South Africa Food & Drink
Southafricanisms: The Bunny Chow
The bunny chow was created in Durban (Which has the largest population of Indians outside of Bradford India) in the 1940’s.
The term Bunny Chow is derived from two words, Bunny (relating to Bhanya, the Bunny Chow’s inventor) and Chow (South African slang word for food)
Bunny chow consists of a quarter, half, or full loaf of bread with it’s centre removed and filled with your choice of curry made using traditional recipes from Durban, including mutton, lamb, chicken and bean curries (however the original bunny chow was strictly vegetarian).
Date: November 27th, 2007 |
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The Brew Route: Durbans answer to the wine route?
The Zulu Kingdom now offers visitors a chance to experience the Brew Route, similar in many ways to the wine routes of the Western Cape.
The Route consists of 8 breweries, which range from SABMiller (second largest brewer in the world) to the family run Farmers Brauhaus in Hattingspruit, Dundee.
The route takes tourists through a large part of the province and is impossible to complete in one day, but there is excellent accommodation available throughout the route, especially in the Midlands.
Date: August 31st, 2007 |
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Flea Markets and Craft Markets in Cape town
Capetonians love flea markets! and we have several every weekend: Here are the main ones.
Greenpoint Stadium Flea market: This started with a guy selling Boerewors rolls on the weekend and has blossomed into the largest fleamarket in Cape Town.
It is held every Sunday and public holiday from 09:00 till 17:00. This used to be a fantastic market with bric-a-brac and intersting things, nowadays it has declined into somewhat of a tourist trap, with many stalls selling identical items, Chinese grey goods and boot polished curios. It is still worth a walk around, if not only for the bustle and throng. It is situated in Greenpoint, in the carpark of the stadium, but since construction began for 2010 I suspect the market has been moved nearby or cancelled for the time being. I will update this post when I get information.
Milnerton Market: This is my favourite flea market in Cape Town, with plenty of oddities and collectables that vendors have dredged from deceased estates and antique stores. The market has a policy of keeping the curio and t-shirt sellers to a minimum to retain the feel of the market. It is held on an open piece of land next to the R27 (West Coast Road) in Milnerton every Saturday and Sunday from 07:00 till 16:00. There are some good food stands here also selling pancakes, boerewors rolls, biltong and rusks.
Date: August 19th, 2007 |
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Cape Town Nightlife: Madame Zingara’s Theatre of dreams.
In a rather unusual location below the highway in the foreshore, is a antique tent housing the relocated and renamed Madame Zingara’s Tent/Theatre of Dreams.
The original restaurant in Bree Street burnt down in Sept ‘06, and the insurance payout wasn’t enough to reopen so negotiations then started with the Klessen family Belgium who own a rather rare 1920’s dinner and dance hall tent. “Constructed of wood, mirrors, canvas, leaded glass and detailed in velvet and brocade” The family have toured with this tent for four generations.
Apparently the tent is on loan for only a few short months, so make the …
Date: June 7th, 2007 |
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Bistro Mokado Restaurant in Wilderness, Garden Route
While going about my duties (for which I get no danger pay) reviewing restaurants and such like, inevitably I come across some places that need lynching. This mainly happens when the choice of eatery is decided by democratic vote. This is hugely overrated and accounts for indigestion and reviews like the following:
I had a bad feeling about the place to start with as it rang loudly as a “generic” restaurant. This happens either when the owner lacks imagination or simply does not want you to be able to compare it with another restaurant. This one had a vaguely German theme and a vaguely German owner who was actively propping up the bar most of the evening.
–It was in a lovely setting inside the Milkwood Village courtyard, under the huge trees, and amongst a throng of hippy vendors and semi-live music.—
Date: May 3rd, 2007 |
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The best coffee in Cape Town, goes to…..
The major cities in South Africa over the last 4-5 years have slowly been waking up to the joys of quality coffee. In fact we have had very good beans for over 20 years, but not the barista’s or even coffee lovers behind the machines to make it properly. ie, using the correct grind, not burning the milk etc. On a bad day you can still hear people order a “Cup-of-Chino-wiff-cream” blergh.
With the advent of the formidable cafe Vida AKA Vida e cafe, people are starting to expect decently made coffee and it has …
Date: November 3rd, 2007 |
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Shopping: Willowbridge mall, Tygervalley
In the last 10 years Cape Town has seen an explosion of retail areas, and shopping malls. I am not entirely sure where all these extra consumers are coming from, but it seems that business is thriving across the board.
The latest addition is Willowbridge, which is less of a mall and more of an enclosed shopping street. It houses some very upmarket stores and I am betting the rents are commensurate.
You can see a directory of the retailers here.
There are plenty of restaurants and coffee shops, with most of the usual suspects present ie: Vida e Cafe, Col’cacchio, Kauai. We had a marvelous pizza at Col’ Cacchio (which apparently translates as “up yours!”) in my opinion this small chain offers the best pizza in Cape Town, with the thinnest crust and highest quality ingredients. We also had to have another ice cream at Cafe Magnifico, even though they charge and extortionate R14 for a scoop, which is about twice what you would pay elsewhere.
Date: August 21st, 2007 |
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Southafricanisms: Bobotie
South Africa does not have a wealth of cuisine that you could compare with the great cooking nations of the world, but we do have a few traditional favourites, although it seems, most are borrowed from somewhere else.
The humble bobotie (derived from the Indonesian Bobotok) is a baked meat dish, usually beef, but pork or lamb can be used. It is baked like a lasagne or shepherds pie, but with whipped milky egg mixture on top. In 1954 it was declared the national dish of South Africa, by the United Nations Women’s Organisation.
Date: July 24th, 2007 |
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Western Cape restaurants among the best in the world!
Since my last post was a bit of a damning treatise, here is a great bit of news for visiting gastronomes.
The S. Pellegrino 2007 list of “Best Restaurants in the world” was released last week and in the category for Africa and the Middle East, the top 5 were all in the Western Cape !! Eat that Ahmadinejad.
Le Quartier Francais (Franschhoek)
Bosman’s (Paarl)
Jardine (Cape Town central city)
Aubergine (Gardens)
Reuben’s (Franschhoek)
In the world rankings Le Quartier Francais came 47th and was SA’s only establishment in the top 100.
Date: May 3rd, 2007 |
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Noodlebosch noodelry in Long Street
Had a concerted walk down Long Street today, to check out the Backpackers and get some prices for Paragliding (dying to try it), it’s R850 ($120), but they only go on hot days with little wind…wind and Cape Town are good friends and not easily parted.
I am also toying with the idea of opening or buying an internet cafe, its a nice low maintenance operation that would suit my temperament quite well. There are not as many as I thought on Long Street, perhaps because the rentals are too high, but Sea Point is chock-a-block with them, at least 20.
Date: April 12th, 2007 |
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