One thing that Marika’s has that really sets it apart is an ambience, a relaxed, urban/ hole-in-the-wall feel with laid-back staff and a killer menu. The venue is small, seating between 40-50 guests at a time (with al fresco balcony seating available barring inclement weather).
Straight to the mains (this restaurant does amazing Meze too, of course), the Arni Mbrizoles (finely cut lamb chops) are melt-in-your-mouth good, also the Garides Sti Schara (grilled butterflied prawns) or the Garides Yiouvetsir (baked prawns, kritharaki, tomato and feta) will satisfy any seafood urges you may experience.
We have covered the beloved “Nellie” (or the Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel as it’s more formally known as) in the past, but we must return to write about the delightful Easter celebration they are planning this year in its magnificently grand interiors and beautiful garden settings.
This year they will be hosting a Sunday lunch buffet and two Easter-themed afternoon teas with a focus on the little ones.
The Oasis Bistro will be serving many Easter classics, including hot cross buns, leg of lamb, speckled eggs, roasted vegetables, a delicious cheese trolley, mezze platter, salads and an assortment of desserts.
The afternoon teas will focus on more bite-sized treats such as petits fours (including birds nest chocolate cupcakes with speckled eggs), cakes, macarons, empanadas and tiny sandwiches.
Let your kids run wild and enjoy the finery this Easter!
This is an experiential cocktail kitchen and brandy bar inspired by Cape Town's fynbos, oceans, vineyards and mountain. What that means is that they serve creative cocktails and dishes inspired by iconic features in and around Cape Town.
Using foraged ingredients and bizarrely contrasting flavours they create new combinations to delight the senses and tickle the taste buds. For instance, their ode to Cape Town, The Table Bay. Made with Caperitif, Wilderer Obstler apple/pear schnapps, Brandy, and Van der Hum liqueur then garnished with a hand-made origami boat and mielie sprouts, you have never tasted anything like it!
Janse & Co. is a casual fine dining venue with the menu set up as a tasting menu where you taste up to twenty culinary endeavours in a beautiful setting. Trust your waiter, they will give you invaluable insight into what is on offer and how to get the best out of your meal.
There is a plethora of choice available, all of it underlining a fundamental understanding of classical cuisine, local ingredients and exploring new techniques.
Every plate is a piece of art, making you hesitant to dip your cutlery into it, but it’s all amazing and worth a little exploration.
98% fat free frozen yogurt, need I say more? It’s delicious, surprisingly nutritious and tastes like a treat (but it’s not, sort of). Myog pride themselves on only using the finest ingredients sourced from the best local suppliers, also, their froyo is free of artificial flavourants or colourants and preservatives.
They offer four flavours at a time, one always being their 98% fat-free plain alternative, and the other three are any of a variety of delicious flavours, such as rooibos, peanut butter, Nutella, coconut, berries and others!
The toppings range from fresh cut seasonal fruits to Oreos, peppermint crisp and sweet syrups.
Again, feel free to mix the naughty with the nice, it’s still early in the year.
Yindees has been serving Cape Town a fantastic selection of Thai cuisine for over twenty years, and is a must-visit taste experience!
The dishes are as fun to eat as they are to mispronounce, with a generous lashing of heat.
For starters we had the Man Tord Nam Jim Ma Kam, which are Sweet potato strips , crispy–fried in a light sesame seed batter and served with a tamarind sauce. For mains we went with the Kaeng Khiew Wann (Green Curry) prepared with coconut milk, green chillies, lemongrass, lime leaves, basil and coriander. Accompanied by your choice of duck breast, prawns, mixed seafood, fish, calamari, beef, chicken, vegetables or tofu.
The food is authentic, the décor is minimal and the vibe is relaxed, even more so if you choose to eat sitting in the “pillow” section in the back.
Chefs Warehouse & Canteen creator and food visionary Liam Tomlin has opened another venue using the same mix of outstanding food in a laid-back environment with unfussy service.
They don’t take reservations and the menu is set, offering up at least eight individual tapas courses that span the length and breadth of India.
You start with chaat, an Indian street food replica, with poppadoms to dip into chickpea and spiced potato cups.
After that tandoori chicken and minced lamb skewers, tempura pork belly and a whole range of exotic sauces and curry strengths to spice to your taste.
You progress to a vegetarian black dhal and a wonderful cauliflower dish.
This is followed by two curries which create the highlight of the dining experience. One is a golden lamb curry with turmeric, ginger and saffron strings. The other is a thick chicken curry in a beautifully fresh coriander and mint sauce.
While you’re there, grab a mango lassi (or anything off the extensive wine list).
While spicy, you will not be needing gallons of icy water to make it through the meal(s), and generally you can decide how hot you want to make it.
How do you solve a problem like Maria’s? Easy, there’s no problem, this is why it has been around forever, and will hopefully continue being around a long time from now. This venue has been serving up authentic Greek cuisine since the 50’s and is situated on the charming Dunkley Square in the old part of the city. Perfect for filling up on mezes, baklava, chunky Greek salads, and other favourites.
Go for the Kalamari Patagonica Mediterraneo which comes in a red sauce with white wine, garlic, olives and lemon and is a life-changing, evening starting dish! Also not to be missed is the classic Maria’s Lamb with a thick, creamy sauce and chunky rustic vegetables.
The staff are knowledgeable and attentive, though not obtrusive. The ambience is private inside, but also creeps out into the Square, where a clear sky on a warm evening can complement your meal beautifully.
Our first stop this week is the upstairs downstairs venue with a cute courtyard in Kloof Street.
Chalk and Cork is owned and run by Marc and Amy Botes, who have collectively attained an enviable amount of experience in top end kitchens working with international chefs.
This translates into a menu that is packed with flavor, a highly knowledgeable staff that is very present, but not intrusive, and a wine list that is approachable, fresh and always exciting.
You can’t go wrong with any of the boards (especially the charcuterie selection) but we were blown away by the wild mushroom risotto with grated parmesan and truffle oil, it was out-of-this-world good!! Another stand out were the Parma ham croquettes with apple and beetroot, an outstanding blending of flavours.
The thing about tapas is that the final ingredient is the company you choose to share it with, however you will find that the selection here is good enough to enjoy alone 😉
This is a bistro with a bit of a twist, more of a burger joint within a café environment. Think bare wood bar, generous portions, brilliant drinks and platter type sharing food to go with huge and succulent burgers.
The décor befits the postmodern hipster trendoid, but let that not distract from the delicious food and amazing sweet potato fries (really, get a double helping of these). Try the waffle burger, with bacon and honey mustard sauce, and pick something from their varied and exciting drinks menu. The salted caramel and Baileys milkshake is divine, or the pineapple mango velvet smoothie, with honey, is also an absolute winner!
Lastly, Mustacchio Caffe is also becoming a bit of a destination for coffee connoisseurs, they certainly brew up an excellent cuppa!
