Whale Cottage Portfolio Blog

Our blog has been running a Restaurant Winter Specials list for the past few months, with more than 100 restaurant offers attempting to attract locals into restaurants in Cape Town and the Winelands towns, in what is traditionally a poor time for the hospitality trade.  The winter special of The Kove in Camps Bay only is good value relative to what the restaurant normally charges for its dishes, and does not compare favourably to many of the restaurant specials offered.

The Kove is part of a quartet of restaurants owned by Paul Kovensky (the surname being the inspiration for the naming of The Kove, no doubt), three of them being almost next door to each other in The Promenade building in Camps Bay (The Kove, Zenzero and Paranga).  Pepenero is located in Mouille Point.   The latter restaurant occupies a large space, and clearly was not able to attract enough custom to fill the space, and since last year has attracted food bargain hunters by offering specials.  The Kove is the only other restaurant in the Kovensky Quartet to be offering winter specials this year.

When we entered the restaurant on Saturday evening, after having left the over-heated and over-priced Zenzero next door, we were offered a table closest to the fireplace, which we declined, not without some attitude from the Manager Bevan (the type that knows better than you do where you would like to sit).   The first thing I noticed was the tattoos on Bevan’s arms (I am sorry, but it is the most off-putting thing, something that I experienced at Leaf Restaurant recently as well).   Waiter Casper presented himself soon thereafter, and gave me one of those looks that declares attitude without saying it.  By “mistake”, waiter Richard also presented his services to our table, and he was genuinely nice and we requested that he be our waiter, and he did a great job in looking after us with what seemed like genuine interest.  

The restaurant has a raised back section, with different chairs compared to the street level section, in which the chairs look like lawn furniture, in smart white and silver frames, with white or green chairbacks (the same grass green as at Leaf Restaurant), with green blankets over the chairs, should one still be cold inside the warm interior.  The lighting is dimmed to very low, making it difficult to read the menu.  We had flashes of white light from the World Cup TV above us, when it changed its picture!   Music was vibey, from an iPod playlist, along the lines of the Gotan Project.   Riedel glasses are on the table, and good quality linen and cutlery is used.  A faux library on both sides of the restaurant is meant to add a homely touch, I assume.  The ceiling of the street level section of the restaurant is adorned with a mock grapevine in autumn colours, and there are plastic marigolds on the table.

The menu for the Winter Specials covers two pages almost hidden at the back of the menu, and one is not told about them spontaneously (as at Five Flies and 1800 Restaurant at the Cape Royale).  One has a number of choices of specials, making it feel like one is really getting a good deal, but the Specials prices are average compared to other Cape Town restaurants.  First, one has the option of a two-course special, consisting only of a starter and a main course, and a glass of wine, at R 120.   The problem starts with the wine.   Why would a reputable restaurant offer an unlabelled unidentified white and red wine as part of the special?  It cheapens the Winter Special immediately.  They must have paid next to nothing for it, if they have to hide the wines’ origins.   Starter choices are mussels, Prawns 3 Ways, calamari, chicken livers and a house salad.   My partner had the prawns, brought to the table with a finger bowl, and the “3 ways” are 2 minute prawns each served with mustard and brandy, garlic and ginger, and orange and cumin.  It was a struggle to get them out of their shells.  The main course choices are fresh line fish, sirloin steak, baby chicken, beef burger and pork ribs.  The portion sizes are not indicated, and a starch is served with these.   (On the a la carte menu, one has to pay extra for starches, sauces and salads).   The steak was served medium rare, as ordered, but was not as tender as my partner would have liked it to be, with a tendon running through it, showing that a cheaper cut of meat had been used.   A good spicy and creamy Pepper Sauce was served with the steak.  No desserts are offered as part of this special.   Two small slices of older white bread were served, which I did not even bother to try.  To do the mathematics on the special: normal price for 1/2 prawn portion R45 + sirloin steak R85 + sauce R 20 + mash R20 = R170 (Special price charged plus glass of unidentified wine R120) - however, paying R125 for the 200 - 250 gram sirloin, mash and sauce on the a la carte menu is excessive anyway. 

