raith gourmet (best of the wurst)

Raith Gourmet, photo by Adrian Bischoff

One of my favourite places in Cape Town is the German deli, take away and store Raith Gourmet in Gardens Centre. I’ve always loved German-style delis and I’ve managed to find one most places I’ve lived so it was a relief to find one, and a good one at that, in Cape Town.

From their delicious wurst (debriziner and kolbassa are my favs) to prepared foods like spaetzle to their cheap options for lunch (sandwiches or wurst rolls plus sides) to German treats and sweets, it has everything I want. Oh, and they stock Bavarian sweet mustard which I always need have in my fridge.

This is probably not much of a secret but it’s worth writing about just in case someone has missed it along the way.

Raith Gourmet
Gardens Centre, Mill and Buitenkant Street, Garden
021 465 2729
www.raithgourmet.com

caviar deli

Caviar Deli, photo by Adrian Bischoff

Acting on a tip from Dax, I decided to try Caviar Deli in the Waterfront recently. I’m not the sort of person that sees a place called ‘Caviar Deli’ and says, ‘Oh! It has a pretentious name; I want to go there!’ But I’m glad I did.

Over a few trips there I’ve gotten various premade meals like butter chicken (R29 for a 2 person serving), springbok pasta (R25 for a 2 person serving) and a Cajun beef wrap (R27). I’ve enjoyed all of these, with my favorite being the butter chicken–I’m on my third of those already! The food is good and the value is excellent. Think Woolworths quality but cheaper prices.

They also have uncooked tuna, steaks, duck and other meats that look good but I haven’t had a chance to try those yet, nor have I had their sushi, which one could expect to be good considering the Caviar Group also runs Beluga. Those will have to wait for future adventures.

Caviar Fine Foods Deli
Lower Level, Victoria Wharf
021 418 0909
www.caviar.co.za

hike devil’s peak

the view from Devil’s Peak

There are few cities in the world where you can drive for a few minutes and then go on a hike where you see hardly see anyone. Last Saturday, a gorgeous day, some friends and I hiked up Devil’s Peak and saw only a couple people the entire hike. It was a great hike; I’d recommend it.

One always hears about hiking up Lion’s Head or Table Mountain; I think Devil’s Peak is overlooked sometimes. Though its a fairly strenuous hike, it’s also a hike of views. The views of the City Bowl as you hike up are fantastic. Taking a short diversion off the trail to the Saddle (between Devil’s Peak and Table Mountain), one can see down into Newlands and the entire False Bay side. From the top one can see the harbour, Table Bay, and the northern suburbs. One hikes through fynbos most of the way up, which can be pretty amazing in its own right.

To get there, take Table Mountain Rd as if you were going to the cableway station, but continue past it. There is a parking area for people going up Plattenklip; continue past that and the next parking area for Devil’s Peak. It’s right before where the road closes, so if in doubt, just continue until the road closes and backtrack a little. From there one can see the sign for the Devil’s Peak trail. From there it’s pretty simple. When in doubt, follow the trail that goes toward the Peak. There’s a marked offshoot to the Saddle that I’d recommend going on.

Budget about three hours for the round trip including a couple breaks. It is often windier and colder at the top, so wear layers and bring a wind-breaker.

Do you have any favourite secret hikes in or around the Mother City?

Devil’s Peak hike
Start: at marked path on Table Mountain Rd.
Time: about 3 hours roundtrip

biesmiellah’s home-cooked meal

Biesmiellah standing over Bo Kaap and the City Bowl, photo by Adrian Bischoff

I’ve been on a Cape Malay kick lately. When some visitors were in town a couple weeks ago, they wanted to try some of this often delicious food. Their guide book recommended Biesmiellah* in Bo Kaap. I thought to myself “well, I run a website about Cape Town; I think I know better!”

That’s not true. In fact, I’ve been wanting to try Biesmiellah for a while, so I was happy to go along. Walking in on a Tuesday night, the place was about half full. A table to our right was filled with locals, many of them Muslim/ Cape Malay-looking. It seemed a long-standing gathering of family and friends. Another table had an American who was loudly chatting with a local, perhaps another visitor brought to try out the local cuisine.

We ordered some starters and our curry mains. Around this time we started to get the feeling we were guests in someone’s house and they were cooking for us. Part of it was the service, part the decor and part the food. In general it’s a nice-but-not-extravagant vibe while the food is really solid. I had samoosas to start with the chicken curry. I thoroughly enjoyed both. My friends, both vegetarians, had the potato wadi to start and some dhal (one had the Moong Dhal and one the vegetable curry) and seemed impressed with all their food.

While the Cape Malay places on Plein St or in Wynberg may be a bit cheeper, if you’re looking for good food plus a nice atmosphere, I’d check out Biesmiellah.

Note: Biesmiellah doesn’t serve alcohol and doesn’t allow BYOB, so if alcohol is a must, check yourself into rehab (or, just go somewhere else).

Biesmiellah
2 Wale St., Bo Kaap
021 423 0850
http://www.biesmiellah.co.za/

*You may wonder how it can be a secret if it’s in guide books. I want to bring to light places that are underrated as well as those that are unknown. I know people know of Biesmiellah, but I think a lot of people write it off.

three places to get excellent pizzas

pizzas at Da Vinci’s, photo by Adrian Bischoff

I’ve had thin, light pizza in a piazza in Venice and classic New York pizza under the Brooklyn Bridge. I’ve had Chicago deep dish in a shop hunkered under the L. I’m no pizza expert, but I have had good pizza. Cape Town’s pizza is at the two extremes: great and bland. There’s pizza that tastes like cardboard with a little bit of cheese and sauce on top.

