The Company's Garden Restaurant

I am final year at last but that also means that my time for exploring and socialising are way less than before :( BUT this weekend was one of my off weekends and I visited a great place Saturday morning for brunch.

Madame Zingara has worked their magic again to revamp the old Company's Garden Restaurant to a hot spot for young and old. It has a lovely and relaxing atmosphere with ample seating underneath the large historic trees and little 'egg nests' where you can  hide away from the crowds or take that 'Instagram' photo :)

Welcome to The Company's Garden Restaurant

The place was packed when we arrived and we waited about 15 minutes to get a table. The wait was fine as you can wander through the gardens, watch the squirrels play or if you have a massive phobia for birds like me be constantly at war with all the pigeons that the crowds are feeding.

You can enjoy a birds eye view of the gardens

 

Loads of places to sit around and relax

The front of house and waiters are very friendly. Service at times was slow but always done with a smile. The restaurant was completely full so one could understand why. I would not recommend them for a quick lunch. You should really come and relax here and take in the surroundings.


The restaurant completely full!


They specialise in breakfast and light lunches. Breakfast will cost you between R39 - R78. I enjoyed delicious banana bread French toast served with crispy bacon, strawberries and maples syrup. I'm a big French toast lover and the twist with the banana bread really made theirs unique. It was too die for and presented beautifully. My brunch guest enjoyed some toasted sandwiches and a omelette.

Yummy!!

 

You can choose your next Cape Town spot with this cute compass



Lovely brunch!

There were some tiny faults. I asked for my maple syrup on the side and I received my bacon on the side. The omelette was requested with ciabatta bread and my friend receive rye bread. The one side salad with the sandwiches was served with salad dressing while the other one had no dressing. Tiny faults that did not ruin our experience but also something that should not happen.

Loved this Cape Town gem!

Other food to try are salads, burgers, pasta, fish of the day and ploughman platters.

Their wine by the glass start at R30 and a bottle of wine from R125 upwards. It's a lovely spot to go for a late afternoon wine and cheese session.

Oh and I saw some delicious baked goods go past our table. Think red velvet cheesecake, koeksisters and more! My next visit will definitely be for tea and cake!

Visit The Company's Garden for simple but delicious food but more so for the great vibe and beautiful surroundings! I will be back soon!



For more information visit their website
Like them on Facebook
Contact them at companysgarden@madamezingara.com or 021 423 2919 for a reservation
Visit them Monday-Sunday 07:00-18:00

Muisbosskerm

Muisbosskerm is the first original open air restaurant in South-Africa. It initially started as a venue where the owners entertained their friends but in 1986 it opened for the masses. According to Getaway top 10 published in The Readers Digest it is one of the top 10 things to do in South-Arica.

The view

Seating downstairs



Fish prepping station

For R230 you experience an all you can eat seafood buffet. An extra R50 will ensure half a crayfish.

Now remember this is not a 'gourmet' experience. You eat out of plastic plates and a mussel shell serves as utensils. I must it's actually very effective :) While you dine there you will be entertained with real 'boeremusiek' in the background.

Everything is prepared, cooked and served on the spot. You would struggle to obtain fresher seafood.

Everything is cooked on the open fire...

...and served right next to it!

 The view over the Lamberts Bay ocean is amazing. I loved hearing the crashing of the waves while we dined. We visited during a windy day which is not ideal but they do supply you with blankets.

There are about 10-12 courses. There are no announcements when the food arrive so my tip would be to sit at the top of the restaurant where you will still have a view but can see when all the new delicacies arrive.

It is a bit like the hunger games where every man is for themselves so when they serve something new you must decide if you are going to volunteer as tribute and venture into the masses or sit back and wait for the storm to calm. We were a group of 6 so every time something new was served two of us would fetch it and we would dine tapas style. This also helps you not to overeat and experience everything on offer.

You will be treated to mielies, freshly baked bread straight from the oven, paella, waterblommetjiebredie, hotnotfish, snoek, geelstert, hake lamb, tripe and more. You end off your meal with 'regte egte boeretroos' and koeksisters.

Harders



Loved these mielies!



Say mielie!




Snoek and slaai



Freshly baked bread



Paella, geelstert , hake




What a treat! Crayfish!



Very excited about the crayfish!