In addition to the two-course special, one can order oysters at R 9 each, 1 kg of prawns or Karoo lamb chops at R99, fish and chips at R79, 400 gram ribs at R75, and a seafood platter at R129.  On the surface these prices are not bad at all, until you realise that these are standard prices elsewhere, and more expensive than some of the other specials offered elsewhere at the moment (e.g. a 6-course dinner for R150 at Myoga and at La Mouette).  I had the lamb chops, three served on a large plate with the mash served lukewarm after the meat was brought to the table, in a side dish. The steak knife provided was super in getting to the bone.  I loved the ‘braai’ taste of the chops, which Richard told us came from the special basting sauce.  I would have liked to have a finger bowl.   The chops were ordered medium, but the meat closest to the bone was raw.  Ten cocktails are part of the specials list, at R25 each, but we were given the cocktails menu (with peeling plastic cover), showing a Mojito at R40, and were not told about the specials.  As part of the Winter Special, The Kove also serves “tappas” between 3 - 7 pm, and two cost R 45 and three cost R60.  One has a choice of twelve, including hake goujons, pop-corn prawns, deep-fried halloumi, teriyaki salmon and stuffed jalapeno poppers.

The a la carte menu has starters ranging from R 50 for a mussel pot, seafood chowder, goat’s cheese tartlet and buffalo wings, to R 90 for 12 of the prawn 3-ways (having seen them on the special, and being seawater prawns, this is hugely expensive for what one gets), and salads cost R 40 - R 75.  A wide selection of steaks (fillet, sirloin, entrecote, chateaubriand), each in two weight options, is offered, a 250 g sirloin costing R85 and a 500g Chateaubriand costing R200.  Unspecified Venison costs R120 for 250g, as does baby chicken.  Starches are extra at R 20 each, as are a selection of five sauces, also at R 20 each.  A Braai section offers a 1,2kg fillet to share at R395, “kreef” at R 195, ribs, an identified skewer and fish.  A number of seafood options are available, a seafood platter costing R295, calamari costs R80, and baby kingklip R130.

For dessert we shared an odd item on the a la carte dessert menu, being waffles with syrup and cream, perfectly executed, at R 45. Other desserts include apple crumble, and pecan nut pie, costing between R35 - R45.  The Cappuccino was made with LavAzza coffee, but was thin and not the best I have had. 

The wines-by-the-glass at The Kove are very expensive, being based on three glasses out of a bottle.  The difference in price between the cheapest shiraz (Spier 2009) at R 30 and the next up at R95 per glass of Kevin Arnold made me choose the former, a grave mistake, in that it was so bad that I could not finish it.   I asked for the wine to be poured at the table, but the manager was about to refuse this, when he changed his mind.  I wondered what I would have been served (perhaps the same unlabelled wine for the special?).   No vintages are specified on the winelist, nor are the wine varietals or brands described.  The 15-page beverage list is Fleur du Cap-branded throughout, on every page, even though only two of their wines are offered out of the more than 100 wines on the winelist (and typed as “Fleur de Cap”!). 

The winelist is introduced with notes on “Matching wine with your food”, highlighting the essence of “paring” being “seeking to achieve a balance in your personal tastes”.   It indicates which wine types (e.g. “high acid wine”) go with which food types, and lists white wines with high acid as including Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and sparkling wines; and red wines with high acid level Pinot Noir, Sangiovese and Gamay. The effect of adding salt to the taste of the wine was an eye-opener, in that it reduces the astringency of wines.   Riedel gets a half page punt and branding, and the benefits of decanting wine is highlighted (although not practised, in that it may have made the young Spier more palatable). 

Fifteen champagnes are offered, ranging from R1 000 for Laurent Perrier Brut Rose and Louis Roderer Brut, to R6000 for Dom Perignon Rose’.  One can order seven of these by the glass, starting at R 140 for the Moet et Chandon Brut Imperial to R 220 for Veuve Cliquot Vintage. Only five Methode Cap Classiques are offered, two Graham Beck and Pongracz each, and Boschendal, ranging from R180 - R320. The Graham Becks are served by the glass too.     A large selection of Chardonnays is offered, dominated by Hamilton Russell (R420), with Muratie Isabella at entry level (R175), and Sauvignon Blancs (between R180- R250).  Fewer red wine choices are offered by varietal - the Shiraz category costs from R200 - R280, but has the Spier at R130.  Four Organic wines (Avondale Chenin Blanc,  Reyneke Reserve white, Waverley Hills Cabernet Sauvignon and Stellar Merlot), and two Kosher wines made by Backsberg, are also available.

Bevan came to the table, to give us our Loyalty Card, and annoyed me when he told me that it is only for South Africans.  10 % of the value of one’s meal is added as points to one’s Loyalty Card ‘account’, redeemable at any time on presentation of the card.  This would bring value to dining at The Kove, but problems with the system in the past two years has made me sceptical about the accuracy of their record keeping, as they claim to have lost details of our guests having eaten there in the past, and therefore the redeemability of the points.

The Kove is one of the few places that has served a good steak in Camps Bay in the past, but the winter special does not reflect this quality.  It is expensive if one orders off the a la carte menu, and its “winter specials” are only specially priced relative to the normal high prices the Kovensky Quartet charges, and seem to be poorer quality cuts, with unacceptably poor quality wine, thus not making The Kove value for money.

