Table Mountain, Cape Town

The Africa Cafe, Cape Town

Well dressed traditional dancers come to entertain diners with singing, dancing and beating of cultural drums.

Cheese, chick peas, sauces, cassavas, beans, breads and more.   The promise of a menu that stretches from Morocco to Malawi and the Transvaal.   Maybe too idealistic, perhaps a brilliant idea.   It is not just a food experience. The Africa Cafe wants you to also soak in the culture in a  fun and relaxing way.  And so they did pull it off.  On a Wednesday evening mid week, my group was provided a sumptuous banquet, had our ears open to rhythm, given an chance to dwell in the strong colours of costumes - and each of us realised that the continent is truly large in geographical spread.

Perhaps an unassuming outside but a much well though of and designed interior.

The variety of dishes can only be sampled if one tries to try all.

My way of looking at how to cover so much variety in the cuisine offered is to take nibbles, samplings and bites.   There are salads, deep fried stuff, rolls, condiments, meats  - the risk is a fish mesh in the mouth, so it is good to at least recognise from where each item originates.  

Basmati rice,  Dahl curry, Cape Malay offerings and broccoli salads are obviously foreign influences, from across the Indian Ocean.  Hey but wait,  there are filleted chicken breast marinated in a macadamia sauce; the Vet Koek (lightly fried bread balls); Channa fish; Karoo-style lamb stew; spinach cooked with peppers and tomato, from the Congo; and a chili dip from Mozambique.  Servings are on the generous side.

The ceiling above your dining table.

The menu tucked in a bottle.

We were seated upstairs, inside what seems to be an Euro styled mansion from the past, with walls brightly coloured to echo the colours outdoors.   May be it is fusion, with white cloths over dining tables, so-called exotic food, with a harmony co-existing amongst the grains, veg and meats.  

Did I sense a bit of a tourist trap?  Heck no, I felt like coming home to an extended family dinner.  The staff members are mainly young and I missed checking out the kitchen.  Located in downtown Cape Town, the Africa Cafe is easily accessible but I did not feel like I was in the proverbial middle of the forest.   I recommend this place as a viable entry point to African cuisine for someone who has not been to the continent but it does lack some iconic dish offerings from the north.

Our personal host explains before we begin our dinner course.

Starters, snacks and appetisers.

The wine list emphasises Blancs - Sauvignons and Chenins - plus Rieslings, Pinots and Chardonnays.  Reds include Merlots, Cabarnets, Bordeaux and Shiraz.   Concurrently there is a good choice of African liqueurs, freshly made fruit cocktails and world wide whiskeys, so there is much choice indeed.

Value of the food menu can be in the eye of the beholder so I leave it to individuals 
to judge whether prices are on the higher side or not.   Guests are provided with rose scented water to wash their hands on arrival.  Entertainment includes drumming but i noticed guests are freely allowed to walk about the premises as well and not just get stuck on their allotted chairs!  You can have a bit of face painting for a diversion in the middle of dinner.

Mid way we have some meat creations.

Salads and sauces.

The Africa Cafe is in Cape Town CBD at 108 Shortmarket Street, City Bowl, Cape Town, South Africa.Opening hours  - Evenings from 6pm to 11pm.Telephone + 27 21 422 0221

The Black Marlin, Simon's Town - South Africa

You want to take a drive with your loved one along a scenic coast and surprise her or him with a relaxing meal.  You want to feel the breeze in your face and that of your special someone.  It is the weekend. You want to get out of the urban centre but not too far, maybe you both shall stay over night. Both of you love ocean views and the harvest of the sea.   You look forward to delightful ways of cooking with lobster, fish, prawns and shellfish.   You love retro architecture and heritage surroundings.  You prefer local produce.

Welcome to the Black Marlin, located in the Southern Cape,  with interfaces with the southern Atlantic waters, beautifully located.  You are welcomed with cuisine influences from both Europe and Africa  - grills, pasta, curry, steaks and pudding!   There are also other activities you can join pre and post meals.

At nearby Boulder's Beach.

Fishermen in boats are working just outside the bay near the restaurant.

My group ordered some black West Coast mussels apart from the three course lunch. I liked the accompanying sauce made with garlic sauce, cream and white wine to down these mussels on the shell.  I loved the saffron flavoured rice that came as my mains and oh yes, the lobster was fresh and tasty.  Chowder soup that day was not up to my expectations - ha ha, I would have preferred the lobster bisque - but dessert was welcome with Malay pudding graced by butterscotch saucer and vanilla flavoured ice cream.  Another unique dessert to wind up a meal is the Angel's Delight ( a baked Belgian chocolate tart with orange sorbet).

Some dishes are seasonal, like the ostrich curry.  On my day of my visit, I noticed the Karoo lamb cutlets, Cape Malay chicken curry, chocolate mousse and pesto pasta for lunch as well.   Other options like chicken livers Peri Peri, while grilled sardines  and prawn spring rolls go down well definitely with beer.   Calamari is also made in various ways, deep fried, plain grilled, with Cajun sauce or in stripes, tubes or rings.  There are three sauces made to serve with meats - Madagascar, mixed berry and creamy mushroom.   Other seafood highlighted are Norwegian salmon, the Hake, Kingklip, tuna and the crayfish.

You can consider whale watching tours (July to December), wedding and functional packages or just a family gathering as well using The Black Marlin as a base.  The Black Marlin has been run since the sixties so this is an iconic place in the Cape.

I reckon a leisurely breakfast by the sea is recommended here.  Their False Bay or Sunrise combinations reminds me of those served in Wollongong and Sydney area cafes, with side options available as well.  Depending on where you sit, you can have your private corners or join in the boisterous surrounds of the main dining room - when I was there, there were a few tables of Italian visitors from Europe.

Three salad offerings stand out.  The Blackened Chicken version comes garnished with cucumber, tomato, chili and coriander Salsa, with an option to add Jalapeño.  The caramelised pear is served with Gorgonzola on a bed of rocket and drizzled with a blue cheese dressing.  Marinated beetroot is also available with mixed greens and topped with goat's cheese.

Other good starters to consider are Carpaccio, snails smeared with garlic butter and the Cape Malay fish cakes.   Total vegetarian are dishes in curry, cous cous and spring rolls.  

The Black Marlin's signature dish comprises of cubes of hake wrapped in bacon, grilled on skewers and accompanied by salads, seasonal vegetables, chips, rice or mash and a choice of sauces - lemon butter, garlic butter or chili.   What stands out to me is the Kingklip or King Rock fish, native to South African waters, with the name of Dutch origin.  The Black Marlin serves them either in skewers or in cubes, Du Jour version.

The Black Marlin Restaurant is located at Miller's point, Simon's Town, Southern Cape, South Africa.

Telephone 021 786 1621 and 021 786 1623

Ambiance: Seaside delight.
Service;  Professional, friendly and quick.
Seating:  Outdoor, indoor with white cloths and casual on the decks.
Variety:  Ample.