In speaking to Homespun Chef Matt Schreuder about his new restaurant opening at The Andros Boutique Hotel next month, he told me that his father, the well-known restaurateur Dale Schreuder known for the Dale’s steakhouses he has owned over the past more than 30 years, has opened a new restaurant with a completely different concept.
Harvest Culture Eaterie is Dale’s tenth restaurant, and describes itself as a ‘modern Bistro’, ‘celebrating Earth’s bounty’ .
Recently I have read about a European campaign whereby the ‘Best Before’ dates of foods are being more critically evaluated, seen to having been a ploy by manufacturers to get more of their products sold. Now the European Union is getting involved in standardising ‘Best Before’ dates for food types, to reduce the 89 million tons of food thrown away in Europe annually, of which at least 10% is still edible. A third of all food produced in Europe is thrown away.
Most food products have two dates, the one being the sell-by date, being the date which the manufacturer feels is the ideal to give the product perfect consistency, taste, and nutritional value; and the other being the ‘Best Before’ date until when it is safe to eat the product. The longer the time period between date of manufacture and sell-by date, the longer the product is edible after the ‘Best Before’ date.
The European Union has decreed that pasta, rice,coffee, jams, pickles, and hard Continue reading →
I have enjoyed chatting to Phillip Aplas since he opened Allora Ristorante, the Italian restaurant at the entrance to Franschhoek, two years ago. He and his wife Amanda are Greek, and they have created a space on the property for The Olive Shack, which is Amanda’s dedicated focus on olives and olive oil, and is an ode to her Greek heritage.
As one drives into Allora, The Olive Shack lies directly ahead, not visible from the road. Some newly planted olive trees provide shade to tables outside the olive emporium. A central table displays all the olive oils they stock – eight brands with many flavour varieties – as well as olives, tapenades, preserves, jams, and soaps. What one can taste one can also buy. There is no charge for the tasting. 
Amanda wants to present the best olives and olive oils of South Africa, but most of these are from the Western Cape, she says. She even heard of an olive oil made in the Karoo recently, so is continuously searching for new additions to her range. She only opened The Olive Shack three weeks ago. Greek delicacies such as baklava can also be bought, and a serious-looking coffee-making machine making the best Illy cappuccino in Franschhoek is in the shop.
One can sit outside on the Allora side of The Olive Shack, or be more private on the parking side, sitting under the olive trees. Amanda has also introduced a Breakfast Menu for The Olive Shack, a Greek tapas and mezze menu, and picnics are also supplied. One can order light lunches, including lasagne, cannelloni, panzerotti, mousaka, freshly-made spaghetti and fettucini, and sauces. She will add kebabs and pancakes in future.
In chatting to Phillip, it is clear that he is dedicated to his restaurants, and is hands-on, one of few restaurant owners in Franschhoek to be so. He says that they have not increased their prices since they opened, and the menu is the same as the opening one. The Allora branches in Bedfordview and Sandton have higher prices, and are run by Phillip’s brother.
The Olive Shack tables are covered in brown paper, over a white table cloth, in Greek style. They look a bit messy on the car park entrance, as the wind lifts up the paper. The menu is printed in green and laminated, and one’s first reaction is disbelief at the low prices of the mezzes. I was brought a beautifully designed glass water jug to the table, with lots of slices of lemon. Olive oil and balsamic vinegar was brought to the table, in glass bottles, and the brand of olive oil used was one I had not heard of before, being Porcupine Hills from Elgin.
While I had not ordered it, Amanda sent ciabatta made with olives to the table, as well as the three mezzes of Tzadziki (their spelling) (R10), grilled halloumi (R20) and grilled pickled octupus (R25), in addition to which came a container of olive oil as well as an olive tapenade, all served on two wooden boards. It was a feast, which cost a mere R55 in total, which Amanda did not want to take payment for, but I insisted. The squid was served chilled, which made it refreshing, not only due to its temperature but also its marinade of vinegar, lemon juice, garlic and oreganum. Other mezzes one can order out of the list of eighteen include hummus, melitzanosalata, grilled aubergine rolls stuffed with feta cheese, grilled brinjals and baby marrows, tiropita, and keftedes, all costing R20 or less. Ciabatta costs R10 for a basket. A variety of salads can be ordered, and range in price from R45 – R65. Paninis with toppings such as smoked salmon trout, roast lamb, and chicken and avocado cost between R 50 – R75. Desserts range from R25 – R42, and include baklava, chocolate mousse, fruit salad and yoghurt, and sorbets. Breakfast of free-range scrambled eggs served with salmon, cold meats or feta and halloumi costs R35, or R29 if served with bacon.
Picnic baskets can be pre-ordered, costing R105 per person for the Alfresco Picnic, consisting of a small bottle of water, dips, cold meats, olives and tapenade, Greek salad, French loaf, olive ciabatta, chicken kebabs, fruit, and chocolate brownies. A Gourmet Picnic costs R360 for two persons, which includes a Franschhoek Cellars wine, mineral water, a tapas selection, dips, smoked salmon roses, French loaf, olive ciabatta, Caprese salad, chicken and prawn skewers, a cheese platter, strawberries and chocolate brownies. Both picnic options offer a generous food selection.
A small wine list of 17 Franschhoek wines is available, and the wines are very reasonably priced. Six wines by the glass are available, and cost R28/R85 for Franschhoek Cellars Chenin Blanc, The Churchyard Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc; Eikehof Chardonnay; and Franschhoek Pass Rosé. The L’Omarins Protea Red costs R35/R115. Solms Astor Cape Jazz is the only Shiraz available.
I loved the informality and friendliness of The Olive Shack, the authentic Greek mezzes served, and the excellent cappuccino. It is excellent value for money. I will be back.
