BBQues at Groot Constantia

A friend recently introduced me to a great restaurant in Constantia. When he first described the BBQ, American style restaurant to me I did not believe him at first. When I think about the Constantia area the things that come to my mind are lavish wine farms and beautiful homes overlooking grandeur.

My opinion immediately changed when I stepped into the warm and inviting environment of BBQUES. It's a very chic decorated "barn" with long wooden tables and beautiful chandeliers. The waiters are decked out in denim and extremely friendly. They had the skills to quench the thirst of a very jolly and thirsty crowd :) The manager is also very involved with the service and that is probably why the evening was smooth sailing all the way through.

Booking is a must!

The candles adds some elegance to a very casual atmosphere.

They were prepared for rainy Friday night with enough gas heaters! The red wine also helped :)

This is not a place for anyone on a diet. Here you will feast American style. It was difficult to make a choice...

For a starter we enjoyed 'Kick ass skins'(R35). This is potato skins topped with pulled pork, cheese and crème fraiche. It's a must-try when you visit. It's rich, creamy and very cheesy. Comfort food at it's best. Add spicy bbq wings(R35) and grilled calamari(R40) and you will be right on track towards delicious mains.

For mains I tried the BBQ's big boy burger(R85). The patty was made with excellent quality meat and the basting was delicious. The fries, served in small clay flower pot, was seasoned with chilli salt! They gave Steers a good run for their money! You also receive guacamole, cream cheese and tomato and onion relish as sides and this allows you to add some extra flavour to your meal.

A crowd favourite was the 600 gram ribs(R125). My friend, Jorika, was adamant that she will not share and only managed to finish a third. Portions are big and hearty. Grown men were struggling to finish the delicious and tender ribs.

 

If you don't want anything meaty you can enjoy southern fried chicken(R85), fajitas(R100/110), spicy prawn and calamari(R130) or mac and cheese(R75). The entire table were very satisfied with their meal.

Two thumbs up for BBQues food :)

The night was perfected by the performance of The Nick Marucci band that entertained us the whole evening. They sang some of their own songs as well as cover hits such as Hey ho from The Lumineers. Their cd's are available for purchase at the venue for R100. Invest in them now as I see a big break for them in the future. Here is a link to a YouTube video of them.


As always an evening cannot be complete without something sweet at the end.  Indulge in chocolate brownies served with ice cream(R35) or marshmallow and chocolate pie.

A crowd favourite!

The only downside to the restaurant is that the wine prices are high. The white wines start at R115 and the red wines at R120. Corkage is allowed so consider that if you don't want to spend the mentioned amount.

We enjoyed the Porcupine Ridge Syrah(R120) which was a very easing drinking wine and paired perfectly with the rich food.

This is not a place to come for a romantic meal. Gather a big group of friends and come to BBQues for a delicious feast and great atmosphere.

Open Friday and Saturday evenings 19:00 - 24:00
Situated on the Groot Constantia wine farm adjacent to Simon's restaurant.
Contact them at 021 794 2984
Follow them @BBQuesCT
Like them on Facebook

Hermanus Markets

Saturdays in Hermanus can be enjoyed by visiting two very different markets. I recently decided to visit both in one day to see which one I prefer. Both markets start at 09:00 in the morning.

Hermanus Country Market

This was my favourite market of the day! The market has a great variety of fresh produce, food, coffee and drinks to satisfy all taste buds as well as some pretty goods to buy.

My favourite shopping stall was Helen Silverware Jewellery. All the jewellery are made out of antique spoons. They are not as tacky as those forks you see everywhere that people wear as bangles. These jewellery pieces are extremely well transformed from its original use to great rings. I did not realise at first that the rings were made from spoons. For more information and pictures visit her Facebook-page .

My favourite food stall was where we had the best breakfast for only R35. Two pieces of French toast topped with bacon, rocket, green figs and camembert! Delishes! I still want to replicate this at home. This market really is affordable with most food choices being less than R40.

This for only R35

Enjoying my surroundings and a very great cup of coffee

The market is also great to stock up with some gourmet sausages made by Sanity Farm that you can serve as a o'dourve at a braai. Think of sausages fill with ingredients such as blue cheese, cranberries and almonds.  Invest in some sweet treats or fresh loaves of bread for late Saturday afternoon.

Hermanus Country Market attracted all shapes and sizes. Children played on the jungle gym and loads of doggies were around to play with each other. There's enough seating to accommodate everyone and Piano Ben, a popular artist in Hermanus, was the entertainment of the morning.

Market was bustling with loads of people

This market really made me feel relaxed and was a perfect start to a lazy Saturday morning.

If you come a bit later to catch an early lunch you can do a wine-tasting from some of the local cellars that are there as well and enjoy some craft beers.

Raka wines was one of the local cellars visiting

Food ranges from Mexican to Polish cuisine. Something I did not expect from a "country market".

