Four & Twenty

I had one of my best breakfasts this year at Four & Twenty. This place has been recommended to me by friends  but it's situated in the Wynberg area I don't often travel to. Well now I will just have to travel that extra mile!

At Four & Twenty a lot of effort goes into each dish. My mind blowing breakfast is called the apple caramel flapjack bomb. It consists of apple cider flapjacks, tangy granny smith apple butter, calvados caramel, almond praline crumble , a dollop of mascarpone and a baby toffee apple.  All this for only R68. The balance between the sour apple butter and sweet calvados crumble served with the flapjacks were delicious. I now have a  problem. I won't be able to order anything else than this dish when I visit them again!

The flapjack bomb!

The boyfriend had the eggs belicious which consisted of two poached eggs, hollandaise, confit baby tomatoes served with ciabatta and a choice of bacon(R65) or salmon(R75). This was another hit!


If you visit them later in the afternoon you can feast on a calamari(R102), quince(R80) or waldorf(R87) salads. For a more hearty meal try the bangin burger(R89), fish cakes(R85) or duck pie(R89). Check out their website for delicious photos!

Eggs belicious!

It's a café and a pantry so if you don't have time to sit down you can come and stock up on baked goods or deli-items. They also have a great wine and craft beer selection.

It's a beautiful French inspired space with tiny details everywhere. Even your take away is wrapped with a beautiful ribbon and look at this cute cookie you receive with your coffee.

I love it when a business goes the extra mile !

My only criticism is that the service was a bit unorganised. Numerous waiters served us and we did not receive coffee refills ect as they "forgot". The place was jam packed so you could excuse them for that but I think if one waiter sticks to a certain table this issue will be resolved.

Anyway you must visit them for that apple caramel flapjack bomb! It really is mind blowing :)

Visit them at 23 Wolfe street, Chelsea Village, Wynberg
Contact them at 021 762 0975
Open Tuesday-Saturday  08:00-17:00 and Sunday 09:00-16:00
For more information visit their website
Tweet them @4and20cafe
Like them on Facebook

P.s They will be closed for their winter break July 1st-14th

Not impressed #1

I usually only write about positive experiences and the negative ones I don't spent any of my time on  but my friends have lately told me to write about the places I have not enjoyed so much. So I will from now on dedicate a little time to the places that did not impress me. So here is #1

Poplars restaurant at D'Aria
Visited a Sunday morning for brunch. We were served dirty menus and cutlery. I ordered the eggs benedict. The portion size was minute, the hollandaise sauce watery and I needed a magnify glass to spot the portion of salmon. The boyfriend had the Poplars breakfast. Again the portion size was below standard and 'the local worse' was cooked to droeë wors.We wanted to try something different but after this experience I would rather go to a Wimpy or Mugg & Bean where the food may be predictable but at least you know exactly what you are going to receive. What we payed for and what we received were not justifiable.

Harbour House V&A
I love to go for drinks at their rooftop bar. Sitting there on a Friday afternoon watching the V&A Waterfront come to life as everyone prepare for the weekend. I made a booking to dine there a Friday evening. The food was expensive but delicious. I was prepared for that but it's clear that they only cater for tourists. The manager on two occasions came to tell us that we had to leave at a certain time. This spoilt our evening and we left way sooner than we would have. They either don't have respect for their South African clientele or they are running their restaurant like a 'wors masjien'. Turning over the tables one after the other. Their amount of wine per glass was also disappointing.

Nu
Social media was ablaze with this Seapoint health food café. The day before the Two Oceans I decided to carbo load there as I saw a good-looking protein flapjack on Instagram. The flapjack was so dry I could not swallow it. The boyfriend had the omelette which was also very small and tasted average. I then saw that other people on twitter also complained about the dry pancakes and shrinking portion sizes. Their smoothies are delicious but I think I will stick with Osumo and Kauai.

Looks nice but is very dry

Tiny portions





Beau Constantia

Beau Constantia is situated on top of Constantia Nek with a beautiful view and stylish tasting room. You can park yourself here for an afternoon.

Outside seating area at Beau Constantia

You can see False Bay!

 

Inside tasting area

 

Heading to downstairs tasting area

 

Down stairs tasting area. I am a sucker for a ghost chair! Love them!

 

Down stairs tasting area

 

 

We initially went for the food and wine pairing. For R135 they pair five of their wines with different kind of canapés. The theme changes often and they have had a Mexican, Asian and South African theme. Check out their Facebook for more information. The options they had on Sunday were not that enticing so we rather opted to taste wine and share a cheese platter.

 

For R80 we received the following cheese platter which I considered as overpriced.  Two grapes cut in half, one piece of parma ham and not enough bread to go with the cheese. Their portions and pairing were off and the table next to us received more bread. This was a bit of a downer for us.

