Tag Archives: terroir

Michelin inspectors: dining detectives or normal diners?

 

South Africa does not have the Michelin Star Restaurant rating system, because there are not enough Michelin tyres sold in our country, it is said.

Yet when travelling overseas, eating at Michelin one, two or three starred restaurants has an intrigue,  because they appear to be far better than our own local best restaurants, which is not necessarily the case at all.

We are proud to have two South African chefs linked to two Michelin star restaurants: Chef Jan-Hendrik van der Westhuizen owns one star JAN Restaurant in Nice, awarded for the seventh time earlier this year, and Chef Jean Delport heads up the one star Restaurant Interlude at Leonardslee Gardens in the UK, the star having been awarded for three years running. Co-incidentally both chefs studied at the former Chefs School at Zevenwacht.  Continue reading →

House of Hier wines launches with two cultivars hier and now!

 

On Sunday evening I was one of the invited guests who were introduced to the new House of Hier wines by its owner Jaco Pienaar, in the home of Tania Olivier, whose White0000 company crafted the unusual name of the wine brand, and designed its unusual labels.

Jaco explained that Hier in the name denotes the location and terroir of his wines, being on the Breede River, between Bonnievale and Robertson, in one of the most southerly vineyards of the Robertson Valley, facing the sea breeze.

Hier is a collaboration between Jaco and Arendsig owner and winemaker Lourens van der Westhuizen.

Continue reading →

More than 40 new restaurants have opened in Cape Town and the Winelands during Lockdown: November 2020.

 

News about restaurants closing down during Lockdown has almost ground to a halt, which is good news in itself. Even better news is that a number of new restaurants have opened or are planning to open in Cape Town and the Winelands, the latest count being 44 new restaurants.

The latest Lockdown Restaurant Closure list stands at 77 Restaurants in Cape Town and the Winelands, an increase of only two Restaurant Closures in the past month. Clarke’s, The Shortmarket Club, Koffi Terapi,  Ocean Blue, and Dahlia on Regent announced their permanent closure due to Lockdown, but have reopened.

The Test Kitchen and The Food Barn have changed their offerings and their restaurant names in reaction to the Covid Lockdown.

The Test Kitchen and The Foodbarn Restaurants transformed to cope with aftermath of Covid Lockdown!

Franschhoek saw a number of Lockdown Restaurant Closures, but has five new restaurants opening, some restaurants relocating, and some changing their offering.

Franschhoek Restaurants during Lockdown: which are open, closed, and opening soon!

 

Restaurant Closures since Lockdown:

#   The Shortmarket Club (has reopened)

#    La Bottega in Woodstock.

#    Empire Café in Muizenberg.

#    SMAK Delicatessen and Eatery.

#    Buitenverwachting Restaurant in Constantia.

#    The Deli Coffee Co in the V & A Waterfront

#    Under Oaks, Paarl (re-opened for Sit-Down, previously reported as Closed Down)

#    Craft Burger Bar, Sea Point

#.  The Butcher, Camps Bay

#   La Franca, Gardens

#   Go Go, Bree Street

#   The Butcher, Sea Point

#.  Cold Gold Artisanal ice-cream (reopened for Delivery in partnership with For Food’s Sake)

#   StarGarden Café, Fish Hoek

#   Oven Baked, Muizenberg

#   Noordhoek Café & Deli

#.  Kalk Bay Theatre

#   The Kitchen, Woodstock

#   Bay Expresso

#  Mugg & Bean, Constantia

#   Jessy’s Waffles, Camps Bay

#   Chi Cha in Sea Point

#   Ocean Blue in Camps Bay (reopened 18 July)

#   The Trumpet Tree, Stellenbosch

#   Tolhuis Bistro, Ceres

#   Maker’s Mark, Tulbagh

#   Thai Food Sushi, Sea Point

#   Meraki, Stellenbosch

#   All Things Good, Stellenbosch

#   Mama Cucina, Riebeeck-Kasteel

#   Brownies & Downies, City Centre

#   Dahlia on Regent, Sea Point (has reopened)

#   The Larder, Claremont

#  Café Blouberg,  Bloubergstrand

#   Jason’s, Bree Street Branch

#   Koffi Terapi, Willowbridge (reopened)

#  Blasters Family Restaurant, Cape Gate.

#  Fláva, Wilderness

#  The Fat Greek, Table View

#   Myoga, Vineyard Hotel, Newlands

#   Schwarma Express, Sea Point Branch

#  The Stack, Gardens

#   Two and Sixpence Tavern, Simon’s Town, after 21 years

#   Perseverance, Gardens, oldest pub in Cape Town

#   Fire Monkey, Claremont

#   Cattle Baron, Tokai

#   Clarke’s, Bree Street (has reopened)

#   Masala Dosa Restaurant, Long Street

#   Vicious Virgin Bar, Wale Street

#   Exhibit A, Bree Street

Exhibit A in Cape Town the first Fine-Dining Restaurant to close down due to the Corona Lockdown!

