Pizza, World Famous in Nieu-Bethesda

The Karoo Heartland village of Nieu-Bethesda is weird and quirky, but in a nice way.  It has a lot of interesting nooks and crannies which include a couple of fascinating attractions, authentic Nieu-Bethesdian accommodation and slightly off the regular type of mainstream restaurants and eateries.  When you pass a little restaurant with a sign saying Bruno's Alfresco Pizzeria with the added tagline of "World Famous in Nieu-Bethesda... then you know you want to check it out.  It also helps that I really love pizza.

 

So the quirkiness of Bruno's start with the fact that they are only open on a Friday evening.  At first I was surprised but then I understood why.  Nieu-Bethesda isn't the busiest of villages and there are a number of spots to eat at so they avoid being empty most nights and became the Friday night hangout.  Bruno's really is as authentic Southern Italian as you will get and with the eccentric Italian Swiss chef and owner Brunno at the wheel you, you are assured of the best thin based pizza in town.  World Famous, in Nieu-Bethesda.

As we were a decent sized group in town for a meeting the Monday morning, a special request to open on the Sunday night for us was granted and I was glad it was.  Not a lot of pizza places around where you can stand at the kitchen chatting to the cooks preparing the pizza or where you can peek into the pizza oven just before sticking your camera halfway in just to be shoo'd away because it's time to take the pizzas out.  No well drilled conveyor belt from a fast food pizza joint in the city.  No, local ladies making the pizza just the way they were trained by Bruno.  Mine was delectable.  Their special for the night, Kudu Salami Pizza.  Highly recommendable if you are in town.  

But, and this is a big but and I can't deny, that wasn't all.  Bruno had a surprise up his sleeve.  I heard rumours of a secret underground wine cellar.  Just stories or the truth?  I was told to ask Bruno himself, so I did.  He chuckled and there was a glint in his eye.  Yeah! Let's go.  The wine cellar isn't just a regular spot to store wine.  It literally is an underground space that feels like it's straight from a movie set.  Bruno had it built as a wine cellar but after a flood filled it up with water a few years ago he hasn't really kept wine down there.  He did show us a little something standing around the one corner and we got to taste the fruits of this little something afterwards.  Or rather what came from the fruits that went in there.  I can understand why he doesn't sell it.  It's a special little something for special visitors and we were special.  We got to see his wine cellar on a personal tour after all.   

Master Chef judging, the Firefly version - Ginger Restaurant

Port Elizabeth is very quickly getting a reputation as a good food destination with visiting bloggers and journalists raving about the variety and quality of restaurants and food markets available around the city in their articles.  Now I'm not food expert although I am known to enjoy a good steak / pizza / chop and braaibroodjie / plate of home cooked food / cinnamon and sugar pancake / or > insert whatever food here< on occasion.  I'm not the judgmental type (friends not allowed to comment on this) and can be pleased very easily when it comes to food, but I have also watched my share of cooking shows so have learned to not just stick my food in my mouth, chew, swallow and not have an opinion about it.  So Facebook will hear about it if it wasn't good.  Having known that, the marketing people at Ginger Restaurant probably wouldn't have been so quick to invite me to the relaunch of Ginger at the Beach Hotel.  Or if they did, perhaps they had the conviction of their chef's abilities to back the invitation up with. 

Since opening in 2007, Ginger Restaurant has carved a reputation for itself as a fine dining restaurant with a comfortable yet upmarket atmosphere.  The restaurant just underwent a refurbishment to modify its contemporary flair and under the guidance of interior designer Michele Leyland, Ginger has a fresh look but with the characteristics that it has developed over the last nine years.  That, along with being awarded a Platinum Wine List Award from Diners Club International, the relaunch was seeing in a new era of dining at Ginger.

The Damselfly and I were the first guests to arrive the evening (seeing that it was a school night and all) so chose one of the best seats in the house.  Right by the big windows with a view across the road towards Hobie Beach and Shark Rock Pier.  It was dark though, and raining, but we wanted to sit there regardless.  We were showed to the table and was served welcome drinks.  Now I'm not a whiskey drinker, but the whiskey cocktail I got really wasn't bad at all.  Wonder if they would tell me what went into it so I can try making it at home next time somebody comes over.  You know, that's how you impress folk.

Ordinarily Ginger would have an a la carte menu but for one night only they had a Relaunch 7 course menu for diners to enjoy. First up was Amuse Bouche.  Like I said, I'm not food expert or restaurant critic, so I had to turn to my friend Google to see what it meant.  To quote Wikipedia, An amuse-bouche [aˌmyzˈbuʃ] (plural amuse-bouches) or amuse-gueule [aˌmyzˈɡœl] is a single, bite-sized hors d'œuvre. Our Amuse Bouche was made up of rare beef, onion marmalade, blue cheese and guacamole on croutons. Bite sized?  Probably more like two bites if you didn't want to struggle to chew because of a overly full mouth.  The Damselfly wouldn't ordinarily do the blue cheese thing nor am I an avocado fan, but together this was a bite that ushered in a very enjoyable evening of dining.  Ok, so now I also want to know how to make onion marmalade.

