Hout Bay Market

Fresh Produce for sale 

The Hout Bay Market is not to be missed if you are a market fundi. This one has everything you would find affordable at the Biscuit Mill, only the trendiest clothing and handmade goods, and food enough to satiate your tastebuds. Set in an abandoned warehouse repurposed in the old harbour of Hout Bay, it is charming and bustling at the same time. I suggest you go early as it is extremely popular with the locals and the not so locals around lunch time!

 

Gourmet sandwiches, pastries, sushi, pizza, and other cooked meals line the food hall section to tempt you away from the stalls. The entrance features many of the handmade African instruments and ornaments, as well as rustic frames of every colour, scuff pattern, and dimension. Fresh produce can also be found bursting with colour near the open corrugated doors. Clothing and an assortment of other garments and accessories are also sold here. Remember to bring Fido, dogs are allowed.

The décor is fresh and tongue in cheek, from uprooted… well, roots suspended from the ceiling with thick chains, to fluffy pink lavatory doors and gaudy transparent high heel door knobs.

The Hout Bay Market is open every Saturday and Sunday, as it is under cover, from 09:30 until 5pm. Some week nights this venue holds comedy nights – check the Hout Bay Market website for more info.

Cornered by Cornuti Cocktails

It takes a lot to surprise a veteran cocktail appraiser, so you can imagine my pleasure when I picked up the cocktail menu at Cornuti in Knysna and my eyes moved over a completely fresh and bewildering combination of ingredients.  I was skeptical. Basil, good. Fresh strawberries and cranberry juice, good. Vodka, a bonus. But all together? Basil normally finds its end in my pasta dishes and not wrapped around my swizzle stick, but alright, I’m on holiday so I’ll try it.  I could not have been more pleasantly surprised. It was utterly salivary-gland-inducing delicious. The aromatic fresh basil played off nicely against the sweet fresh strawberry and as usual the cranberry was a winner. Complete with a sprig of fresh basil and a twist of black pepper, it was a culinary and aesthetic delight.

There were other newcomers to my cocktail repertoire on the menu, and I was truly tempted to try all of them. One of these is the curious mixture of pineapple and fresh ginger in a swanky twist of Bond’s favourite, Martini.  A short but diverse list of cocktails and a creative handful of shooters, such as the Milktart (Condense milk, Amarula and a delicate dust of cinnamon), bedecked the menu. Another thing to mention is Cornuti’s has one of the most divine views, situated at the foot of the Knysna Heads with the sound of the waves lapping at their doorstep. 

PS: Don’t tell your wallet that this one is going to hurt! Cornuti’s is sought after, so if you want to get a good view of the setting sun, get moving! It never really gets quiet there…

For info online visit: http://www.cornuti.co.za/web/

Hudsons Burger Joint, nuff said

If you’re a burger person, this is your kind of joint.  With over 18 different burgers to choose from, even vegetarian ones (just to be trendy that way), you will be craving these grilled burgers for months to come.  If you’re feeling carnivorous there is the option of a 250g patty and chips on the side or if you’re feeling slightly less so then order the 180g patty  – tailor-made to your appetite! The buns are fresh, the meat is grilled to perfection, and the ensemble of each burger design is art with ‘beef n buns’. My personal favourite is The Player, a beef burger with generous toppings of avocado, feta cheese and crispy bacon pieces. You can’t even have ‘beef’ with the bill as the Hudsons Burger Joint is fairly reasonably priced!

There is a diverse but not limitless cocktail menu with all the staples, the two originals are their Makers Mark Moonshine and the Makers Mark Mint Julep. Cocktails range from R32 to R50 with an average around R35, be prepared to get your money’s worth in a goblet which dwarfs you. For you draught lovers there is a choice of three, Hudsons Pale Ale, Jack Black and Black Label draughts.