The Kove, Shop 2A, The Promenade, Victoria Road, Camps Bay.  Tel (021) 438-0012.                  www.thekove.co.za (full menu and winelist featured).

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

Today we celebrate the opening in Hermanus of the first Whale Cottage 14 years ago.   Having an all-women team of staff, it is even more special that our anniversary co-incides with Women’s Day today - I salute my ladies, and thank them for all they do for our guests.   Whale Cottage Hermanus has been heavily booked for the long weekend, and all Whale Cottage guests have been served sparkling wine with their breakfast this weekend, to celebrate our milestone.

Filled with nostalgia, I look back at the early days of running our Whale Cottage Hermanus, then located on Main Road - a great location initially in terms of visibility (we had a blue-and-white striped roof in those days, similar to our Whale Cottage Franschhoek).   Our inspiration for the name came from the Victorian cottage in which we set up our first Whale Cottage in 1996, and in honour of the Southern Right whales that became so popular, and put Hermanus on the map, in offering the best land-based whale watching in the world.

There was no internet in our world of guest housing in those days, and we all only advertised in Portfolio’s Bed & Breakfast Collection, which cost us around R 12000 for a third of a page in those days.  We all hated Portfolio, largely due to its dictatorial and unapproachable owner Liz Westby-Nunn.  Their power was tremendous, as they introduced the first attempt at “grading” our establishments, giving them a yellow, purple or red shield, implying different levels of luxury.   The annual visits for their inspections filled us with fear, and we were not allowed to question their instructions as to what had to be changed.  One dared not speak against the company (even though we were paying advertisers) nor argue their directives, and we parted ways with Portfolio when their greed extended to charging commission for bookings on their website, in addition to the ever-increasing cost of their advertisements.

The internet opened up to us at the same time, and it was a huge relief to see how well we did advertising on the accommodation websites SA Venues and Cape Stay, and the former still holds.  Networking with fellow guest house owners became an important source of business, especially in Camps Bay, where we run the Camps Bay Accommodation Association, and we pass all overflow enquiries to our 24 members.  We also share industry information with each other.

After we opened the seafacing Whale Cottage Camps Bay in 1998, we received feedback from our guests that they were missing a seaview in Hermanus, so we set upon the search for a new property to be set up as a guest house, with a seaview.   We found such a property on Westcliff Drive, on the way to the new Harbour, with a magnificent view of Walker Bay, and opened it in 2002, selling the Main Road property.   Barry Lewis was our long-standing manager, and we are delighted that we have his sister Carole Cessano working with us now, with the faithful Juliette at her side.

From June - December the whales attract visitors to Hermanus, who have not found a place in the world where they can see whales as they can do from the well-developed cliff path, running from the new Harbour to beyond Voelklip, all along the ocean.   But Hermanus has wonderful beaches too, that are warmer than those on the Atlantic Ocean of Cape Town, and also has outstanding wine farms in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley area, including Hamilton Russell Vineyards, Bouchard Finlayson, Creation, Hermanuspietersfontein, and more.

Whale Cottage Franschhoek opened five years ago, and Whale Cottage Plettenberg Bay two and a half years ago.   With Whale Cottage Hermanus and Whale Cottage Camps Bay, they make up the unique Whale Cottage Portfolio, welcoming our guests to “a whale of a stay!”.  One of its unique features is the Whale Cottage Loyalty Card, which was introduced from the start in 1996, offering our Whale Cottage guests one night free for every 10 nights that they stay at a Whale Cottage, and this has become a very popular incentive to return to our Whale Cottages.  Nine years ago we introduced our WhaleTales newsletter, which is sent to our Address Book of 25000 every 6 weeks or so, and is written as a tourism newsletter, described by many as the only newsletter which summarises what is happening in the tourism and hospitality industry.  We have never been afraid of being controversial, and of writing the truth.   This policy of independent tourism reporting is also the foundation of this WhaleTales Blog.

We thank our Whale Cottage guests, suppliers, colleagues and friends for their loyal support of our guest houses, and of our WhaleTales newsletters and Blog.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

The Pepper Club on the Beach was a safe refuge on a night that a black southeaster swept through Camps Bay, keeping potential restaurant patrons at home.   Whilst its name makes one think of summer specifically, its menu is suitable for all seasons, as it has one of the most extensive menus, challenging Tuscany Beach further down the road on number of menu items!