Next on the menu was the Starter consisting of poached crayfish, mussel, mange trout and seaweed salad all in an aromatic chorizo and saffron broth.  When our waitress put the plates down I wondered why she had a teapot on the tray but it turned out to be the broth that she then poured over the seafood.  The Damselfly who will always order seafood if it's on the menu was over the moon and it probably came in as her third favorite of the dishes for the evening.  You'll see her top two below. Unfortunately it was my least favorite, but hey, I only learned to eat Sushi the other day.  Please don't misunderstand me, there was nothing wrong with it.  I just didn't enjoy it as much as what was to follow.

After a sorbet to cleanse the palate (no, I'm not posting a photo of sorbet), the first of two Tasting Plates were served.  Lamb chop, herb crumb toasted cumin cauliflower pops, candied carrots and a chive mash finished with a natural lamb jus.  If they had just served me a big plate of this I would not have wanted anything else for the rest of the meal.  The first thing I tried was the cauliflower pops.  Nice texture and slightly crispy. Man, I've got to try this at home.  The lamb was soft, juicy and the spicing was perfect.  If this was made outside over the fire, Justin Bonello of Ultimate Braai Master would have been seriously impressed.  Candied carrots? No, not just sweet carrots. Candied like a toffee apple gets candied. Great combination along with the green mash. Perhaps I don't do fine dining enough, but I approached the green mash with a Dr Seuss rhyme in the back of my head before recomposing myself. Can't help but laugh looking back at that.  This dish was definitely the favorite one with both of us.

The second Tasting Plate was made up of toasted beetroot risotto, pickled mushroom, home cured venison loan and finished with a smoked creme fraiche.  The Damselfly once, many moons ago on a cruise we took, had a very bad risotto experience which often still comes up as a personal joke between us.  She wasn't so sure about this one.  Me on the other hand dove straight in to find out what the risotto tasted like.  A very peculiar taste and not bad at all.  She picked a pickled mushroom off and said it tasted sour.  This is where watching Master Chef comes in.  It's not about the individual components of the dish, but rather what they taste like as a combination.  And no, they don't just make that up as something to say on television.  I piled a bit of everything onto my fork and took a bite. Mmmmm, now there's a combination that talks to each other very civilised.  This time around the shoe was on the other foot and I really enjoyed the dish while the Damselfly didn't.  It just shows that it is different strokes for different folks.

The Pre-Dessert was more like a different take on a palate cleanser and had a combination of fruit to start the transition from savory to sweet.  Bring on Dessert. 

Dessert came in a close second on both our favorite dish ratings although it could well have been a draw with the earlier lamb.  Salted caramel ribbon, chocolate and Frangelica soil, ginger sponge accompanied with a smooth mango sorbet and mint leaves. This was chew your lips off lekker.  If Ginger would package and sell the caramel ribbons I would probably have a standing order for them.  Yet again the whole combination was a winner.  We ended off our evening with coffees and then it was back to real life but with the memory of a great meal enjoyed in the perfect environment.  That big boerseun from the Free State would probably have stopped for a burger afterwards, but we found the meal to have been just enough not to feel uncomfortably full, the flavours were perfect and the service excellent. Obviously I will have to come back another time to see what is on Ginger's new menu.  Now back to the salted caramel ribbons.  Could I perhaps have the recip... Never mind. 

Disclosure: I was invited to the re-launch by Ginger Restaurant as I work in the tourism industry and not as a blogger.  They didn't ask for a blog post to be written (and not being a food writer I don't think they even thought I'll post something about the meal) and I keep full editorial control over the post and content.

Butcher Block Umhlanga - the BEST steak I have ever had

I don't think there is anybody out there (except obviously vegetarians or vegans) who doesn't love a good steak.  Not everybody can make a good steak though.  I have tried many times and just can't get it right.  It's always either done to much or not enough and I think the Damselfly may even have given up on me finally producing her the perfect steak.  But there are those who CAN make the perfect steak and on my visit to Umhlanga recently I discovered just the place to enjoy it at.  Unfortunately it's just too far from home to do so on a regular basis.

The Butcher Block Restaurant is located on Umhlanga Ridge right next to the Holiday Inn Express Umhlanga where we were staying.  The nice part of staying at the Holiday Inn Express was that we could sign the bill to our room and only settle it along with the room bill on departure. 