This particular Hudsons is situated on Kloof Street, the happening place to be with a grumbling stomach or a deathly thirst if you’re in town. On a beautiful day the sun streams into the cabin-like interior of the restaurant and gently warms the eco-friendly succulents which line their walls, the recycled cardboard designer chairs, and the recycled cardboard menus. Because of course, none of us want to feel guilty about the environment while devouring a 250g sizzling beef patty…

I fully recommend the Hudsons on Kloof, it’s an all-round winner; the food, the atmosphere, the drinks, the price, even the location do not leave it wanting. More on The Burger Joint at this site: http://www.theburgerjoint.co.za/

The Stellenbosch Wine Festival

If you didn’t hear any of the hype leading up to the Stellenbosch Wine Festival then you should seriously consider that you are moving in the wrong circles. This festival is the oldest and biggest running country food and wine festival in the Cape, this weekend (28-31^st July) being the 10^th Annual festival.  The festival showcases over 500 wines from the surrounding farms, including sparkling wines, and is incredibly popular – so book tickets early! The Wine Festival has its own gravitational pull, as though it were a compulsory class every student enrolled at Stellenbosch University could be found on the fields of the Paul Roos Centre sampling glass after glass of premier wine.

The most popular by far was the JC le Roux stall, which had a constant horde of eager tasters bustling in front of it, threatening to deplete their stocks. A new addition to the festival this year was the MCC lounge which featured the most elite selection of bubbly; where one tasting coupon would get you a taste of wine, four would get you a lick of this delicacy and it would be well worth it. If you are a wine fundi you would consider yourself in your element with over 500 wines to choose from and all without much travel. There was some food being showcased – sushi, cured meats, and chocolates – however the Spur temporary tent had a snaking line of 200 meters.

Thankfully the festival planners put a limit on the amount of tickets sold; after being open for about two hours the festival grounds were already crowded and difficult to move through and the centre itself a noisy, bustling mass, making  queuing and tasting itself a bit of an arduous task. However, if these big crowds aren’t for you Sunday is considered the Family Day which I would imagine would be quieter – the masses will be recovering from Saturday.

For more info visit http://www.stellenboschwinefestival.co.za/ , the Stellenbosch Wine Festival 2012 is booked for the 2-5^th August 2012.

The Farmhouse Hotel Restaurant

The Farmhouse Hotel thinks of everything; from the advantageous setting with an uninterrupted panoramic view of the Langebaan Lagoon, the homely yet stylish building, to the practicality of the sign in the parking area deeming one parking spot beneath a towering old gum tree a ‘bird dropping zone’, which is obviously why the hospitality board awarded it all four prestigious stars.  I can’t help agree, only I would award them four starfishes. The restaurant area is bright and airy, and the first thing that came to mind was “Beach Theme Extreme”.  The elaborate beach shell, beading, and driftwood chandeliers took bay side experience to new levels and the driftwood whale and fish wall adornments were fun and creative, but the jam jars of sea water and submerged shells made me think they may have taken it a bit too far.  

When the waitress offered me my menu I was disappointed that it wasn’t fashioned out of seaweed, however nothing on the menu could ever disappoint. Warm, homely meal options hinted toward an excellent distraction from the cold windy day on the other side of the many-paned windows which rattled furiously in the gale force. I had a delicious chicken snitzel and cheese sauce, accompanied by gigantic potato wedges and an epic proportioned salad. The chicken pie looked a fresh and healthy option too. Your usual options of wine, beer, tea, etc. but no draughts on tap, sorry to say lads.

The hotel was a real marvel, scrupulously clean and inviting – not unlike the staff – with large rooms and plenty of dining space. I imagine on fair weather days sitting outside in the sun must be divine with that still lagoon ahead of you, a neat green garden below, and a historical-looking bell I would suggest should hither to be used to summon all to a delicious dinner at the Farmhouse Hotel Restaurant.
Find the Farmhouse Hotel at 5 Egret Street in Langebaan. For more information peruse their website: http://www.thefarmhousehotel.com/index.html

Cellars, canons and cocktails at Ke-monate

Ke-monate, which means “that’s nice!” in Sotho, is the Home of Signal Wines, aptly named as several restored canons surround the perimeter looking regal and somewhat out of place. That’s if, of course, you don’t know their history. The signal gun which stands guard at the entrance of Ke-monate on Hooggelegen Farm has sounded out for 300 years as part of the signal chain of the Dutch East India Company.  Although there is no need to call to arms the Burgher Militia to defend the cape quite so often anymore, so it signals that all is well at Ke-monate on the first Saturday of every month and like Pavlov’s cat, your palate becomes inexplicably dry and you are craving the taste of Signal Wines.

