The Thirsty Scarecrow

Welcome to The Thirsty Scarecrow

After wine tasting at Hidden Valley we were in serious need of some delicious food. The strawberry farm nearby, that would be familiar to most, has a great restaurant called The Thirsty Scarecrow. This is a no nonsense, no frills chilling spot. They have an extensive drink list that would cater for all needs and of course the famous strawberry makes it's appearance frequently. A great thing is that you don't have to spoil yourself with only one beer but do a taster of 4 (R40) or 8 (R75) . I am not a beer drinker at all even though the boyfriend is trying really hard to get me on the beer train. They do however serve beer cocktails(R40), maybe this is the starting point for my beer career :) I did try and enjoyed the Liefmans Strawberry beer but it tasted more like a cider. The wine and normal cocktail options are also extensive. I had  a Farmers Sunset(R40) that consisted of rum, grenadine, pineapple and orange.

4 Beer tasting option with the Liefman Strawberry beer on your left.
 

Farmers Sunset

Advanced beer shandy (R40). As a non-beer drinker I loved it!

 

Menu wise it was difficult to choose. They serve tapas that would pair perfectly with a afternoon of drinks. Some options to tease the taste buds are beef short ribs(R56), Sweet&Sticky dates(R45), Patagonian calamari(R52)  and cheese croquettes(R48). For a more substantial meal they serve beer battered fish and chips(R70), pizza's and nacho's(R78). We shared some pizza's and they were delicious. Very cheesy and they were generous with the toppings.

Fat tony - Sundried tomatoes, salami, mushrooms, feta and basil (R86)

When pigs fly - Caramelised onions, brie, olive tapenade and bacon(R85)

Beer battered fish and chips (R70)

The thing I placed on my food bucket-list and which will guarantee my return, is the deep fried oreos with ice-cream. That sounds like a plate of heaven to me :)


When the weathers permits it be sure to sit outside on the patio that overlooks the strawberry and scarecrow fields, otherwise there are some larger tables inside.

Folks enjoying the sunny day on the patio

Décor wise touches of red are visible all over the restaurant. They were also very innovative by using farm crates to build the bar and wheel caps to serve as seats.

Innovative bar and bar-stools

Area inside

Red accents everywhere

The place for a drink...

My only negative point is that service was lacking and slow. Drinks and food took long to arrive. I see this is a trend on their Tripadvisor reviews. The waiters seemed passive and uninterested.

For drinks or a long relaxing lunch with friends, The Thirsty Scarecrow is the place to be. Do however ensure you have "enough time".

Visit them Monday-Sunday 11:00-23:00 ( Food is only served from 12:00 onwards)
Contact them at 021 881 3444
Located at the corner of R44 & Annandale Road
Like them on Facebook

Warhorse

One of the highlights of my trip to London last year was the show Warhorse. Lucky for South Africans, the show is heading to our shores this year and my ticket is already booked.

Warhorse

Warhorse had a successful running at Broadway and as mentioned London's West End. The puppets used in the show were made in 2007 by the Cape Town based , Handspring Puppet Company. They are so well made you will forget that the horses and other puppets are not real.

Warhorse is based on the book by Michael Morpungo. The plot is based on a boy who's horse is sold for battle in the WW1 and how he goes on a quest to find the horse again.

Warhorse

Tickets are between R100-R450 and can be purchased at Computicket . It will be running at the Artscape from 5th December 2014 - 4th of January 2015. Some of the shows are already sold out so don't wait to long! You won't be disappointed.

Here is a link to a TED talk that will get you excited. Click here


See you there!

Hidden Valley

Welcome to Hidden Valley
 

The winelands kept us busy this weekend with activities. After our visit to Equus on Saturday we decided to head to the Route 44 road on Sunday for a spot of wine-tasting. We were actually on our way to Ernie Els Wines but was confronted with a closed gate. (They are only open Monday-Saturday). Luckily we kept on driving and bumped into Hidden Valley wines. I then clicked that it's the home to the famous Overture restaurant that has featured for many years on the Eat Out Top 10 restaurant list. The bucket list immediately received a new item.