We decided to indulge a bit and go for starters as well before tucking into the steaks.  The Damselfly loves mussels and I love cheese so she opted for the Mussel starter (Half shell mussels gently simmered with Chardonnay, garlic, mascarpone cheese and cream) while I went for the Camembert starter (Deep fried camembert cheese served with roasted almonds, fresh rocket, cranberry sauce and melba toast).  Great options on both instances.  Second tick for Butcher Block for the evening.  The first being the great service we received from the moment we walked in.  A greeting at the door, a greeting from a passing manager, a good table at the window and very attentive, brisk and extremely friendly service. 

Then it was time to select our steaks. With a great variety it wasn't easy though and we both probably changed our minds a couple of times while discussing the different options on the menu.  The Damselfly eventually settled (although settled probably isn't the word; more like excitedly chose) on the Camembert and Bacon sirloin steak (Steak with a delectable green peppercorn sauce topped with pan-fried bacon and Camembert cheese.  My choice fell on one of their specials for the evening, a Fillet steak stuffed with jalapeno peppers, cheddar and mozzarella wrapped in bacon with a paprika infused butter on top  When the steaks came we immediately knew we were in for a treat when we saw that they were flame grilled and cutting into them they were also done to perfection.  The Damselfly's medium rare and mine just over medium (so that a good vet can't save it anymore).  My better half also mentioned that the bacon on her steak definitely wasn't just catering grade beacon fried in a pan as it had a distinct smoked taste and flavour to it.  Both steaks came on very nicely presented plates and were served with chips. Steaks = tick number three and four.

My lovely wife having dessert

And talking of dessert.  Although we weren't really planning to have dessert after starters and mains, I decided to have a look at the menu anyway.  With the Damselfly only having ice cream and chocolate sauce I decided to be a little more adventurous and try something else.  I was torn between two options and hadn't even finished asking the waiter which he would recommend when he said the Kahlua and Ice Cream Crepes. (Ice cream rolled in light crepes, drizzled with hot Bar One sauce topped with roasted almond flakes)  I'm sure I could find somewhere to fit that in as well... Out came the plate with two pancakes filled with ice cream and accompanied by a shot of Kalua.  My eyes went big but it tasted so yummy that I made sure I found enough space for all of it. Fifth tick goes to the dessert giving them a full house for the evening.

The verdict at the end of the night? Butcher Block can really be highly recommended and served us probably the best steaks we have ever had anywhere.  And don't just take my word for it.  The next morning while waiting for our taxi to take us down to the beach we chatted to a British visitor who comes to the area at least once a year.  He asked us about our plans for the day and told us that we definitely had to try the restaurant (Butcher Block) next door as it had the best steaks he's ever had and he travels extensively.  So next time I'm in Durbs and feels like a steak I know where I will be going. 

Disclosure: We were invited for a weekend at the Holiday Inn Express Umhlanga by the InterContinental Hotels Group and they carried all the costs for the weekend.  They asked for a blog post to be written about the hotel itself but had no editorial input in the content of the post. This post I threw in extra as I can recommend the place with conviction.

Port Elizabeth's Hop on Beer Route Tour

The Western Cape has it's various winelands where one can take daily tours to taste wines and learn more about how they are made.  Port Elizabeth does have it's share of wine lovers, but the closest wines they can taste at source are in Plettenberg Bay so they usually end up having wine tasting events with Western Cape wines.  But how about beer?  Craft beer in particular.  This is probably what Tony Neveling of Gecko Tours here in the Bay was thinking when he came up with the idea of a craft beer route in the city.  More exactly, the Hop On Beer Route tour.

 

I joined a few journo's, photographers and tourism peeps for the launch of the tour and although I'm not a big beer drinker, had a fab time tasting what is being brewed right here in Port Elizabeth.  The tour starts in the parking area at Bridge Street Brewery where we left our cars and hopped onto a bus that was to shuttle us around to the three breweries that we were going to be visiting.

 

Out first stop was at the BeerYard in Richmond Hill.  The BeerYard has become one of the city's most popular gathering places for lovers of beer, where they may not always know your name (hope you get the Cheers reference) but you can write it on the walls with pleasure.  The venue is extremely laid back with the pool in the backyard even stating that bikini's are optional.  Ok, so it's probably not that laidback, but I'm sure that pool gets thoroughly used in summer.  At this stage BeerYard produces two of their own beers, namely Car Park John and Two Rand Man, with a new micro brewery being built next door that will allow them to expand on their offering.  They do offer what is probably the biggest variety of craft beers in the city so you will be truly spoilt for choice when visiting for a cold one.  We didn't just have a cold one, but rather four cold ones, tasting their own two brews as well as another beer and a cider.  Then it was time to head back to the bus and move on to brewery number two.

 

Our second stop was at an extraordinary brewery which I hadn't heard of before.  Dockside Brewery in the lower Baakens Valley is a true artisans brewery producing extreme, exotic and extraordinary beers for a small but extraordinary niche market.  Notice how I have used the work extraordinary three times (four time now) in this paragraph.  It is because that is what Dockside Brewery is.  