The Pepper Club on the Beach was called Summerville before it went into liquidation, and was taken over by the owners of The Promenade in Camps Bay.  The Solomon Brothers are not the favourite landlords in Cape Town, but they have money, and they invest heavily in the projects they take on.   When they built the Pepper Club Hotel in the center of town, on the corners of Pepper, Long, Loop and Bloem Streets, they came up with a novel idea of bringing their hotel guests to Camps Bay, by renaming Summerville as Pepper Club on the Beach, offering the Pepper Club hotel guests a free transfer to Camps Bay in the hotel’s Rolls Royce Phantom, and usage of deck chairs, beach towels and a shower facility, in the hope that they will eat at the Camps Bay restaurant.   The manager was honest in telling us that the Pepper Club Hotel guests are still slow in making the journey to the beach in Camps Bay, given the weather, and that the hotel only opened in April. 

As the owner of a guest house in Camps Bay, I received a voucher to try out the restaurant a few months ago.  Somehow I never got to go.   A call from the General Manager of Pepper Club on the Beach, Gavin Lockitch, inviting me to try the restaurant, was the call to action which my colleague and I needed to get us to try out the restaurant.   Our “welcome” outside the blustery entrance to the restaurant was odd, in that the hostess would not let us inside until we told her our name.  We could see that only one other table was occupied, so that availability of tables, or matching our booking with that on a list, would have been simple.    She did not appreciate my feedback in this regard.  

The restaurant is large, probably seating 100 - 150 persons, so it needs lots of guests to make it buzz.  With three tables filled in total during the evening, this was difficult, although the Buena Vista Social Club CD playing initially helped “fill” the space.   In some sections of the restaurant the tables are further apart, which makes it feel even bigger.  A private smoking dining room can seat up to 20 persons.   The colour scheme is neutral, with white and beige.   Nothing stands out decor wise, but many tiny downlighters give the restaurant a sophisticated touch.   The chairs are comfortable.   The only splash of colour is the collection of red menus.   The deck outside the restaurant has new furniture, and new heaters will make it comfortable to sit outside on cooler evenings.

We met two Managers, one newer, and the other, Lynn, had been at Summerville.  Ten of the Summerville staff are at Pepper Club.  We had the feeling that we were almost “over serviced”, there being more staff on duty than patrons in the restaurant.  The Austrian chef Reinhard Schwaihofer came to visit our table, to tell us about his favourite dishes on the menu, a welcome touch.   Reinhard was previously at Summerville, and has worked at Zerbans, Fancourt and the Paternoster Lodge, amongst others, in his 20 years in this country.  Carsten Kocke was the Executive Chef previously, and was a Michelin-starred chef.   It was surprising to receive an e-mail from him recently, requesting that his past connection to the Pepper Club be removed from the www.campsbayinfo.com/blog.  No one wanted to tell us why the chef had left after such a short time at the Pepper Club.   

Our waiter offered us a drink while we paged through the big red plastic menus and winelist, branded on the outside but difficult to read, and therefore difficult to differentiate between the two documents.  The menu contains a vast choice, and contains many of the Summerville items, to which has been added burgers, sandwiches, and other light meals which are served outside of lunch and dinner times.   Starters are expensive, in ranging from R 64 for Calamari to a Lobster avacado cocktail at R 105. Five salads are offered, including a Prawn and Avocado salad at R 89.  Steaks range from R 120 for a 200g ladies’ fillet to R 150 for a 300 g beef fillet, and they are served with a choice of two side orders, including chips, salad, mushrooms, and mash. Four sauces can be ordered additionally, each costing R 25.   Other interesting dishes are the Cape Malay lamb curry (R 130), Trio of game (R 165), 13 fish dishes (the cheapest seafood platter for one costs R265), and six pasta dishes start from R 70, five pasta types available for each dish.   Close to 30 sushi options are available as well. 

Once we placed our order, we received European style rolls with cumin seed, served with the most attractively presented garlic butter, herb butter and paprika butter.   My Avocado Ritz (R79), a favourite, was excellent, with the avocado taken out of the skin, and the three prawns thick and juicy.  I could only fault the over-decoration of the plate with bits of lettuce, paprika and tomato.   My colleague was very happy with her grilled calamari starter (R64).   For the main course I enjoyed veal cutlet (R130), looking and tasting as if it came straight off the “braai”, absolutely tender, placed on top of the best mash I have ever eaten, as well as three asparagus spears.    My colleague’s herb-crusted ostrich steak (R148) was too large (250g) for her to finish.   The portions are generous, and so too was the Apfelstrudel (R55), which Chef Reinhard recommended as his speciality.  It was served warm, with well-cooked apple and large raisins, “oven fresh” the Austrian way, said Chef Reinhard.   A very generous portion of real fresh cream came with the dessert.    

