The Sweet Service Award goes to Exclusive Books Café in the V & A Waterfront, and its barista Gugu Gumede. I was deciding between two books by the same author, and sat at one of the Café tables to do so. Gugu appeared with a dry cappuccino, perfectly made, without taking my order, remembering from a previous visit how I love my cappuccino. I only visit the Café infrequently, and have rarely had good service there in the past, making Gugu’s proactive service even more remarkable! I bought both books in the end! Continue reading →
Tag Archives: Exclusive Books
Eat Out Awards 2016 blooming slick, Gregory Czarnecki of Waterkloof Chef of Year!
At the 2016 Eat Out Awards, held yesterday in the Arena of GrandWest over a Gala Lunch prepared by some of our country’s top chefs, some winners were predictable, and others were a surprise. It was a slick event with a Garden theme, which led many to predict that La Colombe would be the Restaurant of the Year, given its Forest menu theme. Sadly it was not, The Test Kitchen (controversially) named Restaurant of the Year for the fifth time! Nine out of the Top 10 restaurants are from Cape Town and the Winelands (Cape Town 3, Franschhoek 3, Somerset West 2, Stellenbosch 1, and Gauteng 1) Continue reading →
Diana Ceramics ‘fires’ up SA restaurants to excellence!
On Thursday I attended a function in the Cape Town Harbour, and spontaneously called ceramicist Diana Ferreira, to ask her if I could visit her studio in Paarden Eiland close by. Diana is one of our country’s leading ceramicists, specializing in restaurant dinnerware. Continue reading →
Woolworths Sweet Service and Exclusive Books Café Sour Service Awards!
The Sweet Service Award goes to Woolworths Hout Bay and its Assistant Manager Eric. I had gone to the W Café in the store on Easter Monday, for a quick cappuccino and a scone. The waitress accepted my coffee order, but told me that they were out of scones and hot cross buns. I suggested that she get some from the Woolworths store, but she told me that they were not allowed to, despite a manager having previously done so. The W Café manager had gone home already. The waitress went to see Eric, who offered to pay for the scone. I contacted the Operations Manager Marcel to tell him about Eric’s kind offer. The scones were however sold out in the store, so they offered hot cross buns instead, and only charged me for the cappuccino, an amazing service recovery driven by Woolworths rather than W Café. Continue reading →