Roland Seidel | WhaleTales Blog by Chris von Ulmenstein

Capetonians are still reeling from the news that the country’s and our city’s largest restaurant, Paulaner Bräuhaus, closed down on Sunday evening, after ten years of operating in the V & A Waterfront. Our blogpost about this closure has received more than 1000 unique views in the past 48 hours, an unheard of high readership demonstrating the interest in this story. Kloof Street appears to be experiencing a particularly bad series of restaurant closures, the street having the most restaurants in Cape Town. Our list of latest restaurant openings and closures will be updated continuously, as we receive information.

Cape Town

* Clarke’s Bar and Dining Room has opened on Bree Street, as an American-style diner, owned by Lyndall Maunder, ex-Superette

* Chez Chez Espresso and Cheesecake Bar has closed down off Kloof Street, Tamboerskloof.

* The Black Pearl (ex-Seven Sins) on Kloof Street has closed down

* 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.

* Neil Grant, ex-sommelier of Rust en Vrede, has opened Burrata, a new restaurant in the Old Biscuit Mill

* Societi Brasserie has opened in Constantia

* Luke Dale-Roberts, Eat Out Top Chef, has opened the Pot Luck Club, a Tapas Bar next to The Test Kitchen (photograph above). He will also open a real Test Kitchen, a private experimental place to develop new recipes

* 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.

* 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 is now called Rocca.

* Sabrina’s, which opened about two months ago where Depasco was, at the corner of Kloof and Long Street, has closed down

* 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 has closed down

* Don Pedro’s in Woodstock has re-opened, 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 (to become a Slug & Lettuce)

* Buzz on Kloof Street has closed down

* Myög has opened as a frozen yoghurt outlet, at 103 Kloof Street

* Thai Café has opened in the old Cape Quarter

* Paulaner Bräuhaus in the V&A Waterfront has closed down!

* The Fez is closing down.

* Giorgio Nava’s Down South Food Bar has closed down

* Fat Back Soul has been renamed South China Dim Sum Bar

* On a Roll has opened in Mowbray as a gourmet hot dog restaurant

* The Dog’s Bollocks has opened as a burger pop-up restaurant

* Saints Burger Joint has opened on Kloof Street

* Cape Bubble Tea, which recently opened in Camps Bay, has closed down

* Dear Me has opened its Pantry

* Chef Jannie Melis has left French Toast

* Jackal & Hide has opened on Kloof Street

* Eat on Breda Street has closed down

* Graham Beck’s Gorgeous bubbly bar has opened at Catharina’s at Steenberg, with Jenna Adams as the Manager.

* Operator Pamela Trevelyan and Chef Lana Doyle have left Sunbird Bistro in Camps Bay.

* Col’Cacchio is opening new outlets in Claremont and Westlake

* Chef Daniel Botha, who started at Salt restaurant at the Ambassador Hotel in November, has left. Dale Thebus is the new head chef.

* Vaudeville has closed down

* Shin Tai Asian Kitchen is opening on Regent Road in Sea Point

* Bistro 1682 Manager Juergen Welp has left, and has been replaced by Marc Cowen. Assistant Manager Jenna Adams has moved over to Catharina’s to run Gorgeous by Graham Beck. New assistant managers are Cable Ermstrom and Hilton Klassen.

* A new Vida é Caffe is opening on Prestwich Street in April, and a cupcake shop is said to be opening around the corner, on Ebenezer Street, next to T & Co/Table 13, in Green Point

* GM Nigel Pace has left the Cape Grace Hotel

* Il Cappero will moving from Barrack Street to Fairway Street in Camps Bay, opening in May.

* Saints on 84 Kloof has opened on Kloof Street

* Sushibox has opened at Newlands Village

* Richard’s Supper Stage & Bistro has opened on Main/Glengariff Roads in Sea Point, as a dinner theatre (from May), and restaurant, owned by Richard Loring and Roland Seidel

* ‘I ♥ my Laundry‘ laundry restaurant has opened on Buitengracht Street

* West Street Café has opened in the new Woodstock Foundry, owned by Chef Alan West

* Orphanage has opened as a cocktail and tapas emporium on Bree Street

* Valora on Loop Street has closed down

* ACT Restaurant and Play Bar at the Baxter Theatre closed down overnight on the last March weekend, without paying its rent for the past three months.

* Philip Arno Botes is the new Chef at Pure Restaurant at Hout Bay Manor.

* Take & Bake German Bakery has closed down on Main Road Sea Point

* Maz Sushi has closed down on Main Road Sea Point

* Planet Green Salad Bar has opened on Kloof Street

* Burrata will introduce a new 3-course food and wine pairing menu before the end of April.