Mexican breakfast of tortilla topped with scrambled eggs, sour cream and avo and tomato salsa

Polish baguette of cheese and bacon

The market is open until 13:00 and during season time in December they also open on Wednesday evenings!

Locate the market next to the Hermanus Cricketfield!
Open during the summer months from 08:00 -12:00 and during the winter months from 09:00-13:00

For more information regarding the market and its traders...
Like them on Facebook
Follow them @HermanusMarket
Visit their website


Hermanus Pietersfontein Market

Now this market was more for the refined crowd. I did not feel as at home here as at the country market but they also have great food and wine to be enjoyed.

The seating here are long tables. People were not to happy to share so you would sometimes find three people sitting at a large table. In the end we got some seating and tried some sweet treats and dim sum. My only regret for the day was the dim sum. What you receive and what you pay for did not add up and the filling of the dim sum was very meagre.

Something I do looked forward to trying the next time I visit is the chauceterie platter. During a beautiful day underneath the umbrellas this will go perfectly with some bottles of wine and a group of friends or family. Here they also have sushi, perlemoen, pizza and baked goods.

Delicious custard cake for only R15

This stall had delicious brownies

Freshly baked bread

The options at this market are more limited but exclusive. Nothing at this market is repeated at the Hermanus Country market. Quality of all the produce are excellent!

Hermanuspietersfontein is the only wine here as they host the market and is available by the glass or bottle. We refilled our glasses a few times. They have a great variety of wines and the lovely gentleman that worked there the morning we visited had a great charm to him and explained the wines to us in great detail. When the market ends be sure to head to their wine shop to indulge in some more wine-tasting!

If you plan to visit both markets I would first start at the country market and then move over to the Hermanus Pietersfontein Market. Both are a real treat!

Located at the Hemel and Aarde village at the Hermanus Pietersfontein Winery and cellar
Open every Saturday 09:00 - 13:00
Visit their website for more information


During the coming long weekend you can enjoy the Hermanus Wine and Food Festival at the Hemel and Aarde Village. Tickets are R120 at computicket. The festival is the 9th and 10th of August. It starts at 11:00 and runs until 19:00. More than 250 wines will be there for you to taste and local chefs will be there to spoil you with delicious food!

Cafe Blanc de noir at Brenaissance

Brenaissance needs no introduction. If you had not heard of them....where have you been hiding? This pizza and wine paradise is situated on Devonvalley road outside of Stellenbosch. The same road JC Le roux is located on.

I recently finished a very hectic four weeks of  Internal medicine. That's why the blog has been on the quite side but I have loads of updates that will be posted ASAP!

 Thank goodness I visited Brenaissance before this all started as I had some fond memories to cling to during early mornings and late night calls.

At Brenaissance you can indulge in delicious pizza, great wine and a very relaxed atmosphere. It's located between beautiful vineyards and the restaurant itself is decorated in a very retro colour palette of black and white.

 

 

The manager and waitresses at Brenaissance are fantastic and contributed to an excellent experience.

 I was very excited to try their pizza and wine pairing! It cost R150 and you receive four wines and four slices of pizza. At first I thought this was a bit steep so I rather went for the pizza option only  where you still receive four different slices of pizza(R100) but without the wine. We ordered a bottle of wine but enjoyed it so much that in the end we drank two bottles and our bill per person was R140 each so the pairing actually is a great option! I have learned my lesson.

We enjoyed the Lord T(R78) which is a red wine blend. This wine was delicious. It paired perfectly with the pizzas, especially the slices that had some protein on it, and with the rainy weather outside it brought a great comfort to the meal. I can't wait to enjoy another glass again.

The four slices of the pizza consisted of

• Biltong, sweet fig, Danish feta, avo, mixed greens and balsamic glaze (My fave slice)
• Cajun chicken, chorizo, red onion, mushroom ,mixed greens and chili infused olive oil (The chili had a major kick to it-phew)
• Aged parma ham, garlic tomato, mixed greens, avo, parmesan shavings and pesto olive oil
• Caramelised onions, calmata olives, Danish feta, mixed greens and balsamic glaze



Pizzas with only one range of toppings will cost you between R60-R85. The bases of the pizza are thin and crisp and as you can see from the above picture they don't skip on the cheese or toppings.

 

If you are not in the mood for a pizza you can enjoy a mezze platter, a chicken wrap or a salad. End off your meal with something sweet like carrot cake, chocolate brownie, peppermint crisp delight or a choc nut sundae.(R35-R40). The menu is limited but everything they offer looks great!

 

They sell wine by the glass and bottle as well as some cocktails and craft beers. I will really recommend the Lord T red wine blend! A very easy and smooth drinking wine!

 

This is the prefect place to drive to on a Sunday! I guarantee you there will be no blue Monday after you ended off your weekend at Brenaissance.