The winelist is even more extensive than the menu, running to ten pages, a page per variety.  Laurent Perrier is the most pricy of the three champagne brands stocked, at R1490, and Pongracz Desidirius the most expensive of the four sparkling wines, at R395 - however, the standard Pongracz costs R169.  Sauvignon Blanc wines feature most prominently on the list, including Southern Right (R149), Neil Ellis Groenkloof (R158), Steenberg (R167), and Iona (R198).   Twelve wines-by-the-glass are offered, and the reds include L’Omarins Terra Del Capo Sangiovese (R38), Warwick 3 Cape Ladies (R58), and Porcupine Ridge (R32).   The Ridgeback Shiraz, one of the two shirazes which can be ordered by the glass, was out of stock, but the waiter brought an Asara with the same vintage in its place, a commendable gesture.  Corkage is R25 for the first bottle, and R40 thereafter.

My colleague and I were most pleasantly surprised at how much we enjoyed our dinner, and would return and recommend it to our guest house guests.   One would hope that it would fill up, to give the large restaurant more of a buzz and a vibe,

Pepper Club on the Beach, The Promenade, Victoria Road, Camps Bay.  Tel 021 438-3174.  www.pepperclubonthebeach.co.za. (only the menu is available)

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

For the first time the hospitality industry of Cape Town has had a taste of the power of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, with about 25 000 England supporters streaming into the city on Friday, to see their team play Algeria, in what many described as a most disappointing match, with a goal-less draw.  The visitors to Cape Town are loving the city and its fantastic “winter” weather, today in particular, and it will be sure to have a good tourism spin-off for future visits.

Accommodation establishments are booked out, restaurants and pubs are filled with patrons, and the V&A Waterfront was reported on Twitter to be “swarming with tourists”, with a warning issued to locals to ”do not go”!  The most popular pub in the Waterfront for the English fans is Ferryman’s Tavern, its special ale suiting the British taste, reports The Times.   A pod of whales even came close to the Cape Town Stadium in Table Bay, in honour of the British visitors!

The accommodation bookings were extremely last minute, with the last available four of the 11 rooms at Whale Cottage Camps Bay, for example, being sold out in the last 24 hours prior to the start of the match.  The average length of stay is just three days, until the England fans head off elsewhere tomorrow.   Camps Bay’s beachfront was spilling over with fans packing pavement cafes and restaurants, as on a summer’s day, despite the overcast day yesterday.

The city is looking festive, with the red-and-white England flag adorning many an accommodation establishment, and restaurants and pubs.   The feared soccer hooligans did not travel to Cape Town, it would appear, the cost of the ticket prices being a deterrent.

A highlight for Cape Town is the VIP presence at the match on Friday of the Princes William and Harry, looking very uncomfortable in their suits; Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London; and David Beckham, sitting at the edge of the pitch.   Johnson said: “I’ve been to Cape Town for just two days and the atmosphere is mind-blowing.  The nation is united in enthusiasm and the tournament is progressing nicely”, according to the Cape Argus.

It appears that the number of visitors to South Africa has increased since the earlier depressing news that the number of international visitors had reduced, with so many last minute bookings.  It appears that many charter flights have entered Cape Town, with groups of 20 - 30 soccer fans on board each, all seemingly last minute bookings.  The England fans have been followed by the British media, and it is heartening to note how the reporting  by the British media, SkyNews in particular, has changed to reporting far more positively about our country.  Last night the TV station showed an interview with its correspondent in Cape Town, filmed on Signal Hill with a beautiful backdrop of the Stadium and Table Bay.   The reporter referred to England needing the Cape of Good Hope for its next match!

South African Customs have reported that 456 000 international visitors had entered South Africa between 1 - 13 June, compared to 345 000 visitors in the same period in 2009, reports The Times.   Obviously not all visitors are attending the World Cup, especially as many of them flew in as late as 11 June, so they may include the regular cross-border visitors from neighbouring African countries, coming to shop in South Africa.  

Next week looks more depressing, the Portugal versus North Korea, and Cameroon versus Netherlands matches not having as much appeal, if accommodation bookings are anything to go by.  All fingers are crossed for strong teams making the round of 16, the quarter final and semi-final in Cape Town, as this will fill up Cape Town again.  

Good performances by England, Germany, the USA, and the Netherlands in their next matches will have an important influence on last minute fans coming to South Africa, says FEDHASA, reports Fin24.  This effect will not be felt if Brazil and Portugal progress to the final stages of the tournament, it is speculated.   Only 10 000 German visitors came to South Africa for the World Cup, after national soccer hero and FIFA executive member Franz Beckenbauer expressed his concerns in earlier days about the World Cup having been awarded to South Africa.   He bravely changed his tune when he briefly spoke at the World Cup Kick-Off Concert.    