* Vanilla in the Cape Quarter has closed down.

* Chef Bruce Robertson has opened Bruce’s Beach House for lunches, in Scarborough

* Cake designer Martin Senekal has closed Cafeteria in De Waterkant, now only selling on order and at the Old Biscuit Mill market

* Madame’s on Napier has opened in De Waterkant

* Moyo is to open where the Paulaner Braühaus was in the V & A Waterfront.

* Sinn has closed down its Deli at Wembley Square

* Table Thirteen is closing down in Green Point and moving to Paarden Eiland at the end of May

Franschhoek

* Leopard’s Leap has opened its Tasting room and Liam Tomlin Food Studio and Store outside Franschhoek

* Reuben’s is opening a Franschhoek branch in his self-owned building off the main road, when his Huguenot Road branch lease expires this year

* Dieu Donné in Franschhoek has leased its restaurant to Martin and Marco from Durban, and they have renamed it Roca.

* 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

* Babel Tea House has opened at Babylonstoren, serving sandwiches, cake and teas.

* Donovan Dreyer from Grande Provence has resigned, and started as Restaurant Manager of Indochine at Delaire Graff. Aldo du Plessis has taken over as Restaurant Manager at Grande Provence.

* The Franschhoek Food Emporium has closed down.

* Bijoux Chocolates has closed down its chocolate manufacture, will continue selling chocolates.

* Chef Bjorn Dingemans has left The Franschhoek Kitchen at Holden Manz, to open up a new restaurant on Lourensford wine estate in spring. Cheyne Morrisby is the new chef at the Franschhoek Kitchen.

* Chef Vanie Padayachee has joined Le Quartier Français

* Chef Darren Roberts is leaving Grande Provence for a new appointment in the Seychelles at the end of April.

* Alton van Biljon has been appointed as Restaurant Manager at Haute Cabriere.

Stellenbosch

* Cavallo restaurant is said to open on the stud farm on R44, between Stellenbosch and Somerset West, this year or next

* Cupcake on Dorp Street has closed down, and Dorpstraat Deli will open

* De Oude Bank Bakkerij has opened a bar, serving Bartinney wines, and craft beers.

* 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), and was said to be headed for his home country Namibia. He starts at The Saxon in Johannesburg in May.

* Slug & Lettuce will open where Beads is on Church Street

* De Huguenot, with its Harry Q Bar and wedding reception facilities, will be auctioned on 14 March.

* Stables at Vergelegen Bistro has opened as a lunch restaurant in Somerset West. Its Lady Phillips Restaurant is being given a make-over by Christo Barnard, and will open in June, with a new name called The Vergelegen Restaurant.

* Warwick wine estate’s new chef is Dane Newton (ex-Chamonix, Cascade Manor).

* Tokara closes for a winter break from 22 April, re-opens on 4 May

Paarl

* Chef Matthew Gordon has opened Harvest, a new restaurant at Laborie

* The Spice Route Restaurant has opened on the ex-Seidelberg, now belonging to Fairview.

Hermanus/Overberg

* 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.

* Grilleri has closed down

Garden Route

* Katarina’s has opened at the Kurland Hotel.

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

Spice Route is the new name of the wine estate previously called Seidelberg, and also is the name of the brand new restaurant on the wine estate, which now belongs to Charles Back of neighbouring Fairview, which he bought from Roland Seidel last year, and re-opened the renovated estate in October.

The first impression is not a good one as one drives to the restaurant and tasting room, as the Cabernet Sauvignon vines have had to be removed due a red ant infection, and new planting will only take place in winter, I was told by the tasting room staff, my first stop at Spice Route. The staff had no knowledge of the history of the wine range, which was first made for Mr Back by maverick winemaker Eben Sadie. The tasting room has been renovated, painted white now, with new furniture, and has been brought out onto the terrace and the lawn too, with a lovely view, even onto Table Mountain. The Spice Route wines were produced in 1997 for the first time. It was explained that the exceptional Spice Route wine brand, being one of four Fairview brands, was not receiving the attention it deserves, and therefore Mr Back bought the neighbouring farm. All Spice Route wines are made by winemaker Charl du Plessis on the Swartland farm, the Malabar having its own cellar. The Spice Route wine range consists of Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Mourvédre, Pinotage, Shiraz, Chakalaka, Flagship Syrah, and Malabar. One pays R25 to taste six of the nine Spice Route wines, and can also order an excellent value-for-money Spice Route wine and food pairing at R90, with a taste of all nine wines and three dishes off the restaurant menu: paté, kingklip, and pork belly.