The Olive Shack, Allora Restaurant, 58 Main Road, Franschhoek. Tel (021) 876-4375. www.allora.co.za (No dedicated website for the The Olive Shack, and not mentioned on the Allora website). Open Monday – Sunday, 9h00 – 17h00.
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter: @WhaleCottage
A quaint and very unusual new restaurant, called De Oude Bank Bakkerij, has opened in an alley off Church Street in Stellenbosch, and challenges conventional restaurant operations. It sells the most delicious artisanal breads baked on the property, by owner Fritz Schoon, who worked at Ile de Pain in Knysna for 18 months to learn from the best breadmaker, he says.
Fritz has Dutch roots stretching far back, and that is why he chose the Dutch name for his bakery and restaurant. It is an unusual space, and feels like a covered courtyard to a building which opens onto the Dorp Street Gallery and a crystal glass shop, the former on Church Street and the latter on Bird Street. The building previously was the offices of the District Bank. Individual square tables with very uncomfortable heavy metal chairs, as well as shared long wooden tables with benches, fill the space. One wall looks like a cosy lounge, with shelves filled with books.
As one enters, one sees the Lucas Jamon ham, from Prince Albert, hanging over the counter, with the freshly baked breads on display for sale behind it. It has a cosy ‘untidiness’, making it homely.
It is also a deli, selling the breads, wines, coffee, jams and tapenades. The deli counter, and place to pay, is unusual, in being a piece of wood on top of stacked logs.
Fritz is cute, with beautiful eyes, a young entrepreneur who seems to be in his baking element in the shop. He is so hands-on that his apron is full of flour dust. He is so proud of what he is doing that he has put up photographs of all his suppliers. He has taken special care to source wines and other supplies from suppliers who are small and artisanal too. His wines come from mainly unfamiliar wine estates such as Berry Box, Noble Savage, Rainbow’s End, Bartinney, Marklew, Topaz, and Clouds, all from Stellenbosch, and his coffee comes from the Conti micro-roastery in Kuilsriver. Beer on tap comes from Birkenhead in Stanford, at R20 for 330ml and R55 for 900ml. The wine-by-the-glass cost ranges from R20 – R40, and R60 – R190 per bottle.
Fritz comes from Kempton Park, studied quantity surveying, and worked on a building site, supplying food to the construction workers on the sites he worked at. He enjoyed artisanal baking, and therefore decided to train at Ile de Pain in Knysna, regarding Markus Farbinger one of the best artisanal bakers. He also uses stoneground flour and allows the natural fermentation of his dough to make and bake his breads, just as Ile de Pain does. The breads made at the De Oude Bank Bakkerij are French Ciabatta, Baguette, Sourdough, Dark Rye Sourdough, as well as salted seed and rustic olive sticks.
What is even more unusual about the restaurant is that the menu is the cheapest possible to produce – a handwritten photocopied menu that itemises every item one may wish to order, on the principle that one only pays for what one gets. Everything is priced, and the customers at each table fill in the quantity per item they wish to order, minimising order errors. I would normally have been critical of the menu, but it is such a surprise, and in keeping with the character of the restaurant, that Fritz can get away with it – it must be the little hearts that are drawn on the menu! He has written the following on the menu, to explain his restaurant philosophy: “Pain de vie is the bread of life. This is what I hope to create here. The opportunity to break bread with friends and family. I believe that this is what fuel (sic) our daily existence, our life purpose. Sit. Talk. Laugh. Debate… and eat more BREAD!” I love it!
Some of the “Condiments” one can order with 2 slices of bread, costing R5 – 7 for two, are farm butter (R4), schmaltz (R6), mustard glaze (R5), olive tapenade (R6), roasted black olives (R10), and a most delicious shitake mushroom pesto (R8). Jams cost R5, and include olive marmalade, “nastergal jam”, rasberry (sic) jam, and bluegum honey (R6). Cheese brands are specified, Ganzvlei matured cheddar costs R10, Forest Hill brie R8, and Witzenberger Kimilili R8. On the meat side, Coppa ham costs R8, as does Smoked Pork, Beef salami and Black Forrest (sic) Ham. Namib beef biltong is R10, and Lucas Jamon costs R30.
I ordered the ‘creamy scrambled eggs with bacon on sourdough toast’ at a mere R 25, the yellowest egg dish I have ever eaten – these must be specially sourced free-range eggs for sure. Gourmet sandwiches can also be ordered, at R25 – R30, depending on the topping. A slice of Butterkuchen costs R12. Organic teas are offered at R10 and less, and a cappuccino costs R14. Six coffee styles are offered. My cappuccino was brought to the table in a wooden cup, on a wooden saucer, with a long wood handle spoon, which was far too long for the saucer, but just added to the natural wood feel of the restaurant. The bread is served on wooden boards, with wood-handle cutlery – the knives are uncomfortable to use. We saw three patrons share a wooden tray filled with a selection of bread slices and lots of little portions on the “Condiments” list, looking like a delicious tapas feast.
I loved the differentness of De Oude Bank Bakkerij, and loved the way Fritz has turned many restaurant conventions on their head, by creating a special and unusual, yet simple, restaurant. I am definitely going back.
De Oude Bank Bakkerij, 7 Church Street, Stellenbosch. Tel (021) 883-2187 (phone not always answered). No website. On Facebook. Twitter: @OudeBankBakery Open Tuesday – Friday 8h00 – 15h00, Saturdays from 9h00 – 15h00, and Sundays from 9h00 – 13h00. On Wednesday and Saturday evenings pizza, beer and wine are served from 18h30 – 22h00. On the Stellenbosch Restaurant Route.
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter: @WhaleCottage