Pioneers Restaurant Wanting to eat somewhere different in Graaff-Reinet the decision was made to go to Pioneers Restaurant. When a restaurant claims that their food is freshly prepared I expect just that. But our visit to Pioneers Restaurant proved the opposite was true. This establishment serves traditional Karoo food and Almaré and Roelien ask their … Continue reading Pioneers Restaurant, Graaff-Reinet South Africa

Polka Cafe Graaff-Reinet is the best choice of a place to stay over when doing a road trip from Gordons Bay to Port Shepstone. And I would guess that Polka Cafe is one of the best places to eat in this town. They embody everything I would expect from Karoo cooking. Our meal Being in … Continue reading Polka Cafe, Graaff-Reinet South Africa

Al Forno Dave and I were regular visitors to Al Forno when it was owned by an Italian. He understood that pizzas should be thin based and pasta dishes should be all about the pasta, and less about the sauce. It was taken over by someone who changed the ethos of the trattoria. When the … Continue reading Al Forno, Gordons Bay South Africa

Old Austria Restaurant Dave and I stayed in Port Elizabeth, close to St. George's Park Cricket Ground. We took a look on Google Maps to see where we should go for supper and the closest place to us was Old Austria Restaurant. We took a stroll from our Bed & Breakfast to the restaurant which … Continue reading Old Austria Restaurant, Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Sora Maria Dave and I arrived in Civitavecchia just before 19h00 with the sun still shining. We chose not to catch a bus from the train station to the ferry port. Instead we walked to the town looking for a place to eat. As is our habit, we walked out of the tourist area and … Continue reading Sora Maria, Civitavecchia, Italy

Ristorante Da Massi Dave and I explored Trastevere the day we arrived in Rome and wanting an early dinner we chose Ristorante Da Massi. You will find them on Via della Scala which is on the west bank of the Tiber, south of the Vatican, in the old city. What attracted us to the restaurant was the … Continue reading Ristorante Da Massi, Rome Italy

Mauro's Restaurant is situated in the quiet seaside village of St. Francis. This Italian restaurant is a must visit if Mauro is there. Mauro's Restaurant, St. Francis, South Africa   Dave and I drove back from East London, deciding to stop in Cape St. Francis on our way back. We had quite a strenuous drive, … Continue reading Mauro’s Restaurant, St. Francis, South Africa

Milhaus Stellenbosch Revisited After my review of Milhaus Stellenbosch I was contacted by the manageress, Ilze. She asked if Dave and I would please come back to see if the changes they had made improved our experience. On Wednesday the 1st of February Dave and I headed over for a meal. On first impression the layout … Continue reading Milhaus Stellenbosch Revisited

Milhaus, Stellenbosch Dave and I were invited to the opening of Milhaus in September 2016. Situated in Stellenbosch Square it is easily accessible from Somerset West. We arrived early and as the signage was still being installed we decided to go somewhere for coffee first. Things were quite chaotic when we walked in. The manageress … Continue reading Milhaus, Stellenbosch, South Africa

Delaire Graff wine estate is situated in Stellenbosch on the Hells Hoogte Pass. Nestled among the mountains and vineyards is one of the top rated restaurants in South Africa. The plan was to meet an hour before our dinner reservation to enjoy the view from the balcony while enjoying a pre-dinner drink. Eric and Bev were … Continue reading Delaire Graff Restaurant, Stellenbosch

Dave and I have spent many hours on the road between Gordons Bay and Sedgefield. One regular coffee stop along the way is Tredici in Swellendam. They are easily accessible from the N2 and the coffee is good and hot. On our way to Lakeside Lodge and Spa in April we decided to eat lunch there. They … Continue reading Tredici, Swellendam, South Africa

Dave and I wanted to eat somewhere closer to Skerrols House on our second night in Islay as we had spent the day driving around the Isle, stopping for whisky tastings along the way. We popped in to the Bridgend Hotel on our way back to our accommodation and we were warmly greeted by the young … Continue reading Bridgend Hotel, Islay, Scotland

We drove for what seemed like an age, from Skerrols House to Port Charlotte, looking for the hotel. Thomas (the concierge at Skerrols House) had made the booking for us, and told Dave to look for a large white building. Well, everything from Bruichladdich onward is white and we thought we had driven far too … Continue reading The Port Charlotte Hotel, Islay

One place Dave and I will be sure to visit next time we are in Sedgefield will be Benguela Brasserie. It will make a change for Marguerite and the setting is so peaceful. Dave and I stayed at the Lodge in April and so we only had a short walk to the restaurant. We chose the Shiraz … Continue reading Benguela Brasserie, Swartvlei

Situated in Timberlake Village, Zucchini Restaurant offers meals that are hearty in a simply designed restaurant with quirky touches. The bar stools are saddles and the children often ride them with glee. The central focus is a large fireplace and we sit next to it as our 'regular table'. My mother-in-law eats here often and … Continue reading Zucchini Restaurant, Wilderness

Benguela Cove is a wine estate, with lagoon frontage, and properties for sale. Since they launched the sale of land, I had a romantic notion of having a weekend home amongst the vineyards and fynbos. Dave and I went for lunch at the Manor House, which is 2 000 square meters! The estate itself encompasses … Continue reading Benguela Cove, Botrivier Lagoon, South Africa

Benguela on Main have closed their doors. I am leaving this blog post up for information purposes only. Benguela On Main in Somerset West is a welcome addition to fine dining in the Helderberg. Dave and I were guests of the owner, and arrived earlier than planned on a stunning Friday evening. No expense has … Continue reading Benguela On Main, Somerset West

The first time I went to Hartenberg Wine Estate was for their inaugural Shiraz and Charcuterie day. My second visit was far more relaxed and included an amazing tour through the underground cellar which was completed in 1998. Our morning started with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc which was full of fresh green asparagus. We sat … Continue reading Hartenberg Wine Estate, Stellenbosch

After our amazing meal at The Kitchin on our last visit to Edinburgh I knew already that we would have to repeat the experience. But as we were travelling with Mark, who is a meat and potatoes kind of guy, I made a reservation at The Scran & Scallie instead. Tom wanted to create a place where families … Continue reading The Scran & Scallie, Edinburgh

Situated in a quiet courtyard off Somerset Road, you will find the Queen Victoria Hotel by looking for their logo on the door. After parking the car, Dave and I made our way into the 34 room boutique hotel, past the piano player into the restaurant. Dash restaurant seats 34 diners and is beautifully appointed with … Continue reading Dash Restaurant, Cape Town