Lamb



Koeksister cheers!



My favourite boeretroos!

My favourites were the mielies, crayfish, geelstert and the boeretroos. It was not the best seafood that I have ever had but it was good. The koeksister was a bit dry for me.

Corkage is R20 a bottle and they do have a bar that mostly serves wine from the surrounding area.
 At Muisbosskerm it's not only about the food but also about the experience.We travelled a 90 minutes drive from Paternoster and it was worthwhile. The fresh air, fresh food and jovial atmosphere would warrant my return.



Happy, satisfied customers!



A crayfish cheers!



Booking is essential

For more information visit their website
Visiting times

• Lunch 12:30 for 13:00
• Dinner 18:30 for 19:00

Located 5km from Lamberts Bay on the Eland's Bay road.
Contact them at muisbosskerm@kingsley.co.za or 027 432 1017
Like them on Facebook

The new Haas still 'Haas it'

Welcome

I popped in at the new Haas last week after a lovely promenade walk! They've moved from the Bo-Kaap area to 19 Buitekant street which is a few buildings down from Truth .

I really prefer the new spot. It's larger, so more customers can share in the goodness of Haas, and I love the décor more. They still have their usual bric and brac everywhere but the earthy tones they used overall really adds a stylish feel to the place.
You can read  about my first visit to Haas here when they still were located at their old spot.

The counter with all the yummy treats

 As we entered Haas their array of sweet treats at the bar counter looked delicious. We rather opted to enjoy a late brunch but next time sweet treats WILL be ordered.

Stylish new space

I was joined but my friend Kerry who is also big lover of French toast so naturally we both ordered that. Both of us had some requests around our order and Haas delivered. The French toast is made from baguette style bread and they serve it nice and crisp. For R48 this really was a delicious sweet breakfast. They add some strawberries for garnish, but I would love them to add some more to the dish, as it helps to neutralise some of the sweetness.

Yummy!

Their coffee is awesome and I am sorry to say(or not) that I prefer theirs to neighbour Truth.
Kerry specifically commented on their coffee to milk ratio that she loved which some coffeehouses really get wrong at times. Haas was spot on! They also don't roll their eyes if you add sugar to your coffee.

Where the coffee magic happens!

If you visit them during lunch time you can feast on sandwiches, salads and curries. A bit of the Bo-Kaap lingers at Haas as their bunny chows are still on the menu! They also have lunch specials that changes daily.

One of my favourite décor pieces was this basin!

Service was friendly and efficient! Our waitress Phumza was a sweetheart!

The new Haas really makes me more excited than the old one! I will be back ASAP!

Open Monday-Friday 07:00-17:00 and Saturday-Sunday 08:00-15:00
Contact them at 021 461 1812 or info@haascollective.com
Like them on Facebook
Tweet them @haascoffee or @haascollective
For more information visit their website

Current menu

Crown Restaurant at Meerendal Wine Estate

It was one of those sunny winter Sundays. You know one of those days, that we've been enjoying the last couple of weeks, that's usually followed by rainy and cold weather. A total teaser! I must say that winter has really overstayed it's welcome but I think we are almost official in summers' territory.  So I headed out to Crown for an afternoon of wine and sun before 6 weeks of Paediatrics took over my life.

Welcome to Crown

Crown is situated on Meerendal Wine Estate. If you are part of the 'active' crowd you will know that Meerendal is one of the places in the Northern Suburbs where you can ride your bicycle or go for a run and then hop right into Crown for a 'bederf brekkie'! Breakfast is served until 11:00 and range between R25-R60. I skipped the active part and headed straight for the wine and food part. Next time I will go with my running shoes :)

I was surprised how stylish the establishment was. I was impressed how they played with different shapes of furniture. One of my favourites was this awesome piece below as well as the bicycle wall!

Next time I want to sit in one of those! It looks so cool!

Crown paying tribute to all the bicycle lovers!

They also have one wall that is covered with mirrors that enlarges the space immensely. They have large concertina doors that open onto a big lawn. Ideal if it's a sunny day or if you go with little ones as you will always be able to keep an eye on them.

Large lawn that everyone can enjoy!

The mirror wall!