 

 

Open Wednesday-Thursday 11:00-21:00, Friday-Saturday 11:00-22:00 and Sunday 11:00-17:00

Contact them at 021 200 2537 & café@brenaissance.co.za

Visit their website

Follow them @BrenaissanceSA

Like them on Facebook

Located at 75/2 Devon Valley Rd

 

Take note they are close for renovations from 12 August - 22 August

 



Obz Cafe

The only time I venture to the Observatory area is to visit my favourite Mexican restaurant Pancho's. Every time I do however go there, I notice the Obz Café. It look so cosy from the outside with the red and white checked table cloths and dark wood interior.

I then discovered that they have a pizza and pasta special on Thursday evenings and I no longer had an excuse not to visit them.

The night we visited, the place was packed with more tourists than locals. I love seeing this and I know why they visit. Great service, delicious food and a very cosy atmosphere. They only get rave reviews on Tripadvisor.

The host and our waiter were brilliant. Very attentive, welcoming and contributed to the relaxed atmosphere of the night.

There is a beautifully dark wooden bar at the entrance of the Café that contributes to some elegance in this relaxed café.

The pizzas we tried were

• Spicy meatballs and pecorino ( Usually R74 but due to 1/2 price it was R37)
• Mediterranean - Sundried tomatoes calmata olives, peppadews and feta (Usually R75 but we paid R36)

Only R37 for this pizza! Bargain!

The pizzas are served on cool wooden planks and are rectangular in shape. They reminded me of the pizzas at The Grand Beach cafe but they are just way more affordable and just as delicious. The Mediterranean was the clear winner between the two pizza. If you are a fan of thin based pizzas Obz Café will be enjoyed by you. I prefer a thicker base!

We enjoyed the Craighall's Cabernet sauvignon merlot which paired great with the pizza's. 

If you are not in the mood for pizza or pasta you can enjoy steak(R109), schnitzel(R80), lamb chop(R110) or prawn curry(R80).

Other specials
2 for 1 Burgers on Monday evenings ( Normal burger prices R55-R68).

Special or not I will return to Obz Café. They have established themselves as a great contender  for best restaurant in the Observatory area :)

Located at 115 Lower main road, Observatory, Cape Town
Visit them 7 days of the week 09:30 - 22:30
Contact them at 021 448 5555
For more information check out their website
Follow then on twitter @Obzcafe
Like them on Facebook

Cocoa Oola

Cocoa Oola strives to deliver quality food in a relaxed setting. Each visit they want you to treat yourself and therefore ensure hearty portions and only the use of fresh produce.


I visited Cocoa Oola one morning after a late night in the Dubliner. Needless to say we wanted to treat our bodies too something healthy.

I was surprised when I opened the menu and there was a full two-page spread of options. There are numerous french toast dishes such as the classic bacon and maple syrup or indulge in cream cheese and a sweet berry compote .


Eggs are available on croissants or toast and they don't stop there. They offer great combinations such as chilli bolognaise or chorizo, tomato and onion just to name a few.


Our table enjoyed the humus(R29) and avo(R36) paired with fluffly scrambled eggs on two toasted pieces of farmhouse brown bread.

Omelettes, egg benedict  and smoothies are also items too look forward too.


My breakfast and a cup of coffee was less then R50. My budget said thank you :)

You get a free cookie with your tea or coffee! Treat :)

I enjoyed the breakfast so much that I look forward to visit for lunch and try a burger, pita or wrap.


Oh and have I mentioned the sweet treat selection??? Another full page spread of various treats such as white chocolate and lemon poppy seed(R33), chocolate or carrot(R29) cake.


Draft (Jack Black, Naked Mexican, Black Label ect) and bottled beers(Darling brew, Stellenbrau, Van Hunks), cocktails and wine are available to enjoy with your meal.


As you can see from above Cocoa Ola offers you a diverse choice and I am 100% certain you will find something you like at a very reasonable price.

Large space with quirky details.

Look how cool these tables are!

Our service was okay but everyone I spoke to, after I mentioned Cocoa Ola, first complained about their slow and non chalant service so just take note of this.


A special to look out for is the pasta special on Tuesdays where all pasta's are R39. Normally they are priced at R65-79.  Burgers are also 2 for 1! A friend who has tried this special said that they delivered with great flavour and a very large portion. A majority of the breakfast option are also at reduced price if you order
before 09:00.

They have pizzas to enjoy as well!

Large selection of drinks available!

 
They also have a great loyalty card. If you buy a smoothie, coffee, cake or a cookie you get a stamp and 10 stamps= 1 free of any of the above I just mentioned. So you don't have to work though ten coffees or smoothies to get a reward like all the other café's :) Sign me up!


Located at 100 Kloofstreet
Visit them Mon-Sat 07:00-23:00 & Sun 08:00-22:00
Contact them at 021 422 3638 or enquiries@cocoa.co.za
Like them on Facebook
Check out their website
Follow them on twitter @cocoawahwah


* They also have branches in Rondebosch, Observatory and the forshore of the Citybowel.