I had never heard of Dockside Brewery before the tour, but I won't forget it any time soon.  They are located just behind the Herald in the Baakens Valley and have been producing beer for just over a year now.  Their beers are very unique and not to everybody's taste, but those who appreciate a proper craft beer will really enjoy it.  Personally I prefer ciders or a pilsner, but tasting their beers was an experience.  They don't compromise on quality, make sure they don't skimp on the ingredients and take much more time to produce a lot less beer than most other breweries.  Most other breweries produce ales in 11 days.  At Dockside they take between 42 and 56 days.  The other unique ingredient they use is spring water from the Elands River Valley.  So no municipal water going into their beers.  Another thing to note is that Dockside don't produce their craft beer in kegs as draft.  Their beer gets bottled and thus also allowing them to be sold directly to the public through the shop on the premises.

Except for getting to taste not just four (as planned) but all five of their beers, we also got to try beer bread baked with beer from Dockside Brewery.  They found the very first beer they produced not really to anybody's liking and decided to bake beer bread with it.  The beer bread turned out to be a winner and the decision was made to continue brewing that beer specifically for bread.  Now Dockside doesn't only sell beer, but also beer bread kits which we tried at home and was very impressed with the result.  Tour guide Tony couldn't keep up cutting the bread as the group was tucking in.

 

The last stop on the tour, eight (or was it nine) beer tasters and some beer bread later, was back at Bridge Street Brewery where we left our cars earlier.  In the few years since opening, Bridge Street has become an iconic spot where one gets to not just have excellent craft beer, but also scrumptious food.  We started off with a tour led by master brewer Lex Mitchell himself before we got to make ourselves comfortable in the tasting room.

 

At Bridge Street we got to taste all four of their own craft brews; three beers and a cider.  Amongst them the Celtic Cross Pilsner, my favorite beer.  These were accompanied by their lip smacking, hot out the oven pizzas.  The beer tour includes a meal so it wasn't a case of trying to impress us but rather to show us exactly what people on the tour would experience.  This would also be the end of the tour, but most people would probably opt to spend the rest of the afternoon or evening here at Bridge Street or perhaps head back to BeerYard.  Just make sure you keep to the limit or have a dedicated driver on hand if you are going to enjoy a few too many.  All in all the Hop on Beer Route tour was a huge hit with everybody present and I am sure as word gets out it will become a very popular tour not just with visitors but also for corporate and end of year groups.  Cheers.

 

Disclosure: I got to go on the Hop on Beer Route Tour as guest of Gecko Tours and Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism.  I received no further remuneration, wasn't asked to write a positive post and keep full editorial control.

Dune Ridge - a country jewel in the St Francis Bay crown

When you think St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape you tend to think beautiful coastline and black and white houses on the canals.  If you had to spend a weekend in St Francis you would probably expect your guesthouse to have stunning sea views or be situated right on the canals.  Yes, but not always.  We spend a fabulous weekend at Dune Ridge Country House just outside (and with this I mean literally only a stone's throw away) St Francis Bay and found anything but.

 

 

As we arrived at Dune Ridge we knew we were in for a treat.  This award winning - it was the national winner in the four star country house category at the 2013 Lilizela Awards -  accommodation establishments are nestled away between thick coastal fynbos teeming with a multitude of bird species and the large dune fields to the rear of the property.  You are literally removed from the rest of St Francis Bay so it gives you a great country feeling while still only 5 minutes away from the beaches and canals.  We were welcomed by owner Sarah Swanepoel who showed to our rooms consisting of two of the 6 double rooms in the main house.  Unfortunately the family cottage outside was booked but there was an inter leading passage joining the rooms giving us our privacy yet still being close to the KidZ. 

 

The guesthouse is surrounded by lush gardens and once the KidZ started exploring they quickly came back to fetch us and point out the paths to the swimming pool and well hidden spa area.  The pool looks like the ideal spot to sit with a book and cool down between chapters.  Unfortunately for us it was a cool autumn weekend which meant that we skipped the pool and rather went for a couple of short hikes along the Cape St Francis coastline nearby.  The one thing we didn't get a chance to do was Dune Ridge's Frog Safari.  Not for the squeamish I presume but I'm sure the adventurous would get to see a couple of potential princes (and princesses?) hopping around in their torch lights.

Although Dune Ridge serves dinner we tried out a couple of places in the village.  Breakfast was a feast though, served out on the stoep the first day and inside the dining room the second.  Talk about spoiling us rotten.  The KidZ especially loved the waitress who brought them hot chocolates with probably more marshmallows in it than actual hot chocolate.  The same stoep was also the perfect spot for afternoon coffee and listening to the birds (when we could get to KidZ to be quite for 5 minutes) with a glass of wine around sunset.  Was it sunset or wine 'o clock? I can't remember.  But is there a difference?