No matter who plays whom in the next 20 days of the World Cup, the accommodation bookings are far better in Host Cities than they would have been in any other June and July ever.  Whale Cottage Camps Bay now has an occupancy of 65  % for the World Cup, having improved its occupancy by 5 percentage points in the first ten days of the World Cup.   Given last minute bookings for the Quarter and Semi Finals, occupancy could end off at around 70 % for Whale Cottage Camps Bay.  The reality, however, is that May had the worst occupancy ever, thus balancing the gain with the loss.  The Whale Cottages in Hermanus, Plettenberg Bay and Franschhoek have barely gained from the World Cup.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

Cafe Caprice (commonly referred to as Caprice by the locals) is one of the most popular pubs in Camps Bay, heaving on Sunday evenings.  I chose it to view the Germany versus Serbia match on a gorgeous sunny Cape Town afternoon.

I immediately noticed a sea of red shirts worn by the England supporters, who were in town for their match against Algeria, and immediately felt in the minority, with the England fans supporting Serbia, enjoying Germany’s poor performance, and I was one of very few females.

Caprice is a man’s place, signalled by its weird mixture of functional furniture, couches here and there with white tables that looked like paper cutouts, and tables and chairs inside that looked like all-weather garden furniture.   There are flatscreen TV’s on almost every wall, allowing everyone to see the matches, except those visitors wanting to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful view onto the Camps Bay beach.  Colour photographs of soccer players in action have been put up on the walls.   The staff all wear red Havaianas T-shirts, to promote the footwear company that sponsored their clothing.   The staff do not know much about the brand.

The waitress handed me the menu and I asked if it had been printed especially for the World Cup.  She said it is the standard menu, which is commendable, given that many pubs have increased their prices.  On Twitter I had read that the Caprice Burger is one of the best in town, and decided to order that - it costs R 50, comes with a large portion of chips, served on a seed roll with lettuce and a slice of tomato, and is a very thick patty, so thick that you cannot get a bite into your mouth with the patty and one half of the roll - great for the guys, but not for the ladies - but excellent tasting, especially compared to my forced daily diet of McDonalds as a World Cup volunteer!  There are nine other burger options, starting at R 45 for a vegetarian burger with lentils and chickpeas, to R 65 for a mozarella, creamy mushroom and pepper sauce burger, or a Gourmet burger with cranberry jelly and blue cheese.   One can also order sandwiches, starting at what feels like an expensive R 50  for chunky chicken, sundried tomato or cajun chicken wrap, paying up to R 80 for a Mediterranean steak roll.  Eight salad options are offered, the Beach salad, a mixed salad, costing what feels to be an expensive R 55, up to R 80 for a Sweet chilli prawn sald, and an Ostrich salad.   Pasta arrabiata costs R 50, and seafood pasta costs R 100.  A 300 gram sirloin steak, and a 300 gram sirloin skewer at R80, sound like good value.   A plate of fries costs R 18.

As if the menu does not contain enough options, Caprice also serves eleven tapas options, ranging from hummus and pita, and tzatziki and pita (R32 each) to R 75 for chicken nachos.   Cajun calamari, spicy chicken skewers, crumbed mushrooms, cheese nachos, buffalo wings, chicken and peppadew springrolls, chicken livers and marinated sirloin are further tapas options.

Caprice serves Breakfast until 12h30, which is commendably late compared to many other venues, and they offer 12 options, the most basic being eggs on toast at a reasonable R 30, and the most special being the Health Royale at R 65, consisting of gypsy ham, 2 poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce. Other options are anchovy toast, flapjacks, eggs benedict, omelettes, etc.

The volume of beer supplied is not indicated on the menu, costing R13 for a Castle to R16 for a Heineken, R25 for Corona and R40 for andUnion, the latter being for 500 ml, and the other brands sold as 330ml.

As a World Cup venue, I found it terribly loud, as few of the patrons were really watching the match, and they were talking.  Service was slow in getting a menu, as there does not seem to be a dedicated waitress per section of the restaurant, meaning that I had to ask the manager to get me one.   It has a fantatsic view, the best so far, a bonus in the daytime.   Children dancing and drumming in little Xhosa skirts were an irritation, and it felt wrong to see them exploited for financial gain.   Caprice offers wireless internet for free, and they take reservations, which are pluses.   It is an excellent venue for men who want a beer or three, and want to soak it up with a good, reasonably priced, plate of food.   It is the home of king blogger Seth Rotherham/Will Mellor of 2Oceansvibe, a fantastic endorsement for the restaurant, given the stature of his blog and the following it enjoys.

