DoctorCarrie

Hello all,

After months of eagerly reading your posts, I am now less than two weeks away from our glorious trip to SA and every minute seems to be passing slowly...

I was hoping you might share your recommended dining experience in Durban, Cape Town and / or the Winelands.

We'll be on our honeymoon, so romance would be a bonus feature, but great food, amazing ambience, astounding value - any of those would be great features, too. In Durban, I'm especially interested in Indian food - but other suggestions would be great, too.

Any meal advice is welcome - breakfast, lunch, dinner, tea, dessert!

Thanks so much, this forum has really been incredibly helpful! Back now to counting the hours... Cheers!

colonelwes

DoctorCarrie,

Here is a reply I copied from an earlier post by one of Capetown's renown guides (pls see below). Also,
for more on Winelands, etc., just post your query in the search window (i.e.,
Restaurants in Capetown)..you will find
more info..enjoy your trip. r/wes


Author: Karenr
Date: 08/02/2004, 11:39 am
Message: Hi,

Thanks to everyone who give me tips on clothes. Now, on to restaurants - 4 days in Capetown and 2 in Jo'burg. Looking for the best. Karen



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Author: tgfny
Date: 08/02/2004, 02:22 pm
Message: Know Jo'burg better

The Butcher Shop in Sandton has great game and a good wine list. Not romantic- think noisy steak house.

Smith and Wollensky in the mall itself is a good knock off of the US chain.

There's also a great North African place in Melrose Arch that I can't remember the name.



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Author: tgfny
Date: 08/02/2004, 02:31 pm
Message: Moyo world Music Restaurant is the African restaurant in Melrose Arch.

Here is The Butcher Shop website.
http://www.thebutchershop.co.za/



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Author: cjstobbs ([email protected])
Date: 08/02/2004, 02:50 pm
Message: If you want just killer seafood - nothing fancy just super fresh and cooked perfectly and everything SA waters have to offer, go to Panama Jack's in Cape Town.



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Author: traci_local_in_sa
Date: 08/03/2004, 02:46 am
Message:
On the beaten track ...
In Nelson Mandela Square:
Butcher Shop
Wang Thai
Bukhara
In Melrose Arch:
Meat Company
Moyo
In Sandton City:
Smith & Wollensky = ugh, avoid!
Cape Seafood Market

Off the beaten track ...
In Rosebank:
Cranks
In Parkhurst:
Cilantro
Anno Domini
George's on 4th
Europa
In Greenside:
Icon
Lapa Flo
Addictions



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Author: ArthurSA
Date: 08/03/2004, 03:39 am
Message: Gotta add "Yum" in Greenside (Jo'burg)! Consistently in the S.A. "top ten". See www.yum.co.za for the menu etc.



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Author: Selwyn_Davidowitz ([email protected])
Date: 08/03/2004, 06:43 am
Message: Karenr,

I am cutting and pasting part of a past mail that I sent to Fodors with regard to Cape Town restaurants into this thread.

I have always been reluctant to pass on the information that I am going to write about in this mail as some of the restaurants that I am going to mention are totally unknown to most and I have always frequented these establishments as special eating places for my own visitors to Cape Town. My main reason for changing my mind and now mentioning these establishments in this mail+ is because I have changed my thinking with regard to the secrecy of these special places in that they certainly deserve clientele and I don't believe that publishing this information on Fodors will change the secretive atmosphere that my visitors enjoy when we visit some of the below mentioned venues.

If you are looking for a fish restaurant my suggestions would be:

Willoughby's in the Waterfront (no pre-booking at this restaurant)

Panama Jacks in the harbour is as per a previous suggestion in this thread sort of worth going to but I would not run too quickly to eat at this venue as there are much better in town when it comes to fish.

The big hidden secret fish place in Cape Town is Tangos (7126631) This is a venue that locals seem to have kept to themselves. You will hardly ever see tourists at this local family type fish venue. It is rather far out of the city centre (25 minutes away in Kendall Road) but imho this is the very best fish restaurant in Cape Town. When you are in this restaurant you soon realise that fresh fish is being brought through the door minutes after being caught in the local Kalk Bay harbour. Furthermore if you want to find great varieties of local fish Tangos is the place to eat. My favourite fish that I generally eat at this venue is musslecracker. You will have to go hunting all over Cape Town for to find in another local restaurant serving this delicious fish variety.

