room by him personally. He was meticulous in showing us the room directory, the tea/coffee facilities, the mini-bar, the bathroom amenities, telling us what one could take home, and the free internet service. The comfortably-sized rooms (40 – 50 sq. m) have grey walls, discreet white bedding, a lilac couch, a silver headboard to the comfortable bed, beautiful silver raw silk curtains, a crystal chandelier, and black furniture, while the bathroom is in black and white, with touches of silver and grey, and quality linen bathrobes are hung here. There are three showers in the bathroom, one over the bath and two in the shower, the hand-held one having a wonderful strong flow. A large drawing of Queen Victoria is in every room, a clever way of communicating the hotel brand name. Being new, everything in the room was in perfect working order. The rooms have double-glazed doors to ensure that the minimal Waterfront sound is heard in the room. A nice turn-down touch was the colour-matched black macaroons with white filling, placed next to the beds, continuing the colour theme.
The triple-volume entrance hall is dominated by the regal purple carpet, a modern glass lift, a beautiful curved stairway made from Corian, with marble steps, and a 30 year old bonsai imported from Japan. It leads one to the bar and lounge area, where a homely gas fire is lit on chilly nights, and from which one can see Dash restaurant, which serves the best meals in Cape Town. The bathrooms near the bar are done in black with silver basins, one of the nicest I have seen.
Neil Markovitz, Managing Director and hands-on driving force of Newmark Hotels, is proud of his new 35-room addition to his hotel portfolio, developed at a cost of R53 million, and he has cleverly appointed Alton van Biljon (ex-Balducci) as the Food & Beverage Manager for all three his Waterfront properties (Dock House and V&A Hotel too), as well as Executive Chef Stephen Templeton. Both are charming assets to his business, as is the creative and talented chef Oliver Cattermole. The lounge/bar at the Queen Victoria Hotel is the type of place one can pop in for a coffee, and the staff already know about my preference for frothy cappuccinos. Outside of lunch and dinner times one can order from a 24-hour menu, which is available to the hotel guests, whether one is staying over or not.
Breakfast is served in Dash, and was a most beautiful display on a striking silver table, of fresh fruit, citrus fruit compote, berry compote, breads, salmon with capers and lemon, cold meats, cheeses, three cereals, three yoghurts, a beautiful stand with pre-made cereals, and yoghurt and custard treats, nuts, croissants and more. In addition, an a la Carte menu is available, with interesting names of cooked dishes which relate to the Newmark Hotel properties: Royal Breakfast is salmon on a bagel; Dock House is bacon, mushroom and scrambled egg; V&A is fried egg, bacon, sausage, potato and onion rosti, and baked beans; Nautilus is poached haddock and kipper, served with poached quail eggs; Forum is a vegetarian Eggs Benedict, made from duck eggs, with
creamed spinach and a herb hollandaise sauce, served on an English muffin, which we had, on the recommendation of Restaurant Manager Darren; Cape Breakfast is an omelette with a range of filling choices; and Waterfront is bacon served with raisin toast, warm maple syrup and crême fraiche. Breakfast costs R250 for hot and cold breakfast, and R 135 for the Continental only, if one is not staying at the hotel.
Parking is available inside the Waterfront business area. Anything one may need, that the hotel may not have, can be sourced from one of the two other Newmark Hotels’ properties in the Waterfront – for example, I wanted firmer pillows, and these were made available from the V&A Hotel. The hotel check-in form gave me a fright, when I saw seven clauses in literal fine print, written in heavy legalese, which would no longer be acceptable in terms of the Consumer Protection Act. I panicked when I was asked by the receptionist to hand over my credit card for a R500 pre-authorisation for ‘incidentals’. I wasn’t planning on having any extras, was staying for one night only, and paid for my dinner at Dash immediately, so this request was waived. I was staying at the hotel on a complimentary basis, having attended an invited media lunch at the V&A Hotel OYO restaurant last summer, and all guests were given a voucher for a one night stay at the Queen Victoria Hotel. I was impressed with a feedback card which was placed in the room, signed by Markovitz and which one posts to him, providing feedback on Reception and Porterage, Room appointment and Housekeeping, the Restaurant, Bar and Room Service, and the Spa and Gym facilities (one goes to Dock House for these).
I feel at home at the Queen Victoria Hotel, being a frequent visitor to its lounge already, and am made to feel very special every time I am there. I predict Dash will become an Eat Out Top 10 restaurant in 2012. The hotel is offering a winter and opening rate until 31 July, at R1875 per room, including English breakfast, an amazing price when one sees that many other 5-star Waterfront and Cape Town hotels charge more than double this rate.
Queen Victoria Hotel, Portswood Close, Portswood Ridge, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town. Tel (021) 418-1466. www.queenvictoriahotel.co.za
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter:@WhaleCottage
Salt Deli Sweet & Robben Island Sour Service Awards
The Sweet Service Award goes to Henk at Salt Deli, for taking the initiative in bringing a milk jug of extra foam with the foamy cappuccino I had ordered from him. He has never served me before. This nice touch was replicated a few days later at the new Dash restaurant at the Queen Victoria Hotel in the V&A Waterfront.
The Sour Service Award goes to the Robben Island ferry service and its poor management. After frequent mechanical breakdowns of the new ferry in the past few years, the staff of the service went on a go-slow last week, demanding the suspension of the services of their Human Resources Manager Lesiba Ramoroka. This has affected tourists wishing to visit this popular tourist site, as the three hour visit to Robben Island took 4 – 5 hours as a result, and some of the trips were cancelled. Cape Town Tourism CEO Mariette du Toit-Helmbold has described the Robben Island problems as ’embarrassing’ for tourism in Cape Town, and the industry is calling for an independent commercial operator to take over the running of this service.
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 info@whalecottage.com. Past winners of the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be read on the Friday posts of this blog, and in the WhaleTales newsletters on the www.whalecottage.com website.