 

Cheeseplatter



 The wine tasting was more enjoyable although service was slow in-between each wine. For R40 you taste four wines. We started with the Pas de Nom White. Pas de Nom translate to nameless. The farm manager, Japie, is the "face" of the wine bottle as his bearded face pays tribute to his dedication to the farm and wine making. The Pas de Nom white is a blend of Viognier, Semillion and the majority Sauvignon Blanc.

Loving the view and wine

 

Our favourite was the Beau Constantia Luca which is a classic Bordeux blend of Merlot and Cabarnet Franc. In layman's term its a great red wine to drink on a cold evening in front of the fireplace! The other two wines we tasted were the Pas de Nom Rose and Beau Constantia Lucca. Overall Beau Constantia has great wines.

The Aidan and Lucca

Beau Constantia was a bit of a hit and miss experience for us. Their food and wine portion sizes were  disappointing as well as their slow service. The view however is breath taking and next time we will rather buy a bottle of wine, sit outside in the sun and enjoy the view.

I see they have a burger and wine pairing this weekend. This will definitely be something that we would have enjoyed more so if you are in the area swing by.

 

 

Open daily 10:00-16:30

Contact them at 021 794 8632 or 082 459 0966

Like them on Facebook

Tweet them @beauconstantia

For more information visit their website

Dornier and Waterford : Blaauwkippen road exploring

Welcome to Dornier!

 

I decided this weekend to explore the Blaauwklippen road just outside of Stellenbosch. The last time I was here was five years ago! We were a group of four who started at Dornier. Dornier offers wine-tasting for only R25 for five wines from two ranges and the fee is wavered if you purchase a bottle. What stood out about Dornier, except for their nice wine, was how liberal they are with their wine tasting portions. Perfect for a sunny winter afternoon.

Hello beautiful mountains!

Outside tasting area

Dornier has three different ranges namely Dornier Donatus, Dornier and Dornier Cocoa Hill.  The Cocoa Hill range is the most affordable with wines between R53-R66. From this range I was most impressed with the Rose. I am not a Rose fan, due to over indulgence in Four Cousins wine as a younger student who did know of anything better, but Dornier's really impressed. It would be the perfect wine for a hot summers day!

Dornier, generous with their wine.

Happy tasters!

All the bottles in the Dornier range is R100 each. Here my favourite was the Chenin Blanc. I was surprised how the two wines I am not usually fond off were the best tasting wines at Dornier. They have converted me again!

If you want to taste from all the ranges then it would cost you R40.

The tasting room has a eclectic Latin inspired feel. One of the more creative tasting room spaces I have been in.

 

 

Dornier wine collection

Inside tasting area

They have the following special tastings

• Wine and flammekuchen tasting
• Monday-Friday 11:30-17:00
• R110 pp
• Pre-booking required
• Gourmet tasting
• Wine and platter tasting
• Monday-Friday 11:30-17:00
• R150 pp
• Pre-booking required

The restaurant Bodega is also on the Dornier estate. They have the following specials at the moment

• 2 course for R175 or 3 course for R230
• 50% of all shellfish on Wednesdays
• Tapas platter for two, including a bottle of wine, R250

Dornier wine estate

Bodega

I browsed through the winter menu and here are examples of a few dishes

• Starters
• Beetroot risotto
• Springbok flammekuchen
• Slow roasted oxtail tortellini
• Mains
• Roasted pork belly
• Beef fillet
• Slow braised lamb shank
• Dessert
• Homemade amarula truffles
• Trio of crème brule
• Warm chocolate brownie

All the dishes on the winter menu are also available as single dishes.

Bodega is also kid friendly with a large area of grass for the kids to run around as well as a castle inspired jungle gym. Mains for them are R35-R60 and dessert R15-R25.

Entertainment for the kids

Dornier is perfect for a sunny weekend afternoon! Have any of you been to the restaurant? Food looks great! Will let you know once I visit :)
Like Dornier Wines or Bodega on Facebook
Tweet them @DornierWines
For more information visit their website
Visit them

• Wine tasting
• Daily 10:00-17:00
• Bodega
• Lunch Wednesday-Sunday 11:30-16:00
• Tapas Wednesday-Sunday 15:00-17:00

Our next stop was at the beautiful Waterford. Wow this estate really takes your breath away. You experience a sense of calm when you walk through the archway towards the courtyard.

Driveway leading up to the estate

Archway leading to the beautiful courtyard

Beautiful courtyard

They offer the following tastings

• Standard wine tasting R45
• Selected Waterford estate wine, Kevin Arnold Shiraz and Pecan Streams wine
• Wine and chocolate pairing R50
• 3 wines with 3 Von Geusau Chocolates
• We did this one and I will elaborate below
• Waterford estate experience R70
• Combination of above two
• Waterford Estate Library Collection Reserve Tasting R200
• Pre-booking essential
• Current Library stock  of special blends including The Jem
• The Jem Tasting R50
• Current vintage  of the Waterford  Estate Flagship red
• Wine drive safari
• Landrover takes you out to the vineyards where you taste wine
• bookings@waterfordestate.co.za

Excited to start our tasting!