If you have a lunchtime restaurant opportunity may I suggest that you stop at Kalkies in the Kalk Bay harbour. Now heres a real typical Cape Town experience to want to savour with fresh fish being served that was caught on the day in the Kalk Bay harbour. Furthermore you wont find tourists at this venue as it seems to be too downmarket from the outside so what you finds is that all the locals eat there because it is such a treasure. Try and experience this great culinary expereince when in our city.

Btw when it comes to eating fish most establishments will serve you local fish in the form of Cob (Kabeljou,
Kingklip (Local to Cape Town, Cape salmon, Yellowtail and if you are lucky
Musslecracker. When it comes to the shelled variety of fish you will be able
to find crayfish (smaller than American lobster but definitely more
substance to the meat and sweeter), prawns (Shrimp in the USA) and maybe
giant prawns (prawns in the USA). All in all when it comes to shelled fish I
say again be forewarned against being ripped off and DONT think in Dollar
terms when ordering, think in Rand terms relative to what you will have
already learnt as far a local values are concerned. I am telling you all of the above so as to help you when it comes to eating fish in our city but also because amongst others Panama Jacks have been found horrificaly guilty with overcharging and ripping visitors off by some local newspapers in Cape Town


Spicy foods in Cape Town could land you up in many places:

Biesmiellah is a great Cape curry restaurant

Wangthai is a Thai restaurant that serves very spicy foods.

The big secret for wonderful spicy food is Bibis (7618635). This is the restaurant I would recommend most of all. Fabulous Indian cooking. Once again this venue is about 25 minutes out of the city centre and is situated in lower Kenilworth This is where our local Hindu community eat and the food is simply out of this world. Fair warning, no alcohol is served or allowed in this establishment.

KarenR I imagine that you will be reading of the normal run of the mill restaurants in answers from others to your question. Make no error there are many other wonderful restaurants in Cape Town that are well worth visiting. The above restaurants are NOT the normal run of the mill recommendations that will be made in most "eat out book"
recommendations. Willoughbys and Panama Jacks could well come in for mentioning in some of the above books or possibly by others writing to this page. The restaurants mentioned in my list are the ones that locals frequent and my advice always remains "when in Cape Town do eat what the Capetonians eat".

Enjoy our great city when you visit us .

Very proudly part of the wonderful nation of South Africa

Kavey

Baia in CT was a lovely and elegant dining experience at the waterfront - the chef had a wonderful light touch and the flavours of the fresh ingredients were enhanced rather than disguised.

Le Bon Vivante in Franschhoek offered exceptional food at absolutely shockingly low prices compared to other similar places.

For inexpensive options we enjoyed a casual meal at Willoughby's, which our B&B host recommended. We also loved the pancakes at the pancake place RIGHT by the Nelson Mandela Gateway (where you take the ferry to Robben Island).

You could also book one of the romantic tables at Moyo at the Spiers Estate - not one under the main marquee but one either up in a tree platform or one under the main large tree up against the trunk.

uhoh_busted

In Franschhoek there's a wonderful little place for lunch (and dinner at least once a week, I believe). We picked up stuff for a picnic there and it was heavenly. Named, appropriately, "Delicious."

Celia

We liked The French Connection in Franschoek, and Linger Longer in Jo'burg.

DoctorCarrie

Thanks!!

DJE

Another vote for Baia in the Waterfront Mall, for very good seafood. Really enjoyed the crayfish. Had a couple of dinners there.

Jona

Hi DoctorCarrie.

Delicious and Kalkies are great.
They offer real quality at rock bottom price. Don't expect "romance" but you get plenty of local color.
Bibis in CT (also on Selwyn's list) we loved for the food and the relaxed atmosphe.
Bon appetite!

James_UK

IN Franschhoek, book a window table at La Petite Ferme. It has views to die for all the way down the valley - owner Mark Dendy Young sells his own wines too. Tel +27 21 876 3603.
The Grand Roche in Paarl is fantastic for food with a great view too - their tel no. is +27 21 863 2727. Try 'le pique-nique' at Boschendal winery, it's kinda fun. You've plenty of recommendations in Cape Town itself, but I think the winelands has the edge because of it's peace and quiet, scenery and of course the wine! Have a good one!

KRGfromSD

In Stellenbosch, if you love seafood, you must go to the Fish Monger. The sauteed calamari was DELICIOUS!

In Cape Town, we ate most of our meals at the big hotel in the waterfront area. The Victoria & Alfred hotel. We found a great wine there. I think one night we skipped the food and just had the wine!

welltraveledbrit

We loved the restaurant at the Quartier Francais in Franschoek.

The food was wonderful...they put together a tasting menu when we asked for more courses but smaller portions. The wine list was also very interesting with a number of older South African wines...highly recommended.