The restaurant too has been extensively renovated, under the guidance of architect Johan Malherbe of Malherbe Rust, and the interior decor has been designed by René de Waal of Experience Makers. René chose a white interior for the walls, chairs, and tables, and added decor elements from the Middle East and Zanzibar to emphasise the spice link to the restaurant name, through tiles on the floor, lamps, massive jars of spices on the restaurant counter, the chairs, the place mats, works of art on the walls, and wall cornices. The spice theme also manifests in the cinnamon coloured aprons of the waitron staff. The menu/winelist cover is brown leather, and each page is Spice Route branded. Each table (without tablecloth) has a bottle of Fairview olive oil, and a set of Goldcrest coarse salt and black pepper grinders. Quality material serviettes, Fortis Hotelware cutlery, and good glassware is on the table, including a small Greek style water glass. There was no music at all, an element which could have enhanced the theme. Outside the furniture is wooden and looks like it was there before, not tying in with the inside decor. Surprising is that the cloakrooms have not been renovated yet, having been painted in a ghastly pink/red, with wall tiles missing, and having the cheapest toilet roll holders.

Staff are mainly from the previous Seidelberg restaurant, but the Manager Lize Rossouw (studied at the Institute for Culinary Arts and the International Hotel School, and moved across from Fairview) and the Chef Phillip Pretorius (previously at Fairview’s The Goat Shed and Sevruga) are new. Theo, the waiter who looked after me, worked at Meerendal with David Higgs, at Grande Roche, and at Seidelberg.

Exciting changes are planned, and in future visitors will be encouraged to follow the route at Spice Route, with a micro-brewery planned with Jack Black, and a new chocolate factory to be set up by DV chocolates (from Hermanus) in the manor house in the next two months. The DV chocolates have already been incorporated into the menu. A grappa distillery is also being considered, and picnics on the lawn outside the manor house are also planned. An organic vegetable garden is being developed, to supply both the Fairview and Spice Route restaurants, and the School House guest house near the Agter Paarl Road is planned to open as a farm stall, selling its vegetables, chocolates, beer, wine, and more. The Red Hot Glass glass blowing studio is still there, and appears unchanged. Wedding bookings are starting to roll in, Lize said.

The menu is not extensive, but interesting, and each menu item has a Spice Route wine recommendation (without the vintage or price indicated). The menu items are not all Mediterranean or Middle Eastern, but contain spices which leave a spicy after-taste. I chose a prawn and paw paw salad (R65) as a starter, which came with a generous portion of prawns, citrus segments, pineapple, cherry tomatoes, roasted peanuts, green beans, and paw paw, and was served with a lemongrass, coconut, soy, ginger, and peanut oil dressing, a refreshing start to the lunch. A treat was that Chef Phillip brought the salad to the table, so that we could have a brief chat. The suggested pairing was the Chenin Blanc, but I enjoyed it with a taste of the Shiraz. Very special too was the duck liver parfait served with an unusual pear and ginger chutney (R56), a lovely marriage, and even more unusual was the presentation of the parfait, being coated in the orange-coloured chakalaka and sesame seeds, making me nervous about it initially, but being absolutely delicious, rich and creamy. The parfait pairing recommendation was the Mouvèdre, but I had it with a taste of the Flagship Syrah.

Other starters are a ceviche of cured linefish, a spicy duck breast, pork belly with a Madagascar DV chocolate lentil salad, and a Panzanella Bread salad with marinated buffalo mozzarella, ranging in price from R48 to R62. Six main courses start at R89 for handmade potato gnocchi to R218 for a Roast rib-eye steak on the bone, for two persons to share. One can also order linefish with tandoori paste; Chalmar beef fillet; venison loin served with a DV chocolate, black currant and chilli jus; and an Indian butter chicken served with espresso foam. Five desserts cost between R42 – R58, and include a delicious apple tart tatin served with home-made vanilla pod ice cream and an unusual carrot and ginger puree, which I enjoyed with a perfectly made cappuccino, the coffee coming from Beans for Africa in Paarl; DV dark chocolate and fresh chilli Crème Brûlée; white chocolate and rose water mousse served with goat’s chevin; coconut and banana bread; and beetroot panna cotta.

Selfishly I liked that Spice Route has not yet been discovered by the tourists as is the case at Fairview, and does not feel touristy, the service being personalised and efficient. All the plans for the wine estate are likely to fill up the restaurant in future. I was sceptical about going to Spice Route for lunch, given its past offering, but was impressed with all aspects of it, except for the cloakrooms of course! I will be back to try more of Chef Phillip’s spicy menu and to taste more of the Spice Route wines!

Spice Route restaurant, Spice Route wine estate, Paarl. Tel (021) 863-5222. www.spiceroute.co.za. Sunday – Thursday 11h00 – 18h00, Friday – Saturday 11h00 – 21h00.

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