I was aware of a new Nomad restaurant opening in Cape Town via Social Media, confusing it with the one which I knew was opening in Stellenbosch. The two new Nomad restaurants are unrelated, the Stellenbosch one having opened in March. At the end of April Nomad Fusion Bistro opened on Waterkant Street in Cape Town. Continue reading →
Tag Archives: Flammkuchen
Restaurant Review: Craft Bakery and Craft Wheat & Hops in Stellenbosch chalk and cheese in service!
I had heard that Craft had opened in the space from which Apprentice operated for a number of years earlier this year, having been a ‘test kitchen’ for the students of Letetia Prinsloo’s Institute of Culinary Arts. An unfortunate association with Le Chocolatier owner Daniel Waldis led to the closure of the restaurant. In its place is a dual restaurant and bar, separated only by a bar counter, but the difference in attitude of the two managers is massive. The two Crafts are owned by Francois Jooste, who also owns Java and Apres Bistro, all close to each other in a tourist rich area of Stellenbosch.
I visited on Monday, entering on the left, at Craft Wheat & Hops, which I did not immediately associate with a bar specialising in beers. Once one
enters, it is very clear what it serves, with 16 beers on tap offered, and a similar number of beers displayed on shelves. I recognised the voice of the friendly lady behind the counter, and she reminded me that she was the Chef and Manager of The Stall in Franschhoek when it first opened eighteen months ago. Marilie van Niekerk left when she had her baby. She made a menu available for me immediately, without having to ask for it, it being such a pleasure to experience her excellent service. The bar had not yet been set up, tables having been placed on top of each other, as the bar only opens at 15h00 on week days. Interestingly Craft Wheat & Hops offers food as well, but with only two options. Flammkuchen is prepared in what look like a massive pizza oven inside the bar, seven options offered in a price range from R40 (for Caprese) to R52 (smoked salmon, red onion, rocket, and caviar). An extensive list of Tapas dishes is offered, ranging from R29 (crumbed mozzarella sticks with berry compote) to R45 (roast chicken and cheddar quesadilla served with homemade salsa, guacemole and cream cheese). Other tapas include lamb meat balls, ‘corn dogs‘, chorizo and mozzarella crostini, mini mushroom burgers, and ‘beer brats wrapped in bacon‘. Continue reading →
Kamers food and design market builds on history of The Castle of Good Hope, first time in Cape Town!
On Thursday I was invited to the opening of the Kamers food and design pop-up event, which is being held inside and outside the extensive The Castle, an apt venue as The Castle of Good Hope was home to the market in Cape Town in early days.
Kamers started off in Stellenbosch twelve years ago when a collection of friends organised it as Kamers vol Geskenke, and its timing was close to Christmas, allowing one to buy unusual, unique, and stylish presents to give as gifts. At that time they started with 40 stands, now they have 140, chosen out of a list of 600 applicants, we were told by the founder of the event, Wanda du Toit. Her official title is Creative Director. Other members of the organising team include Magdel Kemp, Amelia van Zyl, and Hesta du Plessis. Kamers has never been held in Cape Town, so hosting it in the city as well as in The Castle is a double historic event. Now Kamers is spread over four events throughout the year, in Stellenbosch, Pretoria, and for the first time in Johannesburg and Cape Town this year. It is organised by a team of twelve, and no one ever leaves, said Wanda. Unique to the Cape Town event is the collaboration with the Cape Craft & Design Initiative (CCDI), a collective of 5000 small design and craft enterprises, which are offered business and marketing support to assist them in growing their businesses, to help them grow, and to enable them to employ staff, said Erica Elk, its Executive Director. World Design Capital 2014 has endorsed Kamers.
On arrival at The Castle, we were guided to park furthest from The Castle building, and fill up the space in this way, not making sense at all, the latecomers being lucky enough to park closest to The Castle building! It was difficult to find the venue for the media launch, a number of us entering the building housing the William Fehr Collection. An Iziko Museums staff member was unfriendly in pointing us generally down a passage with her walkie-talkie, without explanation. 
She had no clue about Kamers taking place on the property, or where the media function was, and fortunately a colleague could guide us to a completely different building. In the launch address Wanda hinted at some of the issues they had in using The Castle buildings, being a Military-owned property with rules and regulations, which created some challenges for the organisers, but these were not visible to us, other than the attitude of the Iziko staff and the parking ‘organisation’. I fed back the problem with the Iziko Museums staff to Calvyn Gilfellan, the CEO of The Castle, who told me immediately that the Iziko Continue reading →
Cape Town City Centre Restaurant Route: a collection of gems!
Whilst I dislike going into the city centre during the day, due to the irritating parking guards, I am pulled to the city centre more and more due to the ever-growing collection of good restaurants and coffee shops. This blogpost is a summary of some of Cape Town’s inner-city highlights:
* Hemelhuijs– owned by interior and restaurant consultant Jacques Erasmus, previously from Manna. Emphasis is on freshness. Creative unusual menu. Breakfast and lunch served. Monday – Friday 8h00 – 15h00. Saturday 9h00 – 15h00. Open for dinner on Wednesday evenings. 71 Waterkant Street. Tel (021) 418-2042.
* Dear Me Foodworld – a hot new addition, with a Francois du Plessis decor emphasis on green (both interior colour and herbs grown from the ceiling, see photograph above) and health, with most dishes offered as lactose-free and/or sugar-free alternatives. Menu changes daily. Great creative chef Vanessa Marx. Monday – Friday 7h00 – 15h00. Open for dinner on Thursday evenings. 165 Longmarket Street. Tel (021) 422-4920.