On the other hand, I’ve had some excellent pizza at a few places. They’ve all been the thin crust plus fresh ingredients sorts of pizza–not a lot of variety in styles–but I’m not going to complain.

The first place I went to and the one I’ve been to most is DaVinci’s (Kloof St., Gardens). They have a number of interesting combinations like roquefort cheese, pear, and rocket. The ingredients seem fresh and the pizzas are good.

Dizzy’s, just off the main strip in Camps Bay, is a nice spot–a little more relaxed than the main strip, but also close enough to walk to to have some dinner after sundowners. I’ve had pretty straight forward pizzas here, but they’ve been fresh and delicious.

Col’cacchio is a chain with most of their locations in the Western Cape. They have everything from standard pizzas to celebrity chef designer pizza. I had one of those with Indian butter chicken, yoghurt, mozzarella, coriander and crispy onions. I enjoyed eating that pizza.

Da Vinci’s
72 Kloof St., Gardens
021 424 7504
davincis.co.za

Dizzy’s
41 The Drive, Camps Bay
021 438 2686
dizzys.co.za

Col’Cacchio
Multiple locations in the Foreshore, Camps Bay, Clairmont
colcacchio.co.za

So what are your favorite places to get pizza in the Mother City?

The Train Driver at the Fugard Theatre

entrance to the Fugard Theatre, photo by Adrian Bischoff

Yesterday, I went to the matinee performance The Train Driver, the new play written and directed by the great South African playwright Athol Fugard. It’s playing currently in his namesake theatre. According to this recent profile in the NY Times, it’s the first play he’s directed in a decade.

ANYWAY, it’s a two man plan about a train driver that’s haunted by the memory of a suicidal woman that walked onto the tracks with her baby right in front of his train. I thought it was really well done; I’m still thinking about it. The acting was good and the story is intense. I recommend checking it out before the run ends on April 10.

The Train Driver
The Fugard Theatre
Calendon St x Harrington St, District 6
021 461 4554
http://www.thefugard.com/
Through April 10. Tickets at R90 and R135 (depending on day)

monkeybiz

Obama beaded magnet from Monkey Biz, photo by Adrian Bischoff

Who doesn’t want folk art of an American President? Well, I suppose there are some that don’t, but for the rest, I have a solution: Monkeybiz (65 Rose St., Bo Kaap).

An income generating project known mostly for its bead work, particularly beaded animals, Monkeybiz has been around for 10 years. The items I like most there are the beaded Obama and Madiba magnets along with some of the recycled rubber animals. (And the recycled rubber rocket ships are awesome! If anyone is looking to buy me a present, look no further.)

If you’re looking for cheap gifts or visitors want cheap souvenirs, this may not be the place, but they do make nice stuff. Check them out next time you’re in Bo Kaap; Rose St. is just off Wale. Or if you can’t make it there, you can also shop online.

Monkeybiz
43 Rose Street, Bo Kaap
021 426 0145
www.monkeybiz.co.za
Hours: Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm, Saturday 9am – 1 pm

cape winelands film festival on now!

Still from the movie, A Prophet, showing at the festival

Deceivingly the Cape Winelands Film Festival is actually showing mostly in the parts of the Mother City that aren’t growing grapes–Gardens, Sea Point. (Only a few films are showing at the Spier Amphitheatre in Stellenbosch.)

The line up for the festival is pretty impressive from the looks of it. Many of the featured films have won awards or been screen at prestigious film festivals across the globe. There are also a few representatives from South Africa and Africa in general. Get out and watch some films while you can: the festival only runs through March 27.

Cape Winelands Film Festival
Showing at: the Labia Kloof, the Labia Orange, CityVarsity Theatre, TH Barry-Iziko Museum, Sea Point Pavilion, and Spier Amphitheatre,
Thursday March 18-Saturday March 27
Program
Schedule (.xls)

Fireman’s Arms Quiz Night

Fireman’s Arms, photo by Adrian Bischoff

What famous battle was fought on Senlac Hill?[1] Beitbridge is the border post between South Africa and what country?[2] If you know the answers to those questions or you generally like to get your nerd on, you may want to head to quiz night at Fireman’s Arms.

Fireman’s Arms, founded in 1864, is purported to be oldest pub in Cape Town. From the decorations on its walls, it seems to be a hangout for sports fans, but on Thursday nights (starting at 8pm, but tables are often taken by 7:30pm) it turns into Cape Town’s most intellectual hangout this side of Geek Dinner. Questions range from geography to music and current affairs to film. Some teams are there to have fun and some are there to win, but a good time is had by all.

The cover charge for quiz night is R20. Fireman’s Arms have a full compliment of beers on draught and a menu with popular pizzas and other light meals.

Fireman’s Arms
Buitengracht x Mechau Street, CBD
021 419 1513
http://www.firemansarms.co.za/
Quiz night: Thursdays from 8pm

[1] answer
[2]answer

Rick’s Cafe Americain rooftop bar

promo photo

If you want proper sundowners, you go to somewhere facing the sun, like Camp’s Bay, but if you just want a good place to have drinks at the end of the day, may I suggest the rooftop bar at Rick’s Cafe Americain.

Above the well-appointed restaurant downstairs, the bar is a nice, relaxed place to have a drink or two with friends. The view isn’t Cape Town’s best (though it certainly isn’t bad), but the cushioned benches and seats under umbrellas make for a nice atmosphere while chatting and having that drink.

And if you decide to stay for dinner, what I’ve tried of their food is good, if a bit pricey.

Rick’s Cafe Americain
2 Park Rd.
Tamboerskloof
(021) 424 1100
http://www.rickscafe.co.za/