Cafe Caprice, 37 Beach Road, Camps Bay.  tel (021) 438-8315  www.caprice.co.za (functional site, not very user-friendly, music plays when opened, slow to download, not very informative).  Open Mondays - Sundays.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

What was a disaster for many thousands of air passengers around the world, created an unexpected boom or bust for the tourism industry, as well as for exporters and importers around the world. Stranded passengers were named “Volcation” tourists, a new and unique tourist category!

Not only did the world’s now most famous volcano create havoc with airline schedules around the world, and those in Europe in particular, but it also prevented dignitaries from attending the Polish Presidential couple’s funeral, and the birthday celebration of Queen Margrethe of Denmark. Actor John Cleese was so desperate to get home from Norway that he rented a taxi from Brussels (having got there by train) at €3 800 to get back to London.

In South Africa the fresh fish industry (hake exporters in the main) lost R1 million and the fresh flower market (mainly proteas, fynbos and chrysanthemums) lost R2,5 million in sales, reports the Cape Argus. Many local authors and book publishers could not get to the London Book Fair, at which they had been booked, which fell into the volcano no-fly period.

Cape Town Tourism was the only tourism authority, as far as we are aware, that appealed to its members to charge reasonable rates to the “grudge” tourists that were stuck in Cape Town. For many, however, it was one of the nicest places in the world for them to have been “stuck” in. Many accommodation establishments gained from the “Volcation” tourists, in that these had to stay in Cape Town for up to 10 days, being disadvantaged by the airlines in having to wait for cancellations to be able to fly back on their booked airline. Those passengers that had booked tickets for just after the opening of the skies were allocated first priority to use their tickets for already-booked flights. Few incoming passengers cancelled due to the volcano, and some arrived later than their original booked date, but were generously accommodated by establishments in this regard. This was a boon to the hospitality industry, given that the last ten days of April had originally looked very quiet in terms of bookings.

Airlines suffered heavy losses, as their insurance cover was uncertain, given that this was an “Act of God”. Their liability towards their passengers was also uncertain, for the same reason. SAA suffered a loss of revenue of R 14 million per day. Ryanair publicly refused to compensate its passengers, other than for the value of the ticket cost, given its low fares. Virgin appears to be compensating its passengers for the accommodation costs.

We are grateful to the Shepley family, Lucy and Graham Cannell, and to Jean and Andrew Lovett for having booked at our Whale Cottages in Camps Bay and Hermanus for their “Volcation”.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

The Sweet Service Award goes to Catherine Anderson, Manager of the Bay Skincare Institute in Camps Bay, Cape Town, for an exemplary service recovery, following a most unpleasant experience with the therapist Tammy.  The client was invited to return to have the treatment completed, and the new therapist Angela was caring and absolutely professional.   At no stage did Katherine try to do the tempting “my staff are perfect and never make mistakes” routine!

The Sour Service Award goes to Dante Wellness in Sea Point, Cape Town, whose co-owner (with sister Teresa) Daniela Stefanutti is so abrasive with her clients.  While the customer had decided to not return to Dante due to this a year ago, she received a gift voucher over Christmas, and returned, to be treated by a lovely new therapist Marieke.  The customer’s reaction to the incompetence of the receptionist in making a new booking resulted in Daniela calling, with abuse, and cancelling the appointment.  She did not request any input from the customer, basing her decision purely on input from her receptionist.

The WhaleTales Sweet & Sour Service Awards are presented every Friday on the WhaleTales blog.  Nominations for the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be sent to Chris von Ulmenstein at info@whalecottage.com. Past winners of the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be read on the Friday posts of this blog, and in the WhaleTales newsletters on the www.whalecottage.com website.

The Rhubarb Room is the cutest decor/coffee shop hidden away on Upper Buitengracht Street in Bo-Kaap.  It attracted attention again, after previous visits, when its logo was spotted on the @2oceansvibe blog, listed as one of the sponsorship logos ”Seth Rotherham”, the blog owner who uses this pseudonym (his real name is Will Mellor), lists on his blog.  Mellor is the “king” of bloggers, and has a large following, both on his blog and on Twitter.   A @2oceansvibe sponsorship can be worth gold, given the top brands that are listed as sponsors, their fees affording Mellor to enjoy a lifestyle without work, mainly hanging out in Camps Bay in general, and at Caprice in particular.

I asked Lauren Marshall, the Rhubarb Room co-owner, how she got to get her brand on the @2oceansvibe website.   She appears to have a trade-exchange deal with Mellor, resulting from her boyfriend, Jason Slinger, being a friend of Mellor.  Slinger negotiated the use of the penthouse in the Cape Royale Luxury Hotel for Mellor.   Lauren sounds chuffed about the news of her branding on the illustrious website.   She admits that she has not yet embraced social media marketing, and Twitter in particular, and she is given a shorthand course and a set of notes!