#  Frankie Fenner, Durbanville

#   Dale’s Black Angus, The Paddocks, Milnerton

#  TableThirteen, Green Point

#  Ton Khoon, Tyger Waterfront

#   Terroir, Stellenbosch.

#   Daniela’s Deliciously Decadent, Cape Quarter.

#   Batavia Café, Bo-Kaap

#   Addis in Cape Ethopian Restaurant

#   Fork on Long Street

#   Yumcious Café, Durbanville

#   Aces & Spades, City centre.

#  Guilio’s Café, Loop Street

#  De Wijnhuis, Stellenbosch

#  Café Mozart, Church Street

#  Active Sushi, Hudson Street

#  Amore, Kenilworth

#.  Primi Muizenberg

#   Primi Eden on the Bay

#   Primi Willowbridge

#   Mink & Trout, Bree Street

#   Lou Lou’s, Cape Quarter

#   Knead, The Point Centre

#   Pastis, Constantia

#   Viande at Grande Roche, Paarl.

#   95 Keerom Street, Cape Town

#   95 at Morgenster, Somerset West

#   Tintswalo Kitchen at Tintswalo Atlantic

#   Will’s Café and Deli, Oranjezicht

#  Jerry’s Burger Bar, Stellenbosch

#   Maison J in Camps Bay

#   Beluga in Green Point

#   Goloso in Sea Point

#   Restaurant Seven in Somerset West, owned by Chef George Jardine

#   Baker Brothers in Green Point

#   Bodega at Dornier, Stellenbosch

#   Doppio Zero, Stellenbosch

#   Restaurant at Waterkloof closes on 22 November

SA Top 10 Restaurant List loses one of its stars as Restaurant at Waterkloof closes down in two weeks!

 

Restaurant Openings (During Lockdown)

#   Regent Burger Bar has opened where Craft Burger Bar was on Regent Road in Sea Point.

#  Chef Liam Tomlin is opening Local at Heritage Square, a retail collection of local food products, fresh and packaged, in the former HQ space.

#   Chef Liam Tomlin is opening Mazza upstairs in the former HQ, as a Middle Eastern eating bar.

#   Ciao Pizza, Long Street.

#   Firefly Café in Camps Bay

#   Chef Chen Sushi Bar pop-up, The Point Mall, Sea Point.

#   Floozies has opened on Kloof Street.

#  Fork has opened in Franschhoek

#   Entrée in Franschhoek

#   Flower Café opened in Woodstock.

#   Jooma has opened in Sea Point

#   Starbucks is to open in Camps Bay

#   Yama Sushi Emporium opens in Franschhoek in December

#   Oku opened in Franschhoek on 14 October

#   Blue Coriander Indian restaurant has opened in Place Vendome in Franschhoek, the owner being a former chef at Marigold

#   Oxalis Eatery has opened on Wale Street.

#   Fat Harry’s in Wynberg has reopened, with new owners, an interior makeover, and new menu and staff.

Fat Harry’s in Kenilworth transformed from Bar to Restaurant with a Bar, with new owners, new decor, new kitchen and chef, new menu!

#   Chefs Warehouse Tintswalo Atlantic has opened

Tintswalo Kitchen at Tintswalo Atlantic to be transformed into Chefs Warehouse at Tintswalo Atlantic!

#   Barstaurant is opening at Glencairn Hotel in Simonstown, by the Tintswalo Group.

#   Bo-Kaap Deli has opened in Bo-Kaap.

#   Restaurateur Stuart Bailey is opening De Vleispaleis,  a meat restaurant in the Black Horse Centre on Dorp Street in Stellenbosch.