 

Dune Ridge really is something a little bit different from what you expect out in that area.  The guesthouse is a mixture of colonial nostalgia and modern sophistication yet it isn't stuffy and pretentious.  It's family friendly, very homely, a beautiful setting, offers great service and dishes up good food.  Yes I know that line sounded just a bit too cliché but believe me, you get everything but cliché.  The only problem?  Our stay being just too short. 

 

Disclosure: We enjoyed the visit as guests of  Dune Ridge Country House.  I received no further remuneration, wasn't asked to write a positive post and keep full editorial control.

10 not to miss activities, restaurants and accommodation in the Tsitsikamma

Ahh, the Tsitsikamma.....  My favorite Sho't Left destination for a couple of days' breakaway.  Beautiful indigenous forests to sooth my soul, mountains on the horizon, streams running past ancient indigenous trees and forest giants to a rugged coastline where the blue ocean crashes as white waves on black rocks at the foot of sheer cliffs.  This part of the Garden Route must be one of the most beautiful places in South Africa.  Truly paradise.  The Tsitsikamma is a lot more than natural beauty and scenery though.  Its also a place of activities and adventures, some adrenalin filled and others a lot more relaxing.  I am fortunate that I work in the travel industry and the Tsitsikamma is one of the areas that I get to visit quite often both for work and play.  I decided to compile a list of 10 activities, restaurants and accommodation establishment (in no particular order) that I got to visit in 2014 and that is not to be missed.  Not that there isn't more, because there is.  It's just that I have had first hand experience of these.  

 

#1 Woodcutters Journey

I have a very special place in my heart and soul for an indigenous.  It's somewhere I can go to unwind.  Somewhere I can sit in silence and allow all my problems to flow away from me, even if its just for a short time.  I like to go for a walk on any of the short trails through the forest around Stormsriver Village, but there is another way to explore it and learn at the same time.  The Woodcutters Journey is a guided tour down the old Storms River Pass is a specially designed vehicle.  The pass follows the old elephant migratory route down to the river and on the way passes tree ferns, stinkwoods, yellow woods and many other tree species.  The guide tells you more about the history of the area while pointing out the local flora and fauna. At the bottom of the pass the tour takes a break next to the river for a light lunch or tea and cake.  This is the ideal tour for older visitors or those who would like to learn more about the ins and outs of the forest.

#2 Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour

How about gliding through the indigenous forest like the elusive Knysna Loerie?  Experience the forest from above.  The Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour has become a iconic activity in the area and consists of 10 platforms and 10 zipline slides.  The tour takes about three hours and is more than just an adrenalin rush.  The guides aren't just adventure guides, they also tell you more about the forest and what you see along the way.  I had the great opportunity to do a Canopy Tour with the family and it was something the KidZ have been talking about over and over.  Something I won't forget quickly was getting ready to push off one of the platforms 30 meters up when suddenly two Knysna Loeries swooped up from below and took the lead for me to follow.  An experience you won't forget that quickly.

#3 Tsitsikamma Segway Tour

One of my absolute favorite activities in the area is the Tsitsikamma Segway Tour.  A Segway is a personal transporter that is easy to handle and another perfect way to experience the forest.  You start off with a 15-20 minute training session on their training course where the guides make sure you know exactly how to handle your Segway safely before setting off.  The 1 hour Segway experience takes you on a journey through the quaint Stormsriver Village and follow one of a selection of routes among cool pine forest, the indigenous forest, or to the historical Witteklip bridge.  It also takes you through the local township.  The 2 hour tour, the one I went on, goes through Stormsriver Village, and into the cool pine forests.  From here we entered the ancient indigenous Tsitsikamma Forests and made our way along the paths to the famous and majestic 1000 year old Tsitsikamma Big Tree and back to the village.  Once you do it, I promise you won't want to stop.

#4 Tsitsikamma Falls Adventures

How about flying over a river gorge, across a waterfall and along the river itself? You can do it at Tsitsikamma Falls Adventures.  The experience includes eight slides of which the longest is 211m.  It zigzags across the river gorge, sometimes as high as 50m above the water.  Because its open and you aren't amongst the trees, you get a better idea of height which gives you the opportunity to really take in the views and your surroundings as you go along.  Tsitsikamma Falls Adventures is situated on the N2 about 10 minutes east of Storms River Bridge and takes about an hour and a half which is ideal if you haven't got that much time in the area.

