Favourite Winter Specials

In winter I feel hungry all the time – I long for scrumptious pies with rich gravy and flaky pastry; steaming, spicy curries; delectable, bubbling cheese fondues; fragrant casseroles and sumptuous stodgy puddings drizzled with warm custard.

Luckily for me, during this chilly time of year all of my favourite restaurants start offering tantalising specials – from Cape Winelands wonders to trendy town hot spots. This is the ideal time to phone up your family and friends and head for a festive dinner to chase those pesky winter blues away. If you are staying in Cape Town holiday rentals or self-catering accommodation options then you will have plenty of flexibility to go on an exciting taste journey around the vibrant city.

Here are my top five restaurant specials, located around Cape Town and in the Winelands:

1.       La Colombe

The multi-award winning restaurant is the epitome of elegance and class and renowned world-wide for its outstanding gastronomy, with delectable, subtle flavour combinations and incredible attention to detail. Scott Kirtin’s food is like a dream on a plate – contemporary French meets Asian cuisine, perfectly merging to create original, delicate dishes, which are a feast for the eye and the palette. During winter, you can choose from the three course lunch menu for R240 per person and the winter dinner menu, which includes a five course dinner paired with wine for R395 per person.

2.       Five Flies Murder Mystery

This is dinner with a difference: R300 per person includes a welcome drink, three-course meal, entertainment and the thrilling murder mystery game. A week prior to the event, you will get an email about the characters that you and your friends will be playing, including their personality traits, background and clues about how you should dress on the night. Each table incorporates eight suspects and it is during the welcome drink that the drastic deed will be performed and the victim’s body will be found. With each course, you will receive new clues, with a friendly detective/host to help you on your way to justice.

3.       Sushi

As a sushi lover, one of my favourite things about my city is its abundance of sushi specials. Salushi, Wang Thai, Wasabi, Saigon, Beluga, Food Lover’s Market, Cape Town Fish Market and A Taste of Asia – the options are endless and most of them offer amazing half-price deals every day.  

4.       Delheim Cheese Fondue and Jazz Nights

 If there is one thing I have a particular weakness for, it’s a mouth-watering cheese fondue, served with a generous glass of gluhwein. This particular special had me squealing with delight – a cosy evening in Delheim’s wine cellar, sharing a piping hot fondue and farm-fresh bread, listening to the soft, sultry sounds of sensational jazz and enjoying a big glass of gluhwein –heaven. Make sure you book, as this is an extremely popular event.

5.       Azure Restaurant dinner and a movie

Located in the scenic 12 Apostles Hotel, Azure restaurant is best known for its flavoursome food and spectacular ocean views. Last time I ate there, we enjoyed drinks on the terrace and looked out at the sea which was full of dolphins ducking and diving in every direction. Azure is offering a special dinner and a movie experience, perfect for a romantic date. Enjoy a sensational supper and then luxuriate on the comfortable chairs in the small cinema and watch a movie while tucking into a whole range of goodies, from popcorn to an assortment of chocolate and candy. This will set you back R315 per person, but the copious brownie points that you will score with your partner, make it undoubtedly worth it.

These places are quite expensive, but the specials make them far more affordable, allowing you to dine in places which perhaps would ordinarily be too pricey. If you are staying in a Cape Town holiday rental or self-catering accommodation option, keep these specials in mind for a memorable night out exploring the best that the city has to offer.

Perfect Picnic Places

I come from a long line of picnickers – the first thing my gran would do in the mornings was throw open the curtains, grin delightedly, yell out ‘sunny skies, no wind, no rain,’ and pack a picnic. Minutes later we would be whisked away on an adventure, curious lunch in tow and would spend a wonderful few hours anywhere my gran thought looked nice – we have had picnics in parking lots before. 

Cape Town is the perfect place for picnickers, with numerous hot spots to explore, from golden beaches to gorgeous nature reserves. Picnics are a great way to discover secret gems and are a great option for holidaymakers, giving you flexibility, as wherever you go you have your packed lunch with you. Those staying in self-catering Cape Town apartments or holiday rentals, will find picnics a cheap alternative to eating out all the time and it’s an activity that the whole family will enjoy. 

