We met on a sultry summer's evening, with the sun just setting over heritage square. A small bistro-like restaurant, balancing between history and hipness.
Fully booked for weeks in advance and with a chillyness in the air, we were placed inside, which was a bit of a shame, as the square feels like a bit european hide-away.
The decor inside is trendy, but the square has the personality.
We had were subdued and opted for different drinks: Whiskey, Bubbles and Chenin Blanc...and lots of water :)
Gorgeous Kingklip....
Caren & Merle had the leg of lamb, which sold out promptly - says it all!
Cheese platter was divine and balanced the meal perfectly.
Caren had a deconstructed chocolate, berry and brule combo...*sigh*.....
Merle ordered her apple tart before we had our drinks....and ate every morsel :)
Bizerca is a place to go if you want something special. The service was excellent and we all agreed....we'll be back! If you would like to go too: http://www.bizerca.com/
What a wonderful blessing to have the Goddesses over at my place...A picture tells a story, so without further ado, a pictorial of our evening in Sea Point :)
Glasses suggest many toast, which we had :)
Table set for an evening of Cheese...
Peet looking lovingly at the Cheese Grissini
Cheers beautiful friends!
The (almost) naked chef :)
Merle joined us a bit late but caught up quickly!
A balmy evening on the balcony...
Contemplating a Sea point sunset..
We ate too much, but...
We drew inspirational cards...
We talked about tattoo's and Merle had to confess - a beauty!
Opened gifts, it felt like Xmas in January...
A rose quarts for a lovely woman!
An enchanted evening with enchanting friends - we are truly blessed...
"The glory of friendship is not only the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discovers that someone else believes in you."
So the Goddesses will enjoy an evening of gentle TLC at chez moi! As I am a vegetarian and we all adore wine, I thought we should go with a theme which celebrates cheese :)
Everything about this resturant hit the right note - from ambience, entertainment, food and service. Its well worth the trek to Roodebloem Rd in Woodstock if you are looking for an awesome dining experience with a twist.
Food 5/5
I think this is a first for me! The Oxtail Ravioli was mouth-wateringly delicious and the green beans had just enough crispness to keep them interesting. The pasta was obviously homemade and very yummy. Well done.
Wine 3/5
Haute Cabriere is a perennial favourite and always dependable.
Ambience 5/5
Lovely, old world Woodstock glamour. The live entertainment blew us away and everyone was tapping a foot under the table.
Service 3/5
The absolutely only negative thing about the whole evening was the long wait for our food (not that our four intrepid friends minded - we had lots of catching up to do!). The long wait was mitigated by our hostess who arrived with vodka shots (I think it was honey flavour) that quickly disappeared.
Price 4/5
Reasonable. The food and entertainment was of a very high standard - so worth every penny!
On a windy Wednesday evening, courtesy of Caren's nose for the extraordinary, we met up at Don Pedro's in Woodstock, Cape Town. Peet had a scheduling issue with her hubby, which resulting in three of us starting on the foundation of what was to be, a most memorable evening.
We made the most of the wait with a few well worded toasts!
Our gorgeous hostess...
It was Merle's birthday last week, so Caren spoilt her a bit...
And each of us also got a beautifully wrapped indulgence - Thanks C!
The wine was Haute Cabriere's gorgeous Pinot Noir...
La Menu...
Peet fell right into the party mood when she arrived :)
The food was really good. Every one of the dishes we ordered was really spot-on!
Salt & Pepper squid...njammelam!
Caren's fillet resulted in dreamy looks around the table, but no comment from the vegetarian :)
Merle's Prawn & phillo started was scrumptious...
Peet decided on the special Ox tail ravioli - a definite winner...
Cheesecake with butterscotch topping - This dessert will have me back at Don Pedro's regularly!
What is an evening without Chocolate mousse :)
Merle had a Strawberry mouse which tasted very fresh and delectable...
The entertainment made this Restaurant stand out from the rest - a classy act. And of course the Goddesses had to send in our very own dancing queen to represent the table. Merle bringing it!
An amazing evening where our table was the last to leave - on a weeknight! Caren commented on how she always feels comforted by the female energy around the table - it's almost like getting our monthly fix. So in honour of the sisterhood, may this circle of four female friends keep sharing the love...
We know that we are very blessed to have each other....
Till next month - Cheers!
Anne-marie xxx
Tuesday, 30 October 2012
Going Back in Time at the Ritz!
After coming home from travels as far afield as Kenya and NewYork, what a pleasure to catch up with the Gourmet Godesses! Anne-Marie was in charge of choosing the venue and we certainly understood what she meant by 'the view girls the view'!
My initial feeling was that I stepped back in time, the venue had a real 70's feel and ambience- from the live music to the waiters in their starched white shirts. Despite this and after getting used to moving backwards albeit slowly (top tip and handy hint: try to face the right direction that the resturant is moving, it feels odd moving backwards), we started enjoying the view, because this is why you go to this resturant.
Food
I can't quite remember what I ate and maybe thats feedback enough on the food. The wine (ably chosen my Anne-Marie) Virgin Earth's 2009 Pinot Noir was absolutely delicious and I will keep an eye out for this one in future.
Last words
This is a 'have to do it once if you live in Cape Town' experience and I would recommend that you make the trek to Three Anchor Bay and experience Cape Town's only revolving resturant. Time your supper so that you can enjoy the sunset.
It has been a while since the Gourmet Goddesses had an evening on the town. With Caren starting up a new business in Africa, Merle planning a (very long) awaited wedding and Peet travelling the globe, it becomes a bit tricky to get them all in one room :)
I wanted us to appreciate beautiful Cape Town again, so this was the reason we decided on the Ritz...and of course, the view which makes this old icon, a "must" see.
We went retro, and I really mean time-freeze '70's...complete with lounge piano, Avo Ritz and Crepe Suzette flambe'ed at your table. As luck would have it, the wind started blowing at around 18h00 and just when we were all seated after 19h00, the rain came down.
But it didn't put us back at all....the Goddesses will comment on their experiences below, but for me nothing stood out more than the view and the company - I would come back for the sole though...and maybe even the Crepes :)
The wine was a Virgin Earth's 2009 Pinot Noir ...
The piano and drum set!
The view during a rainy sunset...
After sunset....
One of the dishes....
And testing the fire alarms with our Crepe Suzette....
Accompanied by Creme Brule and Chocolate Mousse...njammelam!!!
My camera was unfortunately left in the car, so our group photo's didn't quite make the cut. But as usual, a lovely evening spend with dear friends. My beloved said it best with this poem we received during the evening:
To have a palate for all things fine
takes more than a taste for food and wine.
These things are fickle, whimsical, a test.
A true connoisseur knows friends and love are best.
Yes, to truly assess, you must be a Gourmet Goddess...