 

Because I have done both Tsitsikamma Falls zipline and the Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour, I have had a lot of people ask me which one is better.  It's really impossible to say because other than the fact that they are both guided zipline experiences, they don't have much else in common.  They use different zipline "setups", the one is a full on tour while the other is more seen as an adrenalin activity, one takes it easy which is more time consuming while the other is a much shorter experience, one involves the forest and the other a river gorge and so I can go on.  It really depends on what you want and what experience you're looking to have.  If you have the time and your budget allows, I would say you have to do and experience both.

#5 The Big Tree

The Big Tree is as part of the Tsitsikamma as the Tsitsikamma National Park down on the coast is.  Probably the second most visited spot in the area by tour groups (don't go and quote me on that now).  The forest around this 1000 years old tree (I'm sure when I was still guiding 7 years ago the signs still said 800 years) forms part of the Tsitsikamma National Park which now is a sub section of the Garden Route National Park.  The Big Tree is a great leg stretch stop if you are just passing through or something to go and do early morning or in the afternoon to take your mind off all the other things you can do in the area.  From the parking area it's a nice easy 500 meter walk along a boardwalk to the tree.  Americans seem to be disappointed when they get there, but it is because they are used to Redwood Trees back home.  She is a biggie though and stand 36.6 meters tall with a circumference of nearly nine meters and a canopy spread of about 33 meters.

#6 Regyne Protea Farm

Did you know that the biggest commercial protea farm in the world can be found in the Tsitsikamma? No?  Well it is.  About 8 or so years ago I used to visit the farm on specially organized tours with British tourists, but Dewald Niemann of Oudebosch Farmstall now offers groups regular tours to the farm.  During a visit you don't just get to see the proteas growing in the fields, but also how they pick, sort and pack them for export.  The warehouse isn't that big, but it's an amazing sight walking into the cold storeroom and seeing the whole place full of flowers waiting to be shipped out.  The tour also includes the protea nursery where Hanli Viljoen may just take you around to show off all her babies.  This is another of the activities in the area that I got to share with my family this year.  Bookings can be made through Oudebosch Farmstall and there are minimum numbers so give them a call in advance to check if there is a tour going.

#7 Marilyn's 60's Diner and #8 Oudebosch Farmstall

I'm combining #7 and #8 in one heading as they are both restaurants. 

 

Visiting the village of Stormsrivier, you would never expect to find a place like Marilyn's 60's Diner there.  It's all neon and chrome with lots and lots of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe and 60's memorabilia.  This is also where you would find the annual Elvis Festival Africa. Very cool indeed.  Marilyn's is great for a burger and chips lunch stop, because burgers and chips is what you eat at a place like this.  Their milkshakes also go down like a dream after a walk in the forest while a midmorning coffee between activities is also an option.  Right next door there's also a new micro brewery, but that I'll keep for next time after I have had a chance to try it out.

 

One of the most popular stops in the area is Oudebosch Farmstall on the eastern side of the Tsitsikamma.  Oudebosch is more than just a regular farmstall.  It has three main components to it.  There is the supermarket servicing the surrounding farming community and tourists heading to Eersterivier and a curio shop where you will find mostly South African crafts and gifts.  The main reason people stop here though is the restaurant / coffee shop.  Oudebosch has a full lunch menu which is very popular but they are truly famous for their mouth watering roosterkoek made right there in the restaurant on the coals. 

#9 Tsitsikamma Village Inn

The Tsitsikamma is truly blessed with a wide range of excellent accommodation establishments starting with camping and self catering in the Tsitsikamma National Park to backpackers hostels, B&B's, guesthouses and hotels.  My favorite place to stay is the Tsitsikamma Village Inn, right in the heart of Stormsriver Village, where the main building dates back to 1845.  The hotel has 49 free-standing rooms and is laid out like a village with each cottage individually styled, themed and decorated to match specific colonial building styles found on the Garden Route.  Facilities include the De Oude Martha Restaurant, the Hunters Pub and Cafe Bacchus.  I prefer to have dinner in the Hunters Pub just because its a lot more cosy than the restaurant, but the food is great no matter where you eat.  The hotel is also very centrally located allowing one to explore the village and surrounding forest on foot without having to take your car.  I know I should try out some of the excellent guesthouses nearby, but I'm always drawn back to the hotel thanks to great hospitality by owners Chris and Irma.  Plus they always invite me back so how can I say no?  

 

#10 Eersterivier

Eersterivier is one of the secret gems of the Tsitsikamma.  The village is hidden away right on the coast close to Oudebosch Farmstall and consist of privately owned holiday homes.  Accommodation at Eersterivier is on a self-catering basis in these holiday homes and can be booked through  Tsitsikamma Seaside Accommodation.  Eersterivier offers a serene seaside holiday experience.  Days are spent on the beach, doing hikes along the coast or through the surrounding fynbos, doing shore based whale and dolphin watching or playing golf at the nearby Fynbos Golf Course.  Either that or just grab a good book and enjoy the magnificent coastal views from the deck of your house.  We spent a weekend Sho't Left in Eersterivier recently and the KidZ just loved the area. 