* Tjing Tjing Bar– when Dear Me Foodworld closes late afternoon, its upstairs Ting Tjing Bar opens, serving tapas, changes regularly. 165 Longmarket Street. Tuesday – Saturday from 16h00 until late. Tel (021) 422-4920.
* Escape Caffe– one of the hottest coffee shops in the city centre, featured in the media for its lemon cheese cake. Owner Lameen Abdul-Malik has a Nobel Peace Prize for his joint efforts to ensure the safest possible use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes. Serves organic blend artisanal coffee from Espresso Lab. Monday – Friday 7h00 – 16h00. Saturday 9h00 – 12h00. 130 Bree Street. Tel (021) 422-1325.
* What’s On Eatery– probably the restaurant with the friendliest owner (Trevor Jordaan) in town, serves Breakfast and Lunch on weekdays from 7h30 – 16h00, and Dinner from Tuesday – Saturday. Coffee by Origin. Excellent value. Exciting news is the appointment of Chef Oliver Cattermole from 1 October. 6 Watson Street. Tel (021) 422-5652 CLOSED DOWN 2011
* Rhubarb Room– coffee shop inside decor shop, previously in Bo-Kaap. Serve cakes, coffee (by Deluxe), soup, quiches, and salads. High tea offered for baby showers, kitchen teas and birthdays. Monday – Friday 9h00 – 17h00. Saturday 9h00 – 13h00. 227 Bree Street. Tel (021) 424-2004. CLOSED DOWN 2011
* Valora– stylish new restaurant, bar and café. Try Chef Andrew’s Two Tone soup. Extensive menu choice, includes tapas. LavAzza coffee. Great for late snack and drink. Monday – Friday 7h00 – 22h00, Saturday 17h00 – 23h00. Corner Loop and Hout Street. Tel (021) 426-1001. CLOSED DOWN 2012
* Skinny Legs & All – interior decorated with paintings from co-owner João Ferreira art gallery. Emphasis on freshly made food. Advised by Brad Ball of Bistro 1682. Run by sweet pair of twins Jamie and Jessie. Monday – Friday 7h00 – 16h00. Saturday 8h30 – 14h00. 70 Loop Street. Tel (021) 423-5403.
* Roberto’s Signature Restaurant – expect interesting things to come from Roberto de Carvalho, leader of the SA chefs team in Culinary Olympics, and ex-chef at Twelve Apostles Hotel. Simple food, mainly in Portuguese style. Excellent Tiramisu. Located below On Broadway, so very busy between 7 – 8 pm to cater for the theatre crowd. Tuesday – Sunday 12h00 – 15h30, 18h00 – 23h30. 44 Long Street. Tel (021) 424-1195. CLOSED DOWN 2013
* 6 Spin Street – unusual restaurant setting inside the IDASA book shop. Well-known for its cheese soufflé and duck. Monday – Friday Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner from 8h30. Saturday dinner only. 6 Spin Street. Tel (021) 461-0666.
* French Toast – focus on its large range of wines by the glass offered, but interesting tapas offering. Monday – Saturday 12h00 – 23h00. 199 Bree Street Tel (021) 422-3839. CLOSED DOWN 2012, BUT RE-OPENED AS THE ODYSSEY IN 2013
* Jason’s Bakery– recently opened where Jardine’s used to be, owned by Jason of ex-Jardine’s Bakery. Bakery and Café. Sandwiches, breakfast, soul food, and vegetarian. Monday – Friday 7h00 – 15h30. Saturday 8h00 – 14h00. 185 Bree Street. Tel (021) 424-5644.
* Haas Coffee – increasingly popular city hot-spot without any parking guards, and usually a parking spot available close by. Friendly and welcoming, and part of Haas Collective decor and art. Cakes, tarts and food menu, including cooked breakfasts. 67 Rose Street. Monday – Sunday. Tel (021) 422-2239.
* Piroschka’s Kitchen – Hungarian Flammkuchen with Gluehwein on cold days. Monday – Friday 11h00 – 19h00. 106 Bree Street. Tel 083 327 3203 CLOSED DOWN, NOW ONLY AT MARKETS
* Bread, Milk and Honey – busy breakfast and lunch spot, for take-aways or sit-down. 10 Spin Street. Monday – Friday 6h30 – 16h00. Tel (021) 461-8425.
* Il Cappero – hard-working Sicilian chef and charming husband Aldo in front-of-house. Not-so-usual Italian and Sicilian specialities. Monday – Friday lunch. Monday – Saturday dinner. 3 Barrack Street. Tel (021) 461-3168. MOVED TO CAMPS BAY
* Charly’s Bakery – famous for its cake creations and cheeky cupcakes, one can also sit down for coffee, cake, pies and cupcakes. Ample parking, no parking guards. 38 Canterbury Street. Monday – Saturday. Tel (021) 461-5181.
* Maria’s – Owners Kate and Cleon Romano are charming hosts, and the restaurant has a lovely buzz, and many tapas-like Greek dishes as well as mains. Monday – Saturday lunch and dinner. Great lunch spot after City Bowl Market. To open for Sunday lunch soon. Dunkley Square, 31 Barnett Street, Hatfield. Tel (021) 461-3333.
* Bird Café and Gourmet Eatery – Quirky milk-crate seating, decor change has opened up the kitchen, great quality food, friendly service. New owners Keith Mink, and Leigh Trout (ex-chef at Mange Tout, Mont Rochelle Hotel in Franschhoek), opened on 1 September. 127 Bree Street. Tel (021) 426-2534.
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter: @WhaleCottage