The Rhubarb Room has more than half of its space dedicated to a decor shop, as well as a clothes shop in a separate room.   One feels at home immediately, sitting in the shop, or on the terrace looking on to Table Mountain, at non-matching eclectic tables and chairs, adding to the charm.   The far wall has a rhubarb-and-white stripe painted pattern, which is the only evidence of the name.  I asked co-owner Sone’ Jacobs how their name came about, and she explained that the building exterior was the colour of rhubarb originally, when Lauren and her mother Maureen Marshall first used the building as an interior decor shop.  The building has since been painted a brown colour.

The menu is so informal that it is not on paper.  Lauren tells you the options as far as salads and sandwiches go for lunch, as well as a selection of cakes, some of which come from Jardines, she admits.   The coffee is Illy, and the cappuccinos are excellent.   Lauren types up the menu so that I can take a copy with me.   She says that the menu changes daily.    For breakfast one can have fresh fruit and muesli at R 32, a fresh fruit smoothie at R 18, or muffins.   Sandwiches cost R 38, and a choice of Gypsy ham, cheddar cheese and onion marmalade; and roast chicken, rocket and parmesan is offered, while salads cost R 45 for two choices: parma ham, nectarine and parmesan; and roast chicken, feta, red pepper and rocket (the salad was served with balsamic vinegar, and the olive oil was optional - I would have preferred it the other way around) - yet was very tasty.  Cakes include fresh blueberry and coconut; baby chocolate cakes with pistachio chocolate icing; and apple slices, all costing R 20.

Lauren’s mother Maureen and I connect, around having a dentist (Dr Toni Bedford) in common, and knowing two persons who have just passed away.  When I left it felt as if I had spent the whole afternoon at the Rhubarb Room and not just an hour, and really enjoyed the friendliness and the connections.

Rhubarb Room, 142 Buitengracht Street (i.e. Upper Buitengracht Street), Bo-Kaap, tel 021 424 2004, www.rhubarbroom.co.za.  Open Mondays to Fridays from 9h00 - 17h00, and on Saturdays from 9h00 - 14h00.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

Cafe Peroni is bringing Italian flair to Camps Bay in Cape Town for the next three weekends, when the cool Italian beer brand Peroni sets up its home base at Bungalow on the Camps Bay beachfront.

For the next three weekends a different Italian theme will focus on fashion elements of Italian style and design.  This weekend it is Italian dining that is the focus, fitting for the Argus Cycle Tour, if it is pasta that they serve.  

Next weekend (19 - 21 March), it is Italian movies that come into focus, and Fellini’s ‘La Dolce Vita’, ‘La Strada’ and ‘The Italian Job’ will be some of the movies featured.

On the last weekend (26 - 28 March) it is Italian fashion that will sizzle, with Peroni models wearing Fabiani and Energy, spraying Armani and Versace fragrance spritzes. 

Cafe’ Peroni will be operating from Bungalow from 12h00 - 23h00 on Fridays - Sundays for the three weekends of March.   ‘Peroni e’ l’espressione dello stile Italiano’, says the marketing e-mail, promising “style, food, flair and class - the very essence of Italy”.

Bungalow, Victoria Road, Camps Bay, tel 021 438-0007,  www.thebungalow.co.za

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

The extreme heat in Cape Town and the Western Cape in the past week will have made one aware that climate change can affect our region too.  Record-high temperatures, touching 40C in Cape Town and 48C in Franschhoek, have affected every citizen.

The City of Cape Town’s head of environmental policy, Gregg Oelofse, has warned Capetonians that climate change will make itself felt locally, as the average temperature increase is estimated at 2-3C, “placing our coastal vulnerability as a very real concern that holds multiple implications for our city.  The risks associated with sea-level rise events can no longer be viewed as something to be addressed into the future, but must be considered as a priority in our immediate planning and management”, reports The Times.

The City’s report identifies Blouberg, Camps Bay, Kommetjie, Glencairn and the Strand to be “highly vulnerable” to a rise in sea level due to climate change.

Oelofse predicts that the Western Cape is destined to become drier, and that rain is less likely to be over a longer period of time and gentle, but shorter and more intense storms will bring the rain.   “The bigger the storm, the higher the wind velocity, and the higher the ocean swell that the wind pushes up against the coastline”.

The City is evaluating what it needs to do to protect the identified coastal areas against the rising sea levels.  It manages 307 km of coastline.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com