As they say in television infomercials, "BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE."  These are just the ones I did in 2014 so watch this space and I will report on more Tsitsikamma activities, restaurants and accommodation in 2015.  Right now I'm compiling my list of things to do so I won't mention names just yet....... 

Feeding Koi at the Barrydale "water front"

Barrydale on Route 62 in the Klein Karoo is a pretty little town known for the beautiful surrounding mountains offering various walks, the Tradouw Pass, quint gardens, interesting shops and farm stalls, restaurants popular with passing tour groups and the very famous Ronnie's SEX Shop down the road.  Everything but an ocean.  So I was very intrigued when I saw a Geocache description refer to a spot as the Barrydale "water front".  One or two turns off the main road and we discovered The Blue Cow restaurant situated on the edge of a farm and... you guessed it... a farm dam.  The best seats are on the deck overlooking the farm and the owner quickly brought Erenei and I two slices of bread to feed the koi fish that live in the dam while she chatted away to us.  True country hospitality.

Spending the weekend at The Milk House in Hankey

The Gamtoos Valley west of Port Elizabeth is often just seen as the entrance to the Baviaanskloof yet its a tranquil and very scenic farming area.  I visit the valley a couple of times a year to participate in the annual Gamtoos Tourism Adventure Drive, the Citrus festival and the Patensie Boere Basaar.  This also means that I spend a lot of time in the Patensie area so when Carol Pearson of The Milk House contacted me to invite us for a Shot Left weekend in Hankey I jumped at the opportunity.  Hankey is the oldest town in the Gamtoos Valley and was established in 1826 by the London Missionary Society.  The town has one of the best 9 hole golf courses in the Eastern Cape and it's attractions include the grave of Saartjie Baartman, the Phillips Tunnel (the oldest irrigation tunnel in South Africa) and the Bergvenster (berg window). 

 

 The Milk House has two components to it.  Firstly there is the Farmstyle Bar and then there is the accommodation in the old farmhouse.  The Farmstyle Bar started out as a bar and restaurant that was open every day except for Mondays, but a huge demand for function venues has led to them making a decision to use the venue for functions, corporate events, private dining and social gatherings exclusively.  This hasn't stopped the regulars from still stopping by and popping in for a drink and a chat.  The Farmstyle Bar is also open to patrons staying over at the Milk House's accommodation for dinners and drinks.  We choose a cold and wet weekend to visit Hankey and spent the first evening cozy by the fireplace with a couple of drinks while the KidZ were playing games.  They don't have an elaborate menu and that is the beauty of it. Food made with care.  We all opted for the home made burgers and hand cut chips while a couple of other visitors tucked into calamari and fish.  The thick home made patty was perfectly cooked and smothered with a mushroom sauce while hand cut chips beats shop chips hands down any day.  The thing that The Milk House is best know for is their Boozy Milkshakes.  "What is a boozy milkshake?" you ask.  Well, its a milkshake with a little something added to it.  Good even on a cold evening.

 

I wasn't sure what to expect from the accommodation before hand but was pleasantly surprised when we arrived.  The old farmhouse has been totally renovated and fitted out with everything you need.  It's kitted out for self catering and sleeps at least 10 people with four bedrooms and three bathrooms, a kitchen, lounge and dining room.  The second evening we had a braai under the verandah and spent the evening under a blanket in the lounge with the fireplace (which had a good supply of dry wood available) going.  Chaos Boy brought his Play Station along and kept himself busy while Drama Princess was "cooking" marshmallows over the fire and nagging us because her brother didn't want to give her a turn.  The next morning the sun was out and I went for a walk around the farm, checking out the citrus orchards and the old farm buildings, contemplating climbing up the ladder of the old silo but chickening out before I did one step.  The accommodation can be booked by individuals but is ideal for families or groups of friends for a weekend's getaway or stay over before or after one of the many events that often takes place in the Gamtoos Valley. 

I have to be honest that The Milk House was the last thing I expected in Hankey and spending the weekend not only introduced me to this wonderful place but also opened my eyes to what there is to see and do around Hankey as well.

Disclosure: We stayed at The Milk House Guesthouse and had dinner in the Farmstyle Bar as guests of The Milk House Farmstyle Bar. 
Our travel and other expenses where for our own account.

Moyo at Spier – The ultimate buffet lunch

I remember the first time I went to Spier Wine Estate after Moyo opened thinking that it so doesn't fit in with Spier and it surroundings at all.  But just walking past the outside and going inside to experience it are two totally different things and after having lunch at Moyo's the other day I have so changed my opinion.  Its the difference between Spier's Cape Dutch and colonial look and the free spirit African feel under the ancient oak trees that make the two ideal bedfellows.  The restaurant offers different kinds of seating from casually under the massive trees, privately on the stilted platforms or communally under the marquee tent.  We went for the "under the tree" option.