Perfect pairing!

We decided to do the wine and chocolate pairing. Our tasting was hosted by Reece. He was very charismatic and made us feel welcome. They paired the following wine and chocolates together:

• Kevin Arnold Shiraz and Masala spice 70% dark chocolate
• The wine first of all was so smooth and velvety. I loved it. The wine and chocolate are both spicy but not overpowering.
• Waterford Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and   sea salt 70% dark chocolate
• I love a sweet and salty combination and as a Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine usually paired with savoury dishes this combination paired perfectly.
• Waterford Family Reserve Heatherleigh aka " 'n lekker soetwyntjie" was paired with a delicious milk chocolate that tasted like a zoo cookie! This was the clear favourite!

This is a wine estate you will have to put on top of your bucket list!

For more information check out their website
Like them on Facebook
Visit them

• Monday-Friday 09:00-17:00
• Saturday 10:00-17:00

Contact them at 021 880 5300 or info@waterfordestate.co.za

The other wine farm on the Blaauwklippen Road we did not get to was Mont Marie. Wine tasting, breakfast, lunch and dinner can be enjoyed here. I quickly scanned their website and their setting looks beautiful. The restaurant is right next to the Blaauwklippen river.

Will let you know how they rate as soon as I head out there again. Like them on Facebook or check out their website for more information!

Hope you have a great weekend! If you have no plans, a daytrip to the above wine farms won't disappoint!

Facebook page

I am currently on a very long holiday/elective so I have more than enough time to blog and do some blog-admin. I have created a Facebook-page which you will find here where I will post my blogupdates, specials I am aware of and hope to interact with some of my readers and hear their opinions or tips!

P.S

I visited The Pot Luck Club again this week with my friend Caitlyn and they have added a pecan nut pie to their dessert menu! To die for! The chocolate fondant is still as gooey and sinfull as always :)

ELL at Spookfontein

Welcome to Spookfontein

 

 

I was first introduced to Spookfontein when I had a glass of their Merlot at Tapas a few years ago. It has since been one of my favourite red wines. In the past Spookfontein wine tasting was only open  by appointment. I was therefore delighted when I heard that they now have an open tasting room as well as a restaurant named ELL. ELL stands for Eat, Love and Life.
 
ELL wants to deliver ethical and earth friendly food. The design of the restaurant as well as the interior also reflects this. Glass windows surround the majority of the restaurant and gives you a beautiful view of the Hermanus wine lands.

Interior

 

Beautiful view

 

Myself and the boyfriend visited them on a rainy Saturday afternoon while the Hermanus Fynarts Festival was on-going. Luckily I phoned that morning to make a booking for the last table in the restaurant as ELL was a very popular space that day. I would suggest you should always book if you know you are heading that way.

Red wine and rain... our perfect combo!

They specialise in gourmet pizzas and designer salads but also has a blackboard which is updated often. The blackboard is usually inspired by the fresh and organic produce that they can obtain.We ordered both of our meals off the blackboard. I had a massive bowl of mussels for only R85. I couldn't finish it,  yet I wish I had. What I really enjoyed was that the sauce the mussels were served in was a lovely light broth. I am not a fan of a thick creamy sauce served with mussels, as this usually takes away the natural flavour of them. This was a dish to remember.
 

Blackboard

Dish of the day!

 

 

The boyfriend had the yellowtail served with a side salad and chips. The fish was a bit dry but not inedible. I was told by fishing friends that yellowtail usually is a dry fish so maybe more of the accompanied sauce would have resolved this issue.
 

Yellowtail minus the side salad

 

 

The only big disappointment was the dessert. They charge R60 for this small cheesecake which tasted average. Most of the desserts were small in portion in comparison to what you pay for them.

 

Service was good although the staff looked a bit bewildered. The restaurant was full to capacity and people were anxiously waiting for tables so you could forgive them for that.

 
ELL however is a warm space that serves honest food and the perfect place to spend a lazy Saturday. You can also just stop by to taste some wine and order a cheeseplatter.

Mmm... a glass of Spookfontein Merlot would be perfect now in this raniy weather...


Openinghours

• Tasting room
• Closed Mondays
• Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-16:00
• ELL
• Monday-Sunday 10:00-17:00

Like them on Facebook
For more information visit their website
Contact them at 073 067 7936
Find them on the R320 aka Hemel and Aarde Wine Valley

Chefs warehouse

I spotted Chefs Warehouse on one of my foodie friends' Facebook. Something that always gets my attention is a restaurant where you can share food, as it's more social,  and don't experience just one or two flavours. So I gathered a few friends and we payed them a visit.

