There is something about Woodstuck that has an air of mysticism in it. It maybe the run down old buildings that are contrasted by modern new office and apartment blocks that have been built, or the variety of different cultures living in the area, or the little Cafe's and shops that have turned a once very dangerous and run down area into one of Cape Town's up-and-coming hot spots. Which ever it may be it is always an adventurous learning curve going there.
Today I had the great pleasure of treating my mom to a much needed mother-daughter lunch session. I couldn't decide where to go but I knew I wanted it to be a place we had never been to before and something rather different, what better place than finding a hidden gem in Woodstock?
I tried to avoid opting for the Old Biscuit Mill as we all know it is a wonderful place; I wanted something that one wouldn't usually go to and I found the most ideal place. It was Bread Cafe' at the Bromwell.
The Bromwell is one of the brightest and one of the many newly upgraded buildings along Albert Road. Its colours of black and red are catching to the eye while its sharp Gothic features leaves everyone wanting to know what's inside.
Upon walking in you are greeted by the reception lady who will show you to Bread Cafe's or to the gallery, art deco shop upstairs. The Cafe's is beautifully decorated with wonderful chairs and couches, while the food from the bakery is on display as soon as one walks in. Leaving one drooling before reaching their seat.
The menu is simple yet brilliant. I opted for the roast beef sandwich on rye that had a coriander tatziki spread on the bottom, while pickled onions were put on top of the beef with a side salad accompanying the dish. The sandwich was beautifully presented and the flavours of the beef were so tasty and tender.
My mom had a very generous portion of a Walnut and Gorgonzola salad that was bursting with colour and it never failed to disappoint. Two huge pieces of their homemade Baguette accompanied the salad with a little dish of Olive Oil and Balsamic vinegar.
Bread is definitely a place that I will be return to soon and it comes highly recommended. Despite the location the building is safe with a secure parking space with a security guard on watch at all times.A definite must for all!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Lets Rock Our Own Daisies!
So this coming weekend Cape Townians will be on a wave of excitement as Rocking the Daisies returns in full force at Cloof Wine Estate in Darling. For the select, unfortunate few who won't be attending- be it for funds, transport or work and university reasons- there are still some things happening in the Mother City that will help ease the pain.
Friday night Fiction Club have created a party for the 'non-Daisies' goers; seeing free entrance all night and drinks at R10 a pop. A fine deal to help take your mind off the rocking party your friends are having in Darling.
Assembly also have a massive gig on where Discotheque presents Electric City with El Gordo and Double Adapter. Entrance fee is R40 (presale) and R60 at the door. This promises to be an awesome night as the line-up is once again top-notch.
Saturday also sees some good entertainment as Newlands rugby stadium will host the Western Province versus the Sharks at 5pm. This allows for a perfect opportunity to gather the family and friends, a couple of beers and some meat and do the 'All out Rugby and Braai day'.
So don't fear should you not be going to Rocking the Daisies, there is still plenty to do in Cape Town, lets rock our own daisies this weekend.
Friday night Fiction Club have created a party for the 'non-Daisies' goers; seeing free entrance all night and drinks at R10 a pop. A fine deal to help take your mind off the rocking party your friends are having in Darling.
Assembly also have a massive gig on where Discotheque presents Electric City with El Gordo and Double Adapter. Entrance fee is R40 (presale) and R60 at the door. This promises to be an awesome night as the line-up is once again top-notch.
Saturday also sees some good entertainment as Newlands rugby stadium will host the Western Province versus the Sharks at 5pm. This allows for a perfect opportunity to gather the family and friends, a couple of beers and some meat and do the 'All out Rugby and Braai day'.
So don't fear should you not be going to Rocking the Daisies, there is still plenty to do in Cape Town, lets rock our own daisies this weekend.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Stellenbosch: Die Wijnhuis
Fine wine, good food and family is the perfect combination for a Sunday lunch out in the farm lands. Today my family and I headed out to Stellenbosch for a birthday treat for my mother. The selected restaurant of choice; Die Wijnhuis, one of Stellies oldest restaurants in the town.
For starters the table had a selected of beef carpaccio, fried and grilled calamari as well as Zucchini carpaccio. The starters where generous portions that were full of flavour and the presentation was pleasing to the eye.
The zucchini carpaccio by far was the most impressive, as it is very rarely seen on a menu, but the dish was tasty itself. With rockets, pine nuts and Parmesan shavings accompanying it with a final drizzled with olive oil was a perfect starter for a hot day.
For mains veal limone, beef tagliata with a mushroom and pepper sauce, ostrich medallions in red wine, chicken schnitzel with linguine and fillet stakes were ordered by the family.