#   Curry Cave has opened on New Church Street

#   Ideas Cartel Bar at Casa Labia, Muizenberg

#   Mexicola Locale opened at the end of October in Hout Bay, another new Chef Cheyne Morrisby Restaurant

#  FreeBird has opened in Kloof Street Village.

#   Sharon’s Cafë has opened at The Palms

#   Clay Café has opened on Bree Street.

#   The Pokémon Co Claremont has opened

#   Rosetta has opened on Bree Street

#    Forneria Italia Beachfront has opened in Table View

#    I Sapori has opened in Table View

#    Seed & Circus has opened in Zonnebloem/District Six

#   The Manor at Nederburg has opened, in Paarl

#   Culture Wine Bar has opened on Bree Street, a joint venture between Chef Matt Manning and wine fundi  Chris Groenewald

#   Royale Eatery has opened on Vineyard Road in Claremont.

#   Salushi Express has opened in Cavendish Street, Claremont

#   Vadas Pasteis de Nata & Café is to open in Stellenbosch in November

#   All Things Edible (ATE) has opened at Silver Forest Boutique Lodge in Somerset West, with  her Michael Broughton

#   The Shortmarket Club is reopening as The Shortmarket Grill.

#.  OK JA has opened in Camps Bay (former Maison J)

#   My Sugar is opening in Claremont in November

#   Bokeh Creative Studio has opened on Regent Road in Sea Point.(Photograph)

#   Chef Peter Tempelhoff is to open a Street Food restaurant on Shortmarket Street.

#   Ernie Els Wines Restaurant has opened in Stellenbosch

#   Kleine Zalze Restaurant, with Chef Nic van Wyk

#   Drum has opened in the Black Horse Centre in Stellenbosch

#   Old Town Italy in the V& A Waterfront

#   Old Town Italy in Durbanville

#  Lime Tree Café has opened a Deli.

#   Chef Peter Tempelhoff is opening Beyond at Buitenverwachting in Constantia, with Nicholas Walker as Manager, and Chef Julia du Toit heading up the kitchen.

#   Chef Kevin Grobler has opened The Restaurant at Grande Roche in Paarl at the beginning of November.

The Restaurant at Grande Roche opens in two weeks, just after Viande Restaurant closes down at the Paarl hotel!

The Restaurant Closure and Opening Lists are updated continuously throughout the month.

For a list of Restaurants currently open for Food Delivery and Collection as well as Sit-Down Service, see the Facebook Group I created at the beginning of May: https://www.facebook.com/groups/261165661682371/?ref=share

 

Restaurant News

  1. Chef Calvyn Metior is the new Executive Chef at Monneaux Restaurant, previously Head Chef at La Motte.
  2. Chef Kayla-Ann Osborn has left The Chef’s Table in Umhlanga, now heading up the kitchen at Delaire Graff.
  3. Chef Scott Armstrong has rejoined JAN Restaurant in Nice as Sous Chef.
  4. Chef Nico Vorster has left La Paris Bistro outside Franschhoek, and has bought The Good Food Co in Franschhoek.
  5. Bossa Stellenbosch and Die Strandloper suffered extensive fire damage during Lockdown.
  6. Chef Bell McCleod has left Bones in Woodstock, now heading up the Hemel & Aarde Brewery.
  7. Chef Henry and Mari Vigar have left La Mouette, now solely owned by Gerrit Bruwer, and have moved to take over their restaurant Upper Bloem in Green Point.
  8.  Chef Neill Anthony Vaughn has been appointed as the Culinary Advisor to La Mouette.
  9. Chef Arno Janse van Rensburg has left his restaurant Janse & Co, his next venture not yet known.
  10. Stellenbosch has introduced an innovative community-supported incentive to restaurant diners to pay by SnapScan, offering them a 50% discount, with a maximum of R400, presented as a voucher.
  11. Epice will be moving to the space of Le Petite Colombe at Le Quartier Francais in Franschhoek.
  12. Le Petite Colombe will open at Leeu Estates on 6 November.
  13. The Foodbarn in Noordhoek has transformed into Foodbarn Café & Tapas.
  14. The Test Kitchen has changed its offering and its name to The Test Kitchen Origins

Details of new restaurants opening, and of restaurant closures, are highly appreciated. chrisvonulmenstein@gmail.com

 

Photograph:  Bokeh Creative Studio in Sea Point (Own photograph)

 

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein

About Chris von Ulmenstein

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Venishree Mayer: From automotive marketing star to producer of star ADHARA premium extra virgin olive oil!

 

I met Venishree Mayer of Fraaigelegen Farm in Tulbagh with her husband Jürgen for the first time last Saturday, but have connected with her since I started the Lockdown Food Delivery and Collection Restaurant Facebook Group in May, being a very generous sponsor of her beautiful chic olive oil bottles as prizes, as well as in recognition of the Cape’s top women restaurateurs for Women’s Day. Venishree and Jürgen shared their story over lunch about moving from Germany to Tulbagh five years ago, and in creating their award-winning ADHARA premium extra virgin olive oil. Continue reading →