Situated in the trendy Bree street, 50 meters from fellow tapas bar La Parada, Chefs warehouse is owned by Irish chef Liam Tomlin. He was also one of the judges for the recent Eat Out awards.
Chefs Warehouse is part tapas bar and part deli where you can buy top of the range kitchen equipment and produce.

 

Seating is limited and they therefore don't do any reservation. The tables are narrow and this would bother some but as you are not there for a full on dining experience I don't think it would bother you. I will definitely revisit them in the summer when you can sit outside, enjoy their food and soak up the Bree street vibe.

 

 

The menu changes often and you have the choice between fixed deli meals, tapas for two(R280) as well as some desserts.

We decided to share the 'tapas for two' between four. It was enough to satisfy each of us but if shared between two, it will definitely be consistent with a full meal.

On our tapas platter we had the following (going clockwise on the photo)

• Sweet bread
• I had no idea what this was last night but we loved it. It tasted like sweet and sour pork. I did some research now and sweet bread is actually glandular tissue that is soaked in water and then poached in milk to remove the outer membranes and then it's breaded and fried. Now by glandular tissue I mean thymus, pancreas or even parotid gland of a cow or pig. If I knew this beforehand I probably would not have eaten it but it really was delicious and I will order it again.
• Ricepaper wrap
• This was just nice. First time I had a ricepaper wrap and will eat it again the future.
• Crunchy calamari
• Seasoned well and I loved the pairing with the tangy pineapple.
• Seared steak served with nectarines
• This was my favourite dish. I love the freshness the fruit gives the protein, as above with the calamari.
• Jelly cubes served with beetroot (can't remember this one exactly)
• The one dish that did not leave a lasting impression.
• Mushroom risotto
• One of my faves. They give Societi Bistro's risotto a good run for it's money. It was creamy and the mushrooms were true stars in the dish. Their flavour were not lost within the creamy goodness.
• Fish curry
• The coconut broth the fish is served in was delicious and I could easily eat an entire bowl of this.
• Tuna tartar (in the middle)
• Another winner!

Wine is sold by the glass and bottle. Bargain at about R40-R50 on average per glass. The menu is set out with categories such as 'easy drinking' red wine so even if you are no wine connoisseur you will find a glass of wine that you can enjoy.

We loved our dining experience and this is a place for a cosy date or a small group of friends to catch up.

Open

• Lunch 12:00-15:00
• Tapas 16:00-20:00
• Saturday tapas 12:00-14:30

Visit them at 92 Bree Street, Cape Town
Contact them at 021 422 0128 or info@chefswarehouse.co.za
Their website shows the changing menu, however it seems they are lagging behind a bit for this month.


We ended off our evening with  milkshakes at the Fire and Ice Protea Hotel. They are currently renovating so they are hosting in one of their event halls. I must say I was a bit disappointed with the dirty bathrooms as well as the slow service. The milkshakes(R55) were top notch as always. We tried the Lindt, Oreo, Ferro Rocher and Brownie flavour. The Lindt was the clear favourite!

Milkshake pints!

The Lindt winner

Find them at 200 Bree street, Cape town

The Velvet Cake Company

 

My go to place to unwind and get a "pick me up" after a long day is Treat Patisserie. Now for our convenience we don't have to make time for a sit down anymore to enjoy their sweet treats. We can conveniently 'take away'. This is also where you can order and collect baked goods for special occasions. Stop by for a quick coffee(R18) and a cupcake(R15) or spoil yourself or a loved one with a delicious baked cake(pre-order is essential). Their large cakes retail at around R225 and they sure are more affordable than other bakeries in Cape Town where a ordinary chocolate cake will chase R500 out of your wallet and taste average.

Come for a quick coffee...

 

... or some sweet treats.

Muffins, quiches, red velvet cupcakes, vanilla cupcakes...

When I visit Treat I usually share a cake tasting platter(R70) with friends and you can even "take away" this at The Velvet Cake Company.

I have always been a Red Velvet lover but recently I loved their "Miss May" cake which is a sweet and sour passion fruit cake. I am also looking forward to trying their Crepe Cake in the near future.

A day without cake, is a day wasted...

The staff are very helpful and friendly

A space is available if you can't wait to try you sweet treats at home :)

 

For pictures of all the sweet treats and quiches hop over to their website. You can also directly order from the website and they suggest you do it at least two days in advance.

Here's their recent price list

Visit them at 21 Pasita street, Rosenpark, Durbanville
Open

• Monday-Friday 09:00-16:30
• Saturday 09:00-13:00

Contact them at

• 021 914 0482 or 084 676 3288
• order@thevelvetcakeco.com

Like them on Facebook and check out all the delicious images!