The meat dishes were tender and bursting with juicy flavours as well as colourful to the eye. The tagliata saw a mixture of sauteed peppers, onions and mushrooms lad across the beef that was full of rich but not over powering flavours.
The fillet was accompanied with a sauce of your choice; in this case it was the green pepper sauce. While each main dish was already generous with just the respective protein on the plate seasonal vegetables accompanied the meal that were very crisp and light.
The meals were very generous and for what you pay it is worth the price. A definite recommended as the service, and the food were a winner. It is no wonder why this is one of the oldest restaurants in the little town of Stellenbosch.
For starters the table had a selected of beef carpaccio, fried and grilled calamari as well as Zucchini carpaccio. The starters where generous portions that were full of flavour and the presentation was pleasing to the eye.
The zucchini carpaccio by far was the most impressive, as it is very rarely seen on a menu, but the dish was tasty itself. With rockets, pine nuts and Parmesan shavings accompanying it with a final drizzled with olive oil was a perfect starter for a hot day.
For mains veal limone, beef tagliata with a mushroom and pepper sauce, ostrich medallions in red wine, chicken schnitzel with linguine and fillet stakes were ordered by the family.
The meat dishes were tender and bursting with juicy flavours as well as colourful to the eye. The tagliata saw a mixture of sauteed peppers, onions and mushrooms lad across the beef that was full of rich but not over powering flavours.
The fillet was accompanied with a sauce of your choice; in this case it was the green pepper sauce. While each main dish was already generous with just the respective protein on the plate seasonal vegetables accompanied the meal that were very crisp and light.
The meals were very generous and for what you pay it is worth the price. A definite recommended as the service, and the food were a winner. It is no wonder why this is one of the oldest restaurants in the little town of Stellenbosch.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Kauai, Camps Bay: A Disaster!
Unfortunately another negative review is on the cards and this time Kauai are being named and shamed.
When Kauai first opened I was the first to embrace the 'healthy' food and the new items it brought to South African food. I loved the whole health concept and the smoothies that had a little something for everyone. Their portions were beyond generous but the quality and variations were great.
Unfortunately I feel that their quality has dropped somewhat. The service is shocking and the food either takes forever or it just isn't as nice as it used to be.
Today I went down to Camps Bay and all we ordered was one smoothie and a coffee. Being lactose intolerant I know that places that offer soya products so Kauai was a natural choice.
Upon arriving there I asked for a coffee with soya milk. They flat out refused to make it for despite their menu saying "we offer soya alternatives". I realise they don't have the actual soya milk and use the soya power (which I fail to see why they don't have the normal milk either) instead but that did not bother me as I had drunk the coffee like that before.
I felt like they were dishing out a 100 and one reasons as to why they could not give me the coffee with soya powder. Finally they gave in and they placed the order.
We waited 25minutes for just a smoothie and the coffee to arrive, while people that had ordered after us and had ordered food received their orders way before we even got served our two drinks. The staff didn't offer an apology, nothing.
But to top it off, the coffee they gave me tasted like dirty water and after two sips I left it there and refused to drink it again. It will be a very long time until I step foot inside Kauai in Camps Bay. A real pity.
When Kauai first opened I was the first to embrace the 'healthy' food and the new items it brought to South African food. I loved the whole health concept and the smoothies that had a little something for everyone. Their portions were beyond generous but the quality and variations were great.
Unfortunately I feel that their quality has dropped somewhat. The service is shocking and the food either takes forever or it just isn't as nice as it used to be.
Today I went down to Camps Bay and all we ordered was one smoothie and a coffee. Being lactose intolerant I know that places that offer soya products so Kauai was a natural choice.
Upon arriving there I asked for a coffee with soya milk. They flat out refused to make it for despite their menu saying "we offer soya alternatives". I realise they don't have the actual soya milk and use the soya power (which I fail to see why they don't have the normal milk either) instead but that did not bother me as I had drunk the coffee like that before.
I felt like they were dishing out a 100 and one reasons as to why they could not give me the coffee with soya powder. Finally they gave in and they placed the order.
We waited 25minutes for just a smoothie and the coffee to arrive, while people that had ordered after us and had ordered food received their orders way before we even got served our two drinks. The staff didn't offer an apology, nothing.
But to top it off, the coffee they gave me tasted like dirty water and after two sips I left it there and refused to drink it again. It will be a very long time until I step foot inside Kauai in Camps Bay. A real pity.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Simon's at Groot Constantia
It breaks my heart to have to write this review but I have I feel it is my duty to report on the bad as often as I report on the good as it is only fair.
I first tried out Simon's in Groot Constantia when they opened up several years ago and they left a lasting impression on me. Their burgers were so tasty and tender and the presentation of the food was well done and so colourful leaving me so desperately wanting to return.