My favourite picnic destinations range from the exquisite Kirstenbosch Gardens to the enormous boulders at Llandudno. Kirstenbosch National Botanic Gardens are ideal for a laid-back, lazy afternoon, relaxing under a shady tree on one of the vast, rolling lawns meandering up the mountain, intermingled with fragrant fynbos. Enjoy your picnic while surrounded by brightly coloured flowers, attracting all sorts of birds and small animals – make sure you take your rubbish home with you, so the garden stays pristine and none of its inhabitants are hurt.

Chapman’s Peak has a well-earned reputation for being one of South Africa’s most beautiful drives and was my gran’s favourite picnic spot. Head to one of the designated viewing areas and gaze out over phenomenal panoramic ocean vistas and toast the sunset, as it illuminates the sea. 

It may not be a picnic as such, but many locals love to buy scrumptious take-away fish and chips from Mariner’s Wharf in Hout Bay and then head across to Llandudno, to sit on the rocks and watch the sun go down. The sunset from this beach is unforgettable, painting the sea and sky in vivid reds and pinks.

Silvermines Nature Reserve lies on Ou Kaapse Weg, offering an unspoiled wilderness to explore, with numerous scenic trails winding up the mountain, as well as a superb dam to swim in during summer and winter if you’re brave. The kids will have an expansive area to play in and there are several sheltered spots, ideal for picnicking. 

Do you love penguins and picnics?  Head to Boulder’s Beach which has its own colony of Jackass penguins, as well as an enticing warm sea to swim in and soft, sandy beaches sheltered by giant boulders. This is one of the Cape’s most striking beaches and you can wander along the walkway and look out for fluffy baby penguin chicks sheltering in their burrows in the protected breeding area. 

As a true picnicker at heart, Cape Town is the ideal place for me, with many attractive highlights to visit. Staying in a Cape Town holiday rental or self-catering accommodation option means that you have the flexibility to explore all the city’s delights and picnics are a great way to eat on a budget.

Table Mountain named a seventh wonder of the world

It’s official and as a Capetonian I couldn’t be more excited – my favourite mountain is now one of the Seven New Wonders of the World, chosen from a list of over 400 entries. As I gaze out of my window at the famous Table, it’s easy to see why – the majestic mountain rises up in the middle of the city and for many residents, including myself, it’s synonymous with home. Gorgeous fynbos adorns the rocky cliffs and in the distance I can see the cable cars moving up and down the steep slopes.

My mountain goes through many mood swings, sometimes it’s surrounded by clear, blue skies and sunshine, but at other times a thick mist rolls over its imposing incline, covering it in a dense, cloudy tablecloth. Occasionally the thunder crackles and dazzling streaks of lightning flash like fireworks, illuminating the craggy hills. I remember a good few years back, when the entire mountain face was covered in uncontrollable, raging flames, like a million glowing candles leaping against the starry night’s sky.

The top of the Table is one of those sights you just have to add to your bucket list. The ride up in the cable car is wonderful – you go at a gentle, steady pace and can gaze out through the 360 degree glass window, watching as the city below you gets smaller and smaller.

At the top, enjoy striking vistas of one of the world’s most attractive cities, while immersing yourself in the spectacular indigenous floral kingdom surrounding you. There are numerous walkways and trails to discover and the tranquil serenity and pristine natural beauty of the mountain is good for the soul.

  

The movement was established by the Swiss-based New7Wonders Foundation and involved an intensive, three year, global elective campaign run via social networking sites, with millions of people voting from over 220 countries. In November 2011, international voting closed and Table Mountain’s provisional status was changed to official and the whole of South Africa celebrated.

The New7 Wonders winners are:

• ·         Table Mountain, South Africa
• ·         Puerto Princesa Underground River, Philippines
• ·         Komodo Island, Indonesia
• ·         Jeju Island, off the southern coast of Korea
• ·         Iguaza Falls in Brazil/ Argentina
• ·         Halong Bay, Vietnam
• ·         Amazon Rainforest

Cape Town’s Mayor, Patricia de Lille, had this to say about the auspicious new title: “a great accolade for a unique wonder of nature that belongs to all the people of Cape Town, South Africa, Africa and the world.”

Many people are visiting the vibrant city to catch a glimpse of the amazing landmark; luckily there are many wonderful accommodation options to choose from, including stylish Cape Town holiday rentals and self-catering apartments.