Incredible view

The wine-tasting takes place on their beautiful patio overlooking the majestic mountains of Stellenbosch, Durbanville and even Table Mountain. For R45 you taste six wines as well as a selection of green and black olives. The fee is wavered if you purchase any 3 pack. Wines range from R75-R170.

Award winning wines!

We were a big group but our wine connoisseur handled us with great care and gave us the necessary information we needed to know. She definitely favoured some of the boys with the amount they received in their glasses ;) Another great thing we noticed was that Hidden Valley used individual bottle aerators for their red wines. Just another feature that distinguishes them from other tastings I have done before. Take note it is also a great gift idea for upcoming Father's Day. I found a few options on Yuppiechef for those who are interested. (Another website I spend way to much time on :) )  

Lots of space for big groups!

My favourite wine was the viognier(R130). Usually it's not part of the tasting but we were lucky. It's a very refreshing and fruity wine with aromas of peach, apricot and passion fruit.

Other wines that you can taste are chenin blanc, chardonnay, rose, pinotage and their two red blends hidden secret(shiraz and tannat) and hidden gem(carbarnet sauvignon). The red blends were favourites of the boys and they left with a few for their collection. 

They also offer a chocolate and wine pairing as well as picnics which I would love to try next time.

So if you are heading toward the R44 be sure to stop by Hidden Valley to experience a great wine tasting with an even better view.

Happy tasters!

Visit them 7 days of the week 09:00 - 17:00
Contact them at info@hiddenvalleywines.com or 021 880 2646
Follow them on Instagram @hiddenvalleywines
Tweet them @HVWines
Like them on Facebook
For more information visit their website

Equus at Cavalli Estate

Equus at Cavalli estate

The Cavalli Estate is an extremely pleasant environment. When you leave this establishment you will feel refreshed. They have exceptional service from the wine tatsing area through to the restaurant. Cavalli translate from Italian to English as "The horses". As you drive down the road that leads  to the restaurant you will observe on your left the beautifull horses and top of the range stables.


The Cavalli estate will not only entertain you with delicious food and wine but also an art gallery, memorabilia room and fashion boutique to browse at.


Wine tatsing takes place at the bottom floor of the restaurant. It's a very modern space with massive fridges where the wines are stored. For R30 you taste six wines. If you spend more than a R100 the fee is wavered. Wines start from R45. We loved the Black Beauty shiraz. I usually prefer a merlot to a shiraz as it's a less intense wine to drink, but Cavalli's Shiraz was a winner. I also loved the labels they use on their wine, simple but striking.

Love the wine labels. 

Wine tasting area

Next head to the memorabilia rooms that  host items such as a 1906 Springbok rugby jacket, an Arsenal signed football, guitars signed by U2 and The Rolling Stones and much more. Sports and music enthusiast will at least need a hour to appreciate this impressive collection.

A jacket that dates back to 1906. The year the Springboks were established. I am feeling very chuffed with all my new rugby knowledge :)

Kid in a candy store!

There is something for the music lovers too!

The Art gallery next door will also be appreciate by all art lovers. The pieces range from well known Pierneef paintings to modern day sculptures. This is a great spot to come and walk around after a very delicious lunch upstairs.

What lies beneath is the current exhibition.

My favourite piece!

Something for everyone

A range of classic and modern art pieces

Now to get to the beautifull space upstairs. The Equus restaurant is established as an eco-friendly restaurant that serves classics in a contemporary way. During the week they serve bistro lunches and at night they host fine dining evenings.

Surrounded by beautiful mother nature

A spot on the patio is a must. You can't book for the patio so arrive early!

Feeling spoiled!

Inside

If you want to enjoy the fine dining option then starters will be between R85-R130, mains R150-R160 and dessert R60-R80.


We went for the more relaxed bistro lunch as we wanted to enjoy the beautiful surroundings and utilise their incredible patio overlooking the eco-system friendly dam that warms and cools the stunning space.


Our dining experience was started with complimentary sundried tomato and walnut bread served with a red wine infused butter.