The restaurant, wherein you will find the wine bar and bistro, is an old renovated farm house and was recently opened last year October (2010). It is here that I came when I was signalled. The cocktail menu has an armoury of options, all the regulars are there (martini, cosmo, pina colada, margarita, mojito, fruit daiquiri, long island) at a reasonable price of between R26 and R44. Also on the menu is Ke-monate’s secret weapon, their house cocktail, the Signal Gun Martini (R34) which features their Signal Gun Sauvignon Blanc. Something unusual that I found was the White Chocolate cosmo, sounds delectable and I bet it looks explosive. There is also a small battalion of shooters, and you should recognise the ever classy Sowetan Toilet and the patriotic Springbokkie. Interesting enough this is not the only ‘springbokkie’ you will spot at Ke-monate and I don’t mean on the menu – game such as eland, springbok, and zebra roam freely on the Hooggelegen farm.

Wine tasting takes place down a skinny, winding, nightmare-originating staircase that leads into the dark cellars below. At R15 to taste any 6 Durbanville boutique wines, I think this place is a steal. The restaurant has an excellent selection on their Tapas menu, I can recommend the chicken springrolls – like little crispy fingers of deliciousness! Also a nice touch from the kitchen is you can pre-order a picnic to enjoy on their lawns and take in the view while a stray springbok nibbles on the basket handle… As if Ke-monate didn’t have enough unique quirks, every full moon you can enjoy sundowners and a special menu.

See more on Ke-monate at www.ke-monate.co.za or call 021 976 7343. Ke-monate is located just outside of Durbanville off Vissershok Road.

Annual Bastille Day festival in Franschhoek

This was my first experience of Bastille Day celebrations, a festival that happens every year, a blur of colour and activity. The French Huguenots were drawn to Franschhoek in pursuit of freedom, and today scores of people are drawn to the beautiful town to celebrate just that in all its glory. Red, white and blue ribbons lead the whole way there, draped on the entrances of every farm and the town itself was a network of ribbons and banners. Berets were sold on every street and most revellers were sporting high French fashion in keeping with the theme, including moi! If you got there early enough you witnessed the memorable ‘Waiters’ Race’ where a representative barrister of each restaurant speedwalked or waddled his way from one side of the main road and back again with three bottles of wine precariously balanced on his unsteady tray, to much laughter and appreciation of the gathered crowd. The barrel-rolling race, and the Franschhoek minstrel parade, as well as the traditional boules contest all draw large inquisitive crowds– all in support of the SPCA.

The Station Pub, a monument of Franschhoek’s own history, hosted one of the Bastille Day after-parties, one of the many events in the festival program. The main attraction is the Food & Wine Marquee which offers tastings of many of the surrounding wine estates wares and top-notch chefs’ dishes – the catch is they vastly underestimated the popularity of the festival and only 200 tickets were issued and sold out days before the weekend of the festival. Judging by the seemingly infinite queue of cars waiting to enter the bursting streets of Franschhoek, there must have been thousands of disappointed people at the entrance of the Marquee. The French Corner Market would have to do for all those who couldn’t get a Marquee ticket, a concession – even so it offers some fine French and home cuisine as well as cheeses, chocolates, nougats, and other confectionary to taste and purchase. 

The great thing about Franschhoek is there is always a beautiful view three-hundred-and-sixty degrees around you, a monument and historical buildings to visit, and every sort of restaurant and boutique to wander in and out of – so no matter what the occasion a trip there is always rewarding. A tip for next year’s Bastille Day is book early for the Food & Wine Marquee and arrive early! Watch this spot the next time the festival comes round: http://www.franschhoek.org.za/events/franschhoek_bastille_festival_2011