 

As soon as you are seated the ladies come by to paint the traditional African dots that has become so synonymous with a visit to the Moyo restaurants throughout South Africa.  Although I noticed that there were a couple of South African okes around who weren't too keen on it, the women and especially tourists love it.  And just in case you were wondering about this South African man.  Yes, I had my face dotted as well.

A nice touch I liked very much was the process of washing your hands at the table.  A staff member goes around with a pitcher, bowl and towel and I couldn't help but snap a picture of one of the guests on our table having her hands washed. 

 

 

But seating, face painting and hand washing niceties apart.  We were here to eat and the test taste of a restaurant is in its pudding.  Well all their food really.  Did they pass this test?  The food was orgasmic so the appropriate answer would be yes, yes, yes...  In actual fact, this is the buffet lunch that all other buffet lunches should aspire to be like.

The menu is extensive and consisted of starter, mains and dessert options.  Lots of it.  I was especially impressed with the Impala steak, so much so that I went back to tell the chef that, while some of us returned for another helping of the pumpkin fritters and little bite sized brownies. 

 

I think it's wrong to write a restaurant post like this if you aren't close to the restaurant cause my mouth is watering right now.  Unfortunately I live 800km away otherwise lunch at Moyo would have been on the cards.   

Disclosure: I had lunch at Moyo at Spier as guest of the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa.  I received no additional remuneration to write this post and all views expressed are my own.

5 star meal - Lunch at Twelve Apostiles

Its not every day that I get to have lunch in a smart place like the 5 star Twelve Apostles Hotel and looking at me in my Batman t-shirt in the last picture I clearly wasn't ready for it either.  The Twelve Apostles sits overlooking the surrounding mountains and ocean on Cape Town's Atlantic Seaboard just a couple of kilometres past the upmarket suburb of Clifton.  The hotel with all its facilities is truly award winning and amongst their accolades are the following.

• Sliver's Silver Award: Won by Executive Chef Henrico Grobbelaar for his Finely Engineered Cuisine (2013)
• TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice 2013 Awards: Top 25 Hotels in Africa (14), Top 25 Hotels in South Africa (2), Top 25 Luxury Hotels in South Africa (13), Top 25 Hotels for Service in South Africa (24) (2013)
• Travel + Leisure (USA) 500 ‘The World’s Best Hotels’: Top 50 hotels worldwide (41), overall score of 93.71 (2013)
• Condé Nast Traveler (USA) Gold List: South Africa - Best Hotels & Resorts, overall score 95.7 (2013)
• American Express Platinum Fine Dining Awards: Azure Restaurant Listed (2013)

And these are just the awards won in 2013 already. 

Along with my fellow two bloggers on the Peninsula Tour we were taken to our inside table with a huge window looking over the veranda and out to sea.  The weather wasn't ideal to sit outside otherwise we would have.  The restaurant décor was muted with no bright and flashy colours except for the blue water glasses on the tables.  Stripes along with black and whites are the order of the day.  Being a Sunday afternoon the dining area also had live background music adding that extra touch of class.  Our waiter, it turned out as well, comes from my home town so all which is always a win.

We were set up with a set three coarse lunch and started with Norwegian Salmon with citrus cured, salmon civiché, green goddess, fennel salad, olice ciabata, and miso mayonnaise.  All of that is a mouth full to say but once the food goes into your mouth it truly a fusion of flavours like any Master Chef judge would be looking for.

The main meal was Beef Fillet with chalmar black eggplant, white carrot and roasted onion puree, variation of carrot and potato Nicola.  Melt in your mouth fillet pared perfectly with all the other flavours.  Its the kind of dish which makes you want to ask for more not because you're still hungry but because of the taste.  Enjoying this meal I can understand the American Express Platinum Fine Dining Award mentioned above.  My mouth is still watering

Dessert was Vanilla Creme Brûleé served the traditional way.  Eaten that way as well with a slow movement into your mouth, the closing of the eyes as you pull the spoon out again and a "mmmmmm" sigh straight after.

While taking the first picture in the post I caught the eye of a couple of people enjoying drinks at a nearby table.  They called me over (no, not because I was wearing a Batman t-shirt) and started chatting.  It turned out to be Horst Frehse, the hotel's General Manager (on the right) and Phillip Lategan, the MD of Journey Beyond, a big South African inbound tour operator.  Not long and the chat turned into a little photo session with myself and Shelley Pembroke, one of the other bloggers on the tour.  A special touch was that after our meal Mr Frehse came to our table himself to see if everything was satisfactory.  And satisfactory it was indeed.

Disclosure: I had lunch at the Twelve Apostles Hotel as guest of the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa.   I received no additional remuneration to write this post and all views expressed are my own.