Great start to the meal

We then ordered some cocktails. As we already did the wine tasting earlier we wanted to experience something different. I had the most refreshing cocktail made with vodka, fresh watermelon ,passionfruit, fructose and lime served over ice. It's called "The Pincushion"(R60) and I could have indulged in ten of them. The boyfriend was recommended a more manly cocktail named "Jackal Buzzurd Julep"(R70). This is made with fresh Rooibos ice tea, cognac, Rooibos sugar syrup, Peychards bitters and mint. If you are not interested in dining here I would still come for  a delicious cocktail, sit in their fire pit and enjoy the majestic surroundings.

The pincushion

The Jackal

For mains we enjoyed the succulent porkbelly(R95) and rib-eye steak(R110). Miso-glazed aubergine(R85),  sous-vide chicken breast(R90) and grilled fish of the day(R95) were the others to choose from. The porkbelly was cook to perfection and melted in my mouth. I also loved the rib-eye steak. The boyfriend said that it was a bit tough for him but I disagreed. You could easily cut it with a normal knife.


All mains are served with the same side-dishes of beetroot, button mushroom, onion cup, oat crumble and potatoes du jour. This is still something I can't warp my head around as all the components were delicious but some I would not have paired with the main dish. The mushroom puree did not go with my porkbelly but it complimented the rib-eye steak. I expected that each dish will have different components that compliment them but I assume this is the norm with the bistro lunches. The food however was still delicious and this is one of the places that I would love to return to as soon as possible.

Rib-eye

Porkbelly

For dessert we shared malva pudding served with ice-cream, custard and topped with crumbled
rocky road chunks. This was a dessert right up my alley, chocolaty and very sweet.

Sweet ending...

Great news is that they are currently running a winter special...

• Two course R200
• Three course R280

... so utilities this great dining opportunity or go for an excellent wine tasting experience. Cavalli is one of my favourites so far this year!

When to visit:

• Wednesday-Saturday afternoon: Bistro lunches
• Wednesday-Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon: Fine dining

For more information visit their website
Visit them at Strand road(R44). Situated on the road between Stellenbosch and Somerset-West across from Eikendal
Contact them at 021 855 3218 or restaurant@cavalliestate.com
Like them on  Facebook

Ou Meul Bakkery : New gem in Willowbridge

Blogging and the gym have not been on top of my to do list these last few weeks, so both got revived recently. I went to the gym and bumped into a friend. Her first words were : "Have you been to the new bakery in Willowbridge? You will love it! I became a local within a week!"


I am usually in the loop when new places appear, especially in the Northern Suburbs, as the choices are somewhat limited. I was immediately intrigued. (Give me anything but a large franchise).

I am busy with exams and it's usually when procrastination is a favourite past time, so I decided to be  productive and have brunch with my mother :)

The first branch of Ou Meul Bakkery opened in Riviersonderend. We always stop there and buy loads of delicious pies. Our fridge is currently stocked up with them. I love the bobotie flavour.

In April they opened another branch located next to the Col Cacchio in Willowbridge. I love what they did with the space. They mixed beautiful wood tables with metal chairs. Not a complete industrial feel, but borderline to it. A great aspect of the bakery is that they have a few long tables that will accommodate big groups who are looking for a business meeting spot or a cake and tea birthday party. My favourite aspect of the bakery however is the glass window in front of the kitchen. Here you can observe how they knead and bake al the delicious pastries and breads.

Look out spot towards Welgemoed

Long tables to accommodate many

My fave spot

The coffee is great and if you visit them from 07:00-09:30 a cup of joe is only R10. For breakfast I had a omelette stuffed with goats cheese, mushrooms and tomatoes and a side of toast. They were gracious with the fillings and it tasted delicious.

Yummy omelette

I am planning a return visit ASAP as I have spotted these yummy treats on their Facebook page:

 Mmm, now I will have to go to the gym more....

 The staff at the bakery were very welcoming with every client that entered the bakery. How refreshing that a new spot has opened in the Northern Suburb. I predict only success for them and they are 5 minutes away from me. New blogging spot sorted!

Visit them Monday-Saturday 07:00 - 18:00 & Sunday 08:00 - 17:00
Like them on Facebook
Visit their website (currently under construction)

 * The last four photos are from the Ou Meul Bakkery Facebook page and I take no credit for them.