The Foodbarn, Noordhoek - Real Food, Simply Delicious

Take a drive along the coast of the Cape, and take a turn to Noodhoek, just off the street you’ll find the vibey Noodhoek Village that offers a pub, some touristy shops, swings and playthings for little children on the grass lawn and an old hotel. Look to your right, there you’ll see a sign above a door, reading The Foodbarn. Walk towards it. Step through the door.

Once inside you are swept away by the serene all white innards of this building, with just little touches of blue to remind you that you are in fact not lost in the arctic snow. Bliss.

Simplicity is key with décor, and to a certain extent with the food as well, even though you’ll never know as Franck Dangereux manages to conjure the most define and powerful flavours out of any ingredient. A true artist who can make 6 ingredients taste like 16. Perhaps this is the freshness of the ingredients, or just his sheer brilliance in the kitchen? Who knows! I think it might be the combination of the two that gives your palate the buzz.

We were presented with dazzling Springtime menu, filled with choices and flavours that makes you want to be a glut, and order for 2...

A lovely wine list (which is to be expected when dining in the Cape) as well as a selection of local craft beers. The service is efficient, personal and friendly, without being familiar and having you feel like you should pull up an extra chair. Extremely helpful and knows the dishes off by heart.

 

Usually I’d now proceed on dissecting what was eaten and what the menu offered – today however, I’ll rather just give you the menu and photos of the delicious and beautiful food, as we were 5 people, all ordering starters, mains and desserts, so it might take a while.

 What I can and will say, is that no-one had an inkling of unhappiness about any bite of food they took. No surprize really, as it is Franck’s restaurant. I would have liked more than one goats cheese fritter as a starter though – very small portion, but I was slightly starry eyed at the spring risotto, which very rarely happens to me when eating risotto (or any pasta). Food is plated elegantly without being over the top or disguising what exactly it is that you’re eating – what you see is what you get, just with much more flavour and perfection than you could imagine.

 

 I expected a little more from the dessert menu, nothing really drew me... but the Pear tart Tatin was the perfect end to the meal.

 

When I’m in Cape Town again, I’ll gladly drive around the coast to enjoy the beautiful view, on my way to The Foodbarn.

***Note – you’ll definitely have to book in advance!!

 

Until we eat again…

Waterkloof Wines, Somerset West - Heaven on Earth!

Close your eyes, and have your mind wonder to a secret little place of awe and beauty.

Imagine a glass cube on the top of a hill, overlooking a valley of vineyards, abundant vegetation and the majestic blue sea.

You have that?

Now – go visit Waterkloof Wines, and exceed your imaginations expectations.

The most amazing fireplace with specially made leather couches and small tables and chairs that compliment this stunning feature in the centre of the room, beside the open kitchen. This double volume ceiling and glass walls give a sense of openness and amazement.

True serenity and bliss.

Situated just outside Somerset West in the Cape, on Sir Lowrie's Pass, this prize winning architectural structure is a highlight in its surroundings. Yes, a little drive if you commute from Cape Town or Stellenbosch, but well worth the travel.

Waterkloof restaurant is still quite new compared to the other vineyard restaurants, but will soon be in the top 10 – guaranteed.

Waterkloof has only offer their own wines, which is great, as these wines are delightful and you really wouldn’t want any other wine. I think what a suprises me most of this restaurant are the prices. The wines are at cellar prices, and the food with all the details and expertize are half (or less) the price that you would pay at any of the top 10 restaurants, or well-known places in the Cape. The owner of this little piece of heaven on earth has a passion, and is making it a reality, offering all a glimpse at paradise, without ripping you off and charging you near insane prices.

And I haven’t even started on the food!

An absolute master in food, Gregory Czarnecki will ensure that you have a food experience that lingers on in your mind for months. His knowledge of food, and combinations of flavor, textures, technique and plating is jaw-dropping, every course unique and exciting. And catering for vegetarians in no problem, and these dishes are just as amazing. It is here that I again realized my love for good food and wine.

Think Lentil Velouté with beetroot, truffle foam and foie gras; Scallop Ceviche with cauliflower and curry; Spingbok Loin with parmesan custard, smoked potato and pumpkin gnocchi; Monkfish, wild mushroom and Iberico; and for desserts – Sablé Breton and Hazelnut, burnt honey and clementine marmalade sorbet; Carrot Sponge, butternut ice cream with white chocolate and celery cream; and a cheese platter with liquid shortbread, truffled honey and foie gras snow.

My mind goes a little blurry as I reminisce about the total decadence that is Waterkloof. So I think it’s best if pictures do the rest of the work, as words escape me…

Untill we eat again...

It's been a while, but I'm back

Regret is a funny thing, most people seem to be afraid of it and live by the "YOLO" motto in fear of missing out on something that could possibly be life changing, but most likely not.

Regret the things you didn’t do as opposed to the things you didn’t? - now there I do not completely agree, not only taking myself into consideration, but also thinking of really idiotic things that other people have done - off the top off my head - drinking 3 bottles of wine and adding some shooters, on a Thursday night (having an important meeting/interview the Friday morning) just in case you never get the chance to drink wine again; getting tattoo’s in foreign symbols, later to find out you are now inked with the word “dog food”,  getting tattoos of someone’s name; recording a video of oneself doing a cover of an Alanis, Cher or a Taylor Swift song, and posting this on Youtube - no wait, you recording yourself doing anything, with your smartphone's front camera, and posting this on Youtube. I bet there is an army of people regretting these kinds of things.

What I regret is not blogging and noting down my food findings across the plates of Joburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and abroad.

It's been too long, but I have devoted myself again to name and shame, as well as give praise to all culinary delights I might stumble upon.Luckily I do have the memory of an elephant, and yes, I do take pictures of pretty much all food I consume, as well as what the rest of the table is having - this I do not regret.

Before I dive into my next review, I think perhaps the time is now to reveal a little more about myself and why I think I am able to pass my judgement on food and their establishments.

I grew up in a family of 6 - 3 of us loving everything foodie and different to a plate with steak and chips. There are more cookbooks in our house than literary books - well very close, and I have paged through all of them, more than once, tried the recipes, adjusting where I see fit, to give a dish a little more hutzpah. BBC Food, Food Network, Masterchef (Australia - not the other rubbish versions) - bless the souls and makers of these programmes, I watch them religiously. Respect and awe for all the hard work, skill, and hours of preparation that go into every beautifully prepared and extraordinary plated dish that I have ever seen and devoured. It is true, we really do eat with our eyes as well.

When ever we travel, or when at home, we always have a look in the EatOut magazine, Tripadvisor etc to book place at one (or all if possible) of the top 10 restaurants. Lucky me! I have more than one friend who qualified as a Cordon Bleu Chef, and sometimes shocking, mostly rather impressed, I know more about food that they do. Sometimes the reviews in the magazines are bought and bribed, sometimes they are relatively accurate, but mostly Tripadvisor is the one I trust- as it is ordinary foodies, with ordinary camera's, no special lighting, smoke and mirrors, their own opinion, what they get is what you see.

As a lover of food and animals alike, I have become a vegetarian and been one for almost 3 years - however luckily the other 2 foodies in my family are both carnivores and I value and trust their opinions, as if it were my own.

And now my findings on culinary delights and horrors can continue.

Untill we eat again...

" One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.”
― Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own