Cape Town - South Africa

It is Friday and we are heading for Cape Town and a week of Gourmet Gadding about with partner and two dear friends!

Landing twenty minutes ahead of schedule will give us a lovely advantage and we'll be able to lunch  on the first day of our trip!

Oh, where to begin?

A decision has been made and we'll lunch at HAIKU. An Asian tapas restaurant that has amazingly huge bamboo steamer baskets, woks and gas burners that sound like the firing up of a hot air balloon! The interior is dark with low hanging lights over tables and it doesn't matter whether it's day or night once you've entered. You can also sit at the counter and see the goings on in the kitchen.

The menu is extensive, as is the wine list with some well known labels, now decisions have to be made!

We decide on prawn toasts, some dim sum, of which we choose har gau. These  are little dumplings some filled with spicy prawn, some with spinach and cream cheese. Then some sui mai, which are  little open faced dumplings, also with spicy prawn filling. You could have any of these with an array of fillings from chicken ,beef, lamb, duck and of course, vegetables. All excellent little bits to share! There are a variety of steamed, stir fried dishes, spring rolls.  And I just have to have the bbq duck spring rolls, served with hoisan sauce. They also do Peking duck. The pricing system is done by stars. Each star equals R42.00. So if your choice has 1 star it is R42.00, 2 stars = R84.00 and so on.

The service is good and waitrons knowledgeable.

Saturday and the Good Food and Wine Show !  Lots of wine tasting, tastings of olive oil, olives, breads, cheeses, charcuterie, chocolate, gadgets, and cooking demos. Some big names in cooking were in the theatre such as Heston Blumenthal and James Martin to name a few.

We had to eventually escape the crowds, as a lot of Cape Town had braved the weather to come and enjoy the annual festival!

We decided to have a late lunch at Pepenero's in Mouille Point. As the kitchen doesn't close until late evening it was a perfect end to an interesting day. Pepenero's is across the road from beach and has big windows so the view is great . One could also sit outside on their covered verandah in comfy chairs with a throw and gas heaters if there is no wind or rain. The menu has a wide variety and whether it be seafood, meat ,pasta ,salads or sushi you desire you will be certain to find it here. And one of the great things about visiting Cape Town in winter is that most restaurants have winter specials! So it's worth braving the weather to go in search of some delicious food and wine and a cosy fire or heater in a place with a view!!

Sunday, and after a lazy day, we took a cab to Nobu. A Japanese restaurant situated in the One & Only hotel at the V& A Waterfront. As you enter the wide lobby and step down to the large bar area, which has a magnificent chandelier in the centre, you get a feeling of being enveloped in sweet scented air and luxury. So it was some wine in the lounge with snacks of olives, nuts and veggie crisps before heading downstairs and to Nobu.

Nobu is a feast for the senses with beautifully prepared dishes. Fresh flavours that bombard the taste buds abound. The salmon tartare is a delight, as is the seafood ceviche, if you're into raw. There are many hot dishes too such as teppenyaki, terriyaki & tempura. They also have a wood burning oven where the likes of pork belly, roasted poussin and fish are cooked. The set menus are worthwhile if you have no idea of what to have. As you can imagine the menu is rather large, as is the wine list with a great selection from the cape and abroad. And then, of course, there is dessert! I indulged in a chocolate tart and vanilla ice cream, which was nothing as I expected. It arrived as a chocolate ball and the waitron poured hot liquid chocolate over it and the top of the ball melted away to reveal the vanilla ice cream in the centre! Just too delicious!

The next day was a blowing wet day. Squalls would blow in and drench everything and then the sun would shine until the next one! So a bit of shopping at the waterfront was on the cards and then some sustenance!

We headed for Seapoint and possibly one of the best pizzas around. Posticino is a little trattoria in Main road. It's really cosy in the cold weather as they have a little fire place and of course their wood burning oven. The delicious aromas of garlic and tomato and italian herbs hit you as you enter escaping the very inclement weather! The tables fill a few rooms in the cold weather and when the warm days appear they are set outside on a wide patio near the pavement. Very Italian. The waitrons here are always so cheerful and obliging which makes a visit here a pleasure. Needless to say one should book especially evenings and weekends as it is a favourite local haunt!.

The Caprese Foccacio was the favoured starter for the table. Made with mozzarella ,fresh sliced tomato and basil pesto and of course garlic. Yum!! Then Quattro Stagioni pizzas were shared. So decidedly scrumptious with just the right amount of topping on gorgeous crispy thin bases!  A lovely Groote Post Chardonnay or two  was enjoyed by all. Coffee anyone? The rain held off just long enough for us to head back to the apartment and have a little rest .

Breakfast was on order for the next morning. Camps Bay in the winter is quite different to the busy crowded summer. A quiet calm surrounds albeit cold and damp! Driving along the coastal road watching the waves crash on the beach sends one into a dreamy mood. Or maybe it's just early?

We decide on Zenzero. A space that opens up onto the pavement and a beautiful view across the road to the Camps Bay beach. A stylish setting with large lounging daybeds and chandeliers and mirrors. Even a modern gas fire  burning. After a good breakfast and cappuccino's a drive  to Kalk Bay via Chapman's Peak was on the cards.

95 Keerom  was where we headed for dinner. Situated in the city bowl,  the restaurant has two levels - a modern open plan upstairs area, where we dined, and then a more intimate feel in the smaller rooms downstairs. The food is contemporary Italian. Also great for the carnivores amongst us is the meat .  Fresh fish is selected daily by the owner, Giorgio, and pastas are also so good. For starters we had butternut ravioli with sage butter and parmesan which just melts in the mouth, a real comfort food. This has to be one of my most favourite pasta meals. Avocado salad with rocket, blue cheese tomato, pear, walnut and then Beef carpaccio with parmesan and drizzled with olive oil.  For mains, Steak tartare a prime beef fillet chopped and dressed with capers, egg, onions, parsley and olive oil. Tagliata, which is succulent fillet steak, sliced and grilled with olive oil, rosemary and garlic served with starch of your choice. Spaghetti with fresh mussels and tomato. All made with the freshest of ingredients. All of this was accompanied by some lovely wine. It  was a tough decision after that as to what desserts to have! We decided on simple things like vanilla ice cream and a beautiful chocolate mousse  to share and some coffees.

Wednesday and our gourmet trip was nearly over!. Luckily there was time for a last lunch in the Mother City before heading to the airport and back to reality. Savoy Cabbage was our choice. A restaurant, that has been around for a while and is housed in a beautiful old building with walls of raw brick, concrete and glass. Bright artworks adorn the walls & Its all open plan. From upstairs, where we sat one has a view of the kitchen & its just a perfect place for a grey, rainy, Cape town day!

We started with French onion soup, off the winter menu, which so thick and rich! A twice baked cheese souffle, which our delightful waitron advised us not to share, and she was right... of course. Steak tartare, yes again. Mains were Roast Rack of Lamb served on green kidney beans, a French speciality, garlic flan and fennel jus. 3 Little Pigs - Pork done in three ways - roast  fillet, grilled loin cutlet and sticky belly with crushed sweet potato, cider jus and pancetta foam. All perfectly cooked and scrumptious! All this was washed down by a delicious Quoin Rock Chardonnay. Of course to end the meal and the week, we had to have some dessert! Hot Chocolate pancakes with whipped cream and almonds and a zesty lemon tart and four spoons was all our tummy's would allow .

And so, it was off to the airport and once again to the skies. A stunning sunset saw us on our way & after having enjoyed a few frenetic days of what Gourmet Cape Town has to offer!