Pizzas: Col'Cacchio celebrity; Balducci and Obz Cafe (24-Aug-09)
MANY restaurateurs have fabulous special offers during the winter months to try to coax hibernating locals away from their warm couches and TV sets. Rather than just offer a special price, Col’Cacchio founders Michael Terespolsky and Klinga Baranowska developed a celebrity pizza menu that also donates R5 from each pizza sold to The Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital.
For the remainder of August, you can enjoy Margot Janse’s Smokey Babe creation. Arguably one of South Africa’s most celebrated chefs, Margot, of Le Quartier Francaise restaurant in Franschhoek, has created a pizza that calls for slow-roasted pork ribs being left to cool in a heady smoked Asian sauce. Once deboned, the smoked ribs are complimented by mozzarella, red onion, sweet corn and spring onion.
Fresh mint and coriander provides the top notes. Like a special perfume that has top, body and base notes, this pizza whacks you with its robust smokiness. As you bring it closer, and take in the appealing visual, you’ll notice the yellow corn, like ingots catching the sun.
The fragrance flourish is from the fresh mint and coriander and it is only upon eating that the sweetness of the meat combines with the red onions as they offer up their savory sugariness. As one who likes simple pizzas with three or fewer flavours, this one is a complex smorgasbord, although entirely satisfying.
We were also impressed with the regular pizza offerings: the prawn peri-peri (no tomato) is delicious in its searing plainness, and the local-is-lekker version with biltong, tomato, avocado and rocket oil delivers a salty, grassy punch that will go perfectly well with a Bloody Mary.
Salads were inventive too but the Pera with caramelized pear, lettuce, rocket, caramelized seeds, cucumber, avocado, honey and shallot dressing is the one to order.
Having opened the first Col’Cacchio in the old ICS building in town 17 years ago, Michael and Klinga know more than a thing or two about the business. We talked about how things have changed: the cost of labour and ingredients have escalated; consumers are more exacting and the challenge today is to maintain the consistency and service delivery we expect. Judging on their Willowbridge branch (our local), they’re doing much right maintaining a buzz while many other restaurants in the centre lie fallow.
Col’Cacchio 021 9143320
Balducci has long been a favourite spot at the Waterfront for great coffee and cocktails. Their winter-special offer includes pizzas (excluding prawn) for R49 and two-hours free parking in the Victoria Wharf which, if I remember correctly, is worth about R15!
The best news is that the pizzas are good. Although the portion of oxtail meat on my pizza was a little scant, it was still a winner. Satay marinated chicken with peppadews, onions, mushrooms and sweet chilli sauce or Cape Town Club with grilled chicken, mozzarella and bacon, topped with fresh cherry tomatoes, chopped lettuce, mayonnaise and avocado is recommended.
Balducci 021-421-6002.
Obz Café in Lower Main Road is attracting business with a number of two-for-one or half/price specials -– the Wednesday pizza offering is extremely good value. My large tandoori chicken pizza at R32 is a winner.
Obz Café 021-448-5555.
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Majeka House, Stellenbosch. First published in 48 Hours. (17-Aug-09)
MAJEKA House is situated in Stellenbosch’s residential community nearby corporate head offices for Parmalat and Medi-clinic and within proximity of the Stellenbosch Golf Club making it convenient for business guests.
The property also offers a business centre and well-equipped boardroom catering for up to 16 people, ideal for on-site meetings and presentations.
There are probably better choices if you’re after quiet and deep relaxation as we found that sitting on our private stoep, which although in a pretty garden setting, abutted the road so we could hear cars and the neighbour’s children trying to learn to play the Recorder.
The Sanctuary Spa though is delightful and we both enjoyed having our treatments in the same room. My manicure and pedicure were professionally conducted (there is a special bliss having two therapists just for me) and JP was impressed by his hot-stone massage – a treatment he says he will ask for at the next spa we visit too.
The spa forms part of the enclosed indoor pool house, (usually heated but not when I plunged in without first checking) so I quickly sat in the “Jacuzzi” to try to defrost. Not finding the button to awaken the bubbles, I moved on.
There is also a steam room (and a gym) but it wasn’t on and I didn’t feel like waiting for it to warm up.
The rooms are comfortably sized and I liked that screen doors in the bathroom could open to the bedroom either allowing you to chat to your partner, or to watch TV while soaking.
What I loved most in the room was the Lavazza coffee and tea maker. One “pod” per person per day is included in the stay and others billed at R10 – still a good price for such brilliant coffee.
I also liked that instead of a snack selection just containing biltong or nuts, theirs was a heap of Woolies’ goodies: chocolates, nougats, dried fruits and the usual suspects.
