On Friday evening we decided to try The Long Table Restaurant at Haskell Vineyards on Cobie’s recommendation. The drive there was spectacular with a tinge of excitement and mystery as we passed the gates of wine farms like Rust & Vrede and kept on going towards the foot of the mountains while the sun was fading in the distance. The setting of the restaurant is breath-taking and set in the old angora wool factory building at Dombeya.
We sat outside on the patio with a dramatic view of the mountains in the background and rows and rows of vineyards. We ordered the Dombeya Chardonnay 2011, with a velvety butter flavour – exactly what I prefer in a Chardonnay. For starters I had the fried baby calamari in dukkah breading, served with sambal dipping sauce. As I main I ordered the free range duck breast with cranberry & lemongrass sauce, polenta cake stuffed with camembert, confit duck & cranberry & pear chutney cigar.
The food was excellent and the portions quite generous.
On our way back through the farm we passed an owl perched on a vineyard pole. It reminded me that I wanted to buy Mike an owl box or two. If anyone knows where I can order one….?
Saturday morning we had breakfast at the Coopmanhuijs Hotel and then Mike went to climb Table Mountain and I went to work and then caught up with my friend Annamari.
In the afternoon we went to have lunch at The Bay Hotel in Camps Bay followed by the rugby in the bar.
On Saturday evening we went to check into The Commodore Hotel, a hotel conveniently situated walking distance to the V&A Waterfront. We had made arrangements to meet our friends who are on holiday in Cape Town from the UK, Tim and Bev at Bizerka in the city centre. We were a tad late as quite a few of the roads in the area were blocked due to the Cape Town Carnival and each time the taxi driver insisted that he knew a shortcut… We were welcomed by a lovely maitre d’ also called Elize. It was a beautiful Cape Town evening and we sat in the courtyard, drinking cap classique to toast our friends whom we hadn’t seen for a year.
I used to love Bizerka when they were still near the Cape Town Virgin Active gym. I like the new location in Heritage Square much more but unfortunately the food is not the same as it used to be. It was a bit of a disappointment especially when we had our foodie friends who we wanted to impress with our excellent Cape Town restaurants.
On Sunday morning we went for a run on the promenade from the Waterfront to Seapoint followed by breakfast back at The Commodore Hotel.
After a quick visit to the V&A Waterfront we went home to have a lazy day on the stoep and by the pool reading the newspapers and catching up with admin.
