Clipper Restaurant, Commodore Legacy - Cape Town Breakfast Time

The staff are attentive for the dawn hour, conscious of your need and to ensure that your hot beverage of choice is always with you.  The tables can be packed close when filled up on a busy time but with table cloths of white and an extensive array of cutlery, guests know that are being pampered.  The variety of the breakfast choices is generous, especially for the breads, fruits and hot food.  Quality preserves are from the Stellenbosch area,  walnuts and cashew nuts are available and the eggs are meticulously prepared for customers according to their whim and fancy.  The coffee pouring waiter may seem to be a bit more serious that day but otherwise everyone else feels so relaxed and may not want to leave.   The breakfast starts as early as 630am if I am not mistaken and goes on till 10am.  Presentation, presence and peacefulness - those are the hallmarks of the Clipper.

Fruits, nuts and croissants galore early in the morning.

Single served poached eggs according to your liking - soft, medium or hard - on top of waffles (foreground).  Generous ingredients for your also personalised omelette (background).

The seated lobby that precedes the Clipper restaurant's main dining area.

A sumptuous Continental breakfast

The inner sanctum of the hotel.

Cold soba with warm omelette.

The Clipper Restaurant provides sit down meals, ala carte and buffet, at the Commodore Legacy Hotel,which is located at PortsWood Road, Portwood Square, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town.






 

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.

Carnivore Restaurant Johannesburg

This rather unique restaurant makes one feel like in a  game reserve, with sufficient open air settings and covered seating to get into the mood that is uniquely African.   The name itself makes one look forward to the Rodizio version of the Brazilian roast and grill school of Churrascaria.   It is fascinating to watch the meat grilled on Maasai swords or spears over red hot charcoal beds. The place was abuzz with diners as we settled into our table with a group of fifteen. One has to negotiate steps to get to the modern washrooms.  By night's end, almost every table was filled up on this Friday night.  A flag at the table is lowered when we had finished and that was the signal for the staff to stop coming with more offerings.  This must be a great choice for functions and gatherings as it can sit over 300 people.  It was still the dry season when I was there and the night was enchanting, welcoming and embracing.  It was a wonderful experience of a barbecue against the coolish evening air, especially when sipping in the interesting welcome cocktail.

I must say I found my sampling taste of zebra unusually flavourful, juicy and well done.  Not that I wanted to but I thought this was a rare opportunity for me to try more wild game roasts. The meat offering are generous, with the staff coming ever so often every few minutes with their suggestion to try this and that!  Crocodile and ostrich meat were already familiar to me from Aussie joints, but not impala, warthog and giraffe.  The roaring fire pit is ion the centre of it all and it is not hard not to miss this.  Staff are well dressed and quick to the service with a smile.

The Carnivore Restaurant have four locations in Africa - outside the city centres of Cairo, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Mombasa.  The business is run by the Tamarind Group.
Visited was the Joburg area outlet in the Muldersdrift countryside near to the Misty Hills Country Hotel, Conference Centre and Spa.

Opening hours for lunch and dinner.
Telephone for Enquiries:  011 950 6000
This is consistently one of the top restaurants recognised in the media.   Vegetarian and fish cuisine are also available for diners.

Warwick Wine Estate - Cape Province, South Africa

A wonderful place to do by whether it is raining or not.  The dining room is spacious, the wine tasting is elaborated clearly and the picnic box has more delights that possibly two persons sharing can finish consuming.   Nestled in ambient scenery and relaxing landscape, Warwick lures the tired traveller to north-west of Cape Town.  A good introduction to is lunch there initially and then perhaps consider joining the Wine Club.  Run by the Ratcliffe family, Warwick also runs wine safaris with their Big 5 grape varieties, holds picnics (not between may to August for weather considerations) and maintains a shop on site and on-line.  The staff are well trained, engaging and knowledgeable.

Warwick's reds are centred around the two Ladies (Red and Black) plus Trilogy (by itself and then with Magnum) and the Cabernets.  Warwick's whites emphasise on chardonnays but also have a dry rose and Sauvignon Blanc.  I prefer the two ladies and the Sauvignon Blanc from the tasting that we had.  Warwick is a boutique business and so offers great care and attention to its produce and blends.

This attention to detail is also reflected in the food provided for visitors.  Karoobossie vintage cheddar,  butternut and sweet potato tart puffs, quality salami and Parma ham.  What I like most of all is their take on the Greek salad - with almonds, barley, broccoli and brinjal!  Accompany all this with ciabatta, pretzel sticks and Melba toasts in the hamper - and every one feels complete.  Oh yes, don;t forget the smoked salmon pate as well.

There are plenty of choice in picnic areas, like in the Pods, forest courtyards, outer decks and the lawns themselves.   And they are big on organising functions.

The Warwick Wine Estate is located along the R44 Highway between
Stellenbosch and Klupsmuts, Cape Province, South Africa.
It is open every day of the year from 9am to 5pm.
Telephone +27 21 884 4410 Reception
Nearby are the university town of Stellenbosch and the French Protestant hub of Fanschhoek.

 

Chobe National Park - Crossing the Waters