On a day that was already going well, it was hard to imagine that it could get even better with an invitation to attend the 2017 launch of the #HQFineWining (what a clever hashtag) series of food and wine pairing dinners. Graham Beck bubblies were served and we were told that bubbly pairs well with all kinds of foods, including the well-known HQ steak! Continue reading →
Tag Archives: Sinatra
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
The Grand Café in Plett is no longer grand!
I have loved the Grand Café and Rooms from the time it opened in Plettenberg Bay four years ago, and I stayed in it whilst I was having the building renovated that has become my Whale Cottage Plettenberg Bay. It has had its ups and downs over this period, but seems to have lost its edge since it was taken over by new owner Sue Main, and who subsequently added the Camps Bay and Granger Bay branches in Cape Town. We were most disappointed with our last visit a week ago.
But to start at the beginning of The Grand Café and Rooms. Enterprising entrepreneur (Homework clothing) Gail Behr opened this unusual pink-painted 8-bedroom boutique hotel and restaurant in Plett. It was at the time that I travelled to Plett once a month to oversee the renovations to what was to become our newest guest house. The Grand became my home from home for a year of travelling, and I was well looked after by the friendly staff, including Steven, Sydney, Robert and Eric. The room decor is unusual, extravagant in its use of red velvet, extra-ordinarily high beds with bedside stools, and generous baths. But it was the Café part of The Grand that we loved especially, and the music collection played boldly throughout the day via an iPod compiled by Behr’s son Steven Whiteman was amazing – Mozart for breakfast, opera for late morning, light jazz during the day, Sinatra for the early evening, more jazz at night. It gave the restaurant the most wonderful atmosphere at any time of the day, and a character which I have never experienced before. To add to the charm created by the music is the Café deck, with a wonderful view over the Plett lagoon, from which one can see amazing moon rises. In early days The Grand was a meeting point of all Behr’s friends from Cape Town, Johannesburg and other corners of the world. It took a long time to meet Gail, and I was quite intimated by her initially, given quite a stern sounding set of house rules. But she was much nicer than the rules made her sound when we did finally meet.
All good things come to an end, and Behr decided to move into the hotel, and only use the top four rooms for guests, and she lived downstairs. The Café was no longer open to the public, falling into Behr’s private space, and guests were served a very restricted breakfast relative to what we were used to, in a non-view courtyard. The building was painted white, and it lost its charm. Then The Grand Café and Rooms was sold to Main, who built on the success of this brand to open first in Camps Bay (buying the building for about R40 million), and then The Grand on the Beach a year ago. It was odd to see The Grand crockery in other restaurants, such as Nguni, before it was sold to Main. One welcome change Main made was to have the building repainted its landmark pinky colour. Admirably she changed little about the decor, which also reflects Behr’s initial lush red velvet look. Main even used Adam Whiteman, another Behr son, who is an interior decorator, to decorate the Camps Bay restaurant.
One comfortable thing about The Grand Café is that its menu has not changed much over the four years, and that the prices seem to have largely remained the same too. The first problem we encountered with the nice branded maroon menu folder is that the starter and main course/dessert pages were swopped around in it. The menu does not resemble the A3 “newspaper” feel of those in the Cape Town restaurants. Our order was taken, before we were asked if we had been told about the specials by Sybil, who seemed to be in charge and who has been at The Grand from the time it opened. She sent another waiter, but he too struggled to tell us the specials, which will be on the new menu introduced this week, but that had been available to order for the past week already. Before we could not even reconsider our order, given the specials, our food was served!
The tempura prawn starter (R70) is absolutely mouthwatering, and is a signature dish. None of the other The Grand branches can prepare it like the Plett branch can, Camps Bay using shrimps which just do not match the wonderful Plett prawns. The slice of Caesar has also been a standard, costing R60 for the iceberg served with bacon, croutons and parmesan, and R80 with chicken added. The Waldorf salad costs R 55; tuna (R45) and vegetable (R35) spring rolls; salmon naan (R 75); and calamari rings cost R40 as a starter and R65 as a main. One of the problems with a menu is that restaurants take them away when one has placed the order. Only when leaving did I recheck the menu, and realise that our served calamari (crumbed calamari tubes) were not as described on the menu at all – they were not “tender” nor “rings”! Mussels and chips cost R 75, a prego roll R60/R65 for beef chicken/beef fillet. There are only five main courses, including fish and chips (R70); line fish (R95); fillet “Bernaise” (R115); and Durban lamb curry (R115), which my colleagues ordered, with super poppadoms, basmati rice and sambals of yoghurt, bananas, tomato and cucumber, and chutney. Desserts have not changed in five years, being Afagato (R35), Phina Afagato (R45), and Cake of the day (R34).
The new menu was e-mailed to me, and a new addition is pizzas, ranging in price from R70 for the Grand “Margerita” to the blockbuster Grand Seafood Pizza at R220! Sugared Salmon (R100), an old standard, is back. Oysters and cold crayfish (both SQ) have been added as starters.
The winelist has a small selection of wines per variety, but vintages are not specified. The (unspecified) house wines are offered in white, Rosé, red, sparkling, and sparkling Rosé, ranging from R35 per glass/R195 per bottle. Suzette Champagne costs R150 for 375 ml. Sparkling wines cost R 220 for Steenberg 1682, “Pierre Jordaan (sic) Belle Rose NV” R275, and Bramon Brut R265, a local Plettenberg Bay bubbly. Billecart-Salmon Rose costs R900, Moet & Chandon R800 and Dom Perignon R 2800. Sauvignon Blancs range from R95 for Glenwood, to R180 for Springfield Life from Stone. Kevin Arnold Shiraz costs R340.
The Grand Café bubble has burst in Plettenberg Bay. While it is commendable to see it still operating, given how depressed Plettenberg Bay is, the service was shocking, a regular complaint about The Grand on the Beach, but for all the wrong reasons – there were only three of four tables eating in total, and both waiters were very new and poorly trained, and one of them came with attitude too. Our calamari served was completely different to what the menu described. The trademark magical music is gone. Sadly, The Grand Café in Plettenberg Bay is no longer grand!
The Grand Café and Rooms, 27 Main Road, Plettenberg Bay. Tel (044) 533-3301. www.thegrand.co.za (the website is minimalist, quite contrary to the lush interiors, and is shared across the three Grand restaurants. Surprisingly, no menu, winelist, nor any food photographs are in the Gallery of any of the three website sections). Open for lunch and dinner Monday – Sunday for the season.
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com