They serve simple food in an elegant manner. We enjoyed a cheese and chacuterie platter for R155. It was more than enough for two people and I will recommend that you share it between four. The only thing I did not enjoy was the boiled eggs. It took away some of the class of the platter and you should rather keep those 'delicacies' when you go on a road trip! I personally just hate them! The food that went passed us looked delicious and ensured that we have to return in the future! Their BBQ beef burger(R65) caught my eye as well as their beef steak(200g) that is served with baby potatoes, hollandaise sauce and green beans(R130). Their salads range between R60-R67 and they are definitely generous with their portions.

Our delicious platter filled with a great variety of cheese, chacuterie, olives, figs and more!

We did however enjoy a sweet treat of chocolate and caramel filled pancakes served with ice-cream(R34). I loved the filling but the pancake itself was undercooked and underwhelming. They do have milk tart on the menu that is served with butternut and mascarpone ice-cream(R34) that I will try next time! Vegetable ice-cream can only be healthy :)

Chocolate and salted caramel pancake. Here the portion is already halved.

 

I loved how they served their coffee. It's the small details that count.

Service was a 10/10. They were friendly and efficient. Bookings area a must if you plan to visit over the weekend. The place was packed and the atmosphere was wonderful. If it's a great day do sit outside!

Crown also hosts a Farmers Market on their large lawn. The next one is the 11th of October. You can RSVP here. You will be treated to fresh produce, home made goods as well as an entertainment section for the little ones. 

Where you will find the wine tasting...

We really enjoyed Meerendal's Unwooded Chardonnay(R69) so after lunch we went to the wine tasting and deli area to purchase a few bottles. An unwooded wine is usually when the wine is not matured in an wood barrel but rather in a stainless steel vat. It's an ideal wine for people who don't like the strong wood taste that accompany some wines and it's also ideal for wine beginners as the wine has a gentle yet flavoursome taste. I think we really enjoyed it because it was an easy and refreshing wine to drink which paired perfectly with all the strong cheeses without competing with their flavours.

At the wine tasting area you can sit  outside on a lovely deck overlooking the estate and also enjoy a platter with your wine tasting. If I remember correctly its about R25 for five wines. Their wines per bottle range between R39-R250. Meerendal is one of the first places in South-Africa that planted the Pinotage cultivar way back in 1955. Their Pinotage (R140) therefore is a 'must-try'.

The deck

 

Wine shop

 

This is definitely a spot where I want to be on a Friday afternoon after a long week or enjoy a wine filled lunch with friends!

Crown Restaurant and Wine bar

• Visit their website for more information
• Contact them at 021 515 5853 or info@crownrestaurant.co.za
• Like them on Facebook
• Located on the Vissershok road, Durbanville
• Breakfast and lunch: Monday-Sunday
• Dinner: Tuesday-Saturday

Meerendal Wine Estate

• Visit their website for more information
• Wine tasting: Monday-Sunday 10:00-17:00
• Like them on Facebook

Truth

You feel like a celebrity when you enter Truth Coffee. All the staff greet you and are super friendly. Add to that the impressive colossal coffee machine in the middle of the coffeehouse, Truth does distinguish themselves from others.

Now they have been voted as 'the best' in Cape Town as well as 'the best' in the world by a traveling journalist. To be honest their coffee is great but not my favourite. That is my personal opinion but I am sure many will disagree with me.

Truth

Their coffee is served 'with no sugar required', in fact they are actually offended is you ask for sugar. The coffee aromas smell as good as it taste. Many of you will love it. They have a coffee happy hour between 07:00-08:00 where all coffee is R15. After that a cup of joe will start at R20.


They also serve breakfast and light lunches. You can even stop by for a takeaway coffee and croissant.
Improv nights, vintage markets and live music makes regular appearances at Truth. Check out their Facebook page for more information.

Truth is one of Cape Town's institutions. You have to visit them at least once. Are they your favourite or do you rate others as better?? 

Visit them at 36 Buitenkant street, Cape Town
Open

• Monday-Thursday 07:00-18:00
• Friday 07:00-late
• Saturday 08:00-18:00
• Sunday 08:00-14:00

Contact them at 021 200 0440 or info@truthcoffee.com
For more information visit their website. You can also buy their coffee and other appliances straight from their website.
Like them on Facebook
Tweet them @TRUTHcoffee

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

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!