The restaurant is only open to residential guests, which is a pity as breakfast was splendid and reason enough to visit. Coffee was the highlight again but as each cup was freshly made, there was a backlog with us having to wait some time for refills.
When you go, I suggest you order two cups of coffee each time the charming, but inexperienced, server comes by. Although not a fine-dining restaurant, the food was pleasant and well made. With a fire roaring in the over-sized grate or perhaps someone playing the grand piano, a wonderful time will be had by all. There’s a natty adjacent library.
There are 12 Premier suites and three Superior rooms as well as one self-catering Villa with three bedrooms.
All rooms feature what I expect from a five-star property: wireless Internet access, air-conditioning, satellite television and 300-count linen. A pity there is no room service.
Majeka House is located at 26-32 Houtkapper Street, Paradyskloof, Stellenbosch. Rates are priced from R800.00 per person per night sharing and are inclusive of breakfast but there is a “Majeka House Winter in the Winelands 2-night package” offered until 30 September 2009.
For R1800.00 per person sharing guests will stay in a Premier Room. A Dinner for two at the hotel’s restaurant and a dinner for two at the nearby excellent Bodega Restaurant on the Dornier Wine Estate is included as is a “Tranquillity Treatment” each at The Sanctuary Spa. For reservations or further information call Majeka House 021-880-1549 or visit
www.majekahouse.co.za.
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Rosendal Lodge, Winery and Spa, Robertson (04-Aug-09)
SUCCESSFUL marketing of the Route 62 has also spun off on adjoining towns like Robertson which is becoming a getaway destination with Rosendal Winery and Spa and a newly announced five-star luxury hotel in the region. Its appeal, aside from the beautiful surrounding mountains, is that is very near Montague and other inviting towns should you prefer not to spend all your time at the pool or spa.
At under two-hours from Cape Town it is near enough to leave for on a Friday afternoon and still arrive in time to relax and have dinner, but far enough to have a break from the rat race which Paarl, Stellenbosch and Somerset West, irrespective how lovely, simply don’t provide.
We stopped at the Pumpkin farm stall on the way to Robertson. Instinctively, I switched to Afrikaans.
It may have been the big tree surrounded by pumpkins or the “word art” made from rusty bent iron on the walls, but something made we fall immediately in love with the place.
While we were enjoying our “moer koffie en biscuit”, a big pot and bowl of crunchy rusks for R10!, a local farmer in a two-tone shirt came in for a cooldrink, greeting us with a huge smile and bounce of his belly. The country feeling had already set in.
Rosendal is on the Klaas Voogds Road which is still some distance outside of Robertson towards Montagu. There are interesting things to look at on the way, including a famous succulent nursery which is within walking distance of Rosendal.
The main building is modest. It has a great timber deck on two sides with the good restaurant (operated independently by a Belgian couple) on the upper level and wine-tasting facility below.
Accommodations are in West-facing farm-style buildings overlooking the dam, while the spa and additional accommodation is in the original homestead which dates back to the 15th century.
The sense of peace and tranquility is at its highest early in the morning when the first light begins to shine past the Kraskop Mountains and the birds in hanging nests amongst the reeds start their day.
Despite the cold (and heat in summer), each lungful of morning air is healing and calming.
There are two treatment rooms in the farm-style spa. The waiting area is on the deep “stoep” of the original house.
Treatments are affordably priced and should be included in your budget when planning a visit. I opted for the African Wood Massage (R390 for one hour) while JP had the wellness massage, also for an hour which cost R330.
The wood massage uses purpose-designed knopkerries which the excellent therapist uses to burrow deep into the muscle and loosen the tension.
I prefer massage simply with the therapist’s hands (although there are many who will say the hot-stone treatment [R400 for one hour] is more relaxing that just an ordinary massage).
We liked having heated floors in our “bathroom” which is built behind the bed with a free standing tub romantically surrounded by silk curtains, a shower cubicle on the one side of the basins and a toilet at another.
We didn’t like the glass doors that creaked very loudly and missed having a TV in our room.
Rates are from R1390 per room and they have rooms which are suitable for families separate from those visiting who just want peace and quiet.
Rosendal is also known for its excellent wines which are mainly exported to Europe from where the Norwegian owners Geir Tellefsen and Sissel Anderssen come.
Their premium range is the Barony whites and reds while their Wild Blue Yonder, a blend of four reds, is the most costly at R149 a bottle.
For more information, contact Rosendal at 023 626 1570 or visit their website www.rosendalwinery.co.za.
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