Unfortunately it took several years to return but I jumped at the offer to go there for lunch. For starters we ordered the Oysters, Camembert and Cranberry and Blue cheese with fig preserve spring rolls as well as Bobotjie Dumplings.
The Oysters were delicious as well as the Bobotjie Dumplings; they arrived in four tiny parcels with the bobotjie mince inside them accompanied with a yogurt dressing. Unfortunately the spring roll starter was a disaster as the cheese inside the rolls were still frozen. They were sent back and a new batch was brought back straight away
The mains consisted of a the Camembert and Cranberry Chicken burger, a roasted beetroot and butternut salad, and finally Calamari of the day which was deep fried calamari.
The chicken burger was gigantic as it arrived with two huge crumbed chicken breasts, that were unfortunately bland in flavour and the crumbs too heavy to eat; leaving it impossible to eat the full two breasts and burger.
The salad was average as there were only three pieces of beetroot and butternut on the plate with very little goats cheese. If one was to order a salad like this the best places to order from are either Balducci's or Col'Cacchio who have this salad down to a tee.
The calamari where an overall disappointment as everyone around the restaurant didn't enjoy the dish. Complaints were coming left, right and centre leaving the front of house staff totally bewildered and at a loss on what to do.
The coating of the calarmari was so heavy that people started to pick it off and just eat the calamari inside or they just left the dish alone and not even bothering to eat it at all.
It was a real disappointing afternoon as the food was definitely not up to the standards of what it could be. Aesthetically the presentation of the food was mind blowing but unfortunately the cooking let it down.
Let's hope that things improve as they certainly do have the potential to produce world class meals. Would I go back? Yes, I am willing to give Simon's the benefit of the doubt this time and would return one more time to try out the food.
I first tried out Simon's in Groot Constantia when they opened up several years ago and they left a lasting impression on me. Their burgers were so tasty and tender and the presentation of the food was well done and so colourful leaving me so desperately wanting to return.
Unfortunately it took several years to return but I jumped at the offer to go there for lunch. For starters we ordered the Oysters, Camembert and Cranberry and Blue cheese with fig preserve spring rolls as well as Bobotjie Dumplings.
The Oysters were delicious as well as the Bobotjie Dumplings; they arrived in four tiny parcels with the bobotjie mince inside them accompanied with a yogurt dressing. Unfortunately the spring roll starter was a disaster as the cheese inside the rolls were still frozen. They were sent back and a new batch was brought back straight away
The mains consisted of a the Camembert and Cranberry Chicken burger, a roasted beetroot and butternut salad, and finally Calamari of the day which was deep fried calamari.
The chicken burger was gigantic as it arrived with two huge crumbed chicken breasts, that were unfortunately bland in flavour and the crumbs too heavy to eat; leaving it impossible to eat the full two breasts and burger.
The salad was average as there were only three pieces of beetroot and butternut on the plate with very little goats cheese. If one was to order a salad like this the best places to order from are either Balducci's or Col'Cacchio who have this salad down to a tee.
The calamari where an overall disappointment as everyone around the restaurant didn't enjoy the dish. Complaints were coming left, right and centre leaving the front of house staff totally bewildered and at a loss on what to do.
The coating of the calarmari was so heavy that people started to pick it off and just eat the calamari inside or they just left the dish alone and not even bothering to eat it at all.
It was a real disappointing afternoon as the food was definitely not up to the standards of what it could be. Aesthetically the presentation of the food was mind blowing but unfortunately the cooking let it down.
Let's hope that things improve as they certainly do have the potential to produce world class meals. Would I go back? Yes, I am willing to give Simon's the benefit of the doubt this time and would return one more time to try out the food.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Best Of Thai: Yindees
I will be the first to admit that I am not the most adventurous when it comes to trying food but last night I decided to go for something different and try out traditional Thai cuisine. No better place than Yindees, right?
I loved the rustic, dark atmosphere upon walking in as I was greeted with warm smiles by all the staff members. I had the option to sit at a normal table or on a deck that had scatter cushions and low tables. There was no question about it, the scatter cushions were a winner!
The waitress was great in that we were not pressured to eat at all, and she wasn't constantly coming to our table to ask us if she could get us anything. She read our vibe well in that we just wanted a relaxing evening in which we wnated to talk and take our time in deciding what to eat and drink.
We finished off a whole bottle of wine before we even looked at the menu and breaking all nutritional rules we decided to finally order something at 10:30pm.
Opting for three side dishes; the Satay combo of chicken, vegetable and beef skewers which was accompanied by a very tasty peanut sauce, the duck spring rolls and a vegetable tempura. The flavours where so refreshing and light. While the presentation of the dishes were well done too.
I must admit we dragged on the night as we only left just after 12pm and we were the only ones there after 10pm but the staff were great as we felt under no pressure at all to leave at all, and that was great.
I highly recommend that everyone gives it a tryas it blows my mind as to why I have never been to Yindees before; but one things is for sure I will definitely be returning soon.
I loved the rustic, dark atmosphere upon walking in as I was greeted with warm smiles by all the staff members. I had the option to sit at a normal table or on a deck that had scatter cushions and low tables. There was no question about it, the scatter cushions were a winner!
The waitress was great in that we were not pressured to eat at all, and she wasn't constantly coming to our table to ask us if she could get us anything. She read our vibe well in that we just wanted a relaxing evening in which we wnated to talk and take our time in deciding what to eat and drink.
We finished off a whole bottle of wine before we even looked at the menu and breaking all nutritional rules we decided to finally order something at 10:30pm.
Opting for three side dishes; the Satay combo of chicken, vegetable and beef skewers which was accompanied by a very tasty peanut sauce, the duck spring rolls and a vegetable tempura. The flavours where so refreshing and light. While the presentation of the dishes were well done too.
I must admit we dragged on the night as we only left just after 12pm and we were the only ones there after 10pm but the staff were great as we felt under no pressure at all to leave at all, and that was great.
I highly recommend that everyone gives it a tryas it blows my mind as to why I have never been to Yindees before; but one things is for sure I will definitely be returning soon.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Bombay Bicycle Club
My daily routine sees me drive along Kloof street everyday and no matter how much I try not to, I always look at the beautifully decorated Bombay Bicycle club and wish I could eat there one night.
Saturday night I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go, as it was a friend's birthday. Had it not been the birthday I think I would find myself a year later still wishing I had tried it out.
Just walking into the restaurant was mind blowing itself. Not one table is the same. Each table is decorated with different objects, while the room is so busy with stuff hanging off the walls and roof you spend more time worrying about the decorations than the menu, but that just added to the whole relaxed atmosphere of the restaurant.
Their infamous chilli chocolate steak was a special, along with R99 for a kilogram of prawns (amazing deal), while crumbed veal and a seafood curry was also on the specials list.
I opted for the oven roasted beef with caramelised onion and a cranberry, port, mushroom reduction sauce at R140. The sauce was amazing but I felt the beef could have been more tender throughout. I felt like I was severed two different beef steaks cut up and served on to one dish.
The birthday girl had the chilli chocolate sauce steak. The dish came with three medallions on a skewer with some fried, noodle vibe that looked like something had landed on the dish. Nevertheless I believe the actual dish itself was amazing.
The kilogram of prawns dish was huge, but for the seafood lover it was amazing; definitely hitting the hunger spot.
The desserts looked amazing as the chocolate cigars were definitely the most popular amongst the table. Each dessert costs R36. A warning though, should one wish to bring their own dessert or cake Bombay do charge a 'cakage' fee of R50.
Mixed results overall, but I would recommend a try. The whole ambiance in itself is worth checking out. But be warned prices are high and you might want to make sure you have some money saved before going in.
Saturday night I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go, as it was a friend's birthday. Had it not been the birthday I think I would find myself a year later still wishing I had tried it out.
Just walking into the restaurant was mind blowing itself. Not one table is the same. Each table is decorated with different objects, while the room is so busy with stuff hanging off the walls and roof you spend more time worrying about the decorations than the menu, but that just added to the whole relaxed atmosphere of the restaurant.
Their infamous chilli chocolate steak was a special, along with R99 for a kilogram of prawns (amazing deal), while crumbed veal and a seafood curry was also on the specials list.
I opted for the oven roasted beef with caramelised onion and a cranberry, port, mushroom reduction sauce at R140. The sauce was amazing but I felt the beef could have been more tender throughout. I felt like I was severed two different beef steaks cut up and served on to one dish.
The birthday girl had the chilli chocolate sauce steak. The dish came with three medallions on a skewer with some fried, noodle vibe that looked like something had landed on the dish. Nevertheless I believe the actual dish itself was amazing.
The kilogram of prawns dish was huge, but for the seafood lover it was amazing; definitely hitting the hunger spot.
The desserts looked amazing as the chocolate cigars were definitely the most popular amongst the table. Each dessert costs R36. A warning though, should one wish to bring their own dessert or cake Bombay do charge a 'cakage' fee of R50.
Mixed results overall, but I would recommend a try. The whole ambiance in itself is worth checking out. But be warned prices are high and you might want to make sure you have some money saved before going in.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)