Whale Cottage Portfolio Blog

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

A recent blog post by chef, Eat Out Top 10 restaurant judge and owner of Wild Woods restaurant, Pete Goffe-Wood, is the inspiration for evaluating how ready Cape Town’s restaurants are for the World Cup, a mere three months away today, and for becoming world class.

Goffe-Wood wrote that the local restaurant industry is “teetering on the brink of greatness”, and encouraged his colleagues to “make the leap” to offer the “foreign market waiting to be fed, educated and entertained and we must make sure that we give them what they came for”.    Goffe-Wood identified complaints about high food and wine prices, poor service, and inconsistent food quality as being reflective of problems facing the restaurant industry.

He explained how wine-markups of 200 %, whilst creating outrage, are the norm, and that restaurants have to follow wine producers when they increase their prices every year.   Goffe-Wood is critical about the lack of restaurant reviews in “print media”.  He believes that the industry needs “positive input from informed and educated sources”.   Service , he says “is not to be subservient”, and he seeks a “more professional attitude towards the service we provide”.

So what do we as customers say to restaurants in response to Goffe-Wood’s self-analysis, and to guide them to greatness:

1.  First, well done Pete, for acknowledging that not all is perfect, and for wanting to lift the standard for the restaurant industry in Cape Town.

2.  We expect consistency in a restaurant’s food quality, service, and value-for-money, plus an attractive and interesting decor, and an undefined feel-good factor of “I like it here - this is a restaurant for a person like me - I will be back”.

3.  Please answer your phones when we call to make a booking, rather than letting us speak to an answering machine, which may or may not return our call.  Have friendly staff that understand the language we speak, and that can spell a basic name like “Chris”!   Even better, recognise and acknowledge our voice as regulars when we call

4.   Trust us as customers when we have made bookings at your restaurants - confirmation calls are soooo irritating.  Allow a 15 - 30 minute cut-off time, for late arrivers, and then offer the table to the next walk-in.  By all means ban customers if they are habitual late-arrivers, or even worse, non-arrivers!

5.  Retain your staff - we see staff turnover even in the best of establishments, and it is often the staff relationships that maintain the relationship consistency and that influence the service perception we have of your restaurants.  Please do not let your new waiter train on me!   Start an industry initiative, to not appoint the waiter/kitchen person running off (often without notice) from one restaurant to another.

6.  Train your staff - start with the wines.  When the waiter does not understand the word “vintage”, I shudder, and wonder why you did not start at the beginning with your training, or why your winelist cannot list this important detail.

7.  Why do we as patrons have to pay the salaries of your staff via tips?  It is the only industry where the onus lies on the client to make such a payment.  Almost two years ago the Department of Labour promulgated the Sectoral Determination for the Hospitality Industry, and it demands that staff be appointed on a full-time basis, with a monthly salary.  I know of few restaurants where this legal requirement is being applied. 

8.  Charge fair prices.  It’s tough for everyone at the moment.  Price increases of up to 50% (Reubens) and exorbitant World Cup prices (Beluga and Sevruga) alienate customers and make you look greedy.  The days of hoping that tourists alone will fill your coffers because of their foreign currency are over. 

9.   The marketing of restaurants is very poor.  Blond sexy “poppies” in ads does not crack it for most of us!  Few restaurants have websites, and the fewest restaurants seem to understand search engine optimisation, in making sure that patrons can find more information about their restaurants on the internet.   If one does a Google search, restaurant websites often are ranked lower than reviews written about them by industry websites such as Eat Out, or by bloggers.   This means that prospective clients are not hearing the restaurant marketing message directly.   The fewest restaurants in Cape Town understand the power of Social Media (Pizza Club, Cafe Max, Nook Eatery, Arnold on Kloof and Jardine are the few on Twitter) and Goffe-Wood Twitters and blogs very occasionally only.  I am not aware of any restaurant which has an integrated social media marketing strategy! 

10.   Your customers have become your reviewers, horror of horrors, and they say it as it is.  No more white-washing, no more ‘incestuous’ relationships between reviewers wishing to remain best mates with the chefs.  Bloggers are evaluating restaurants as the man/woman in the street would experience them, and the more honest they are in writing about what they experience, the more their evaluations are valued.   Banning them from your restaurants, as Le Quartier Francais, Carne and Beluga have done, if they have given you a critical review or feedback, is not productive, and it means that the restaurants will not improve if they cannot accept feedback.

11.  Treat us with honesty - do not con us with a marketing claim on your website, that is not true - as does Carne, which claims that all its meat is organic and comes from the Karoo, which has proven to be not true.  The dishonest claim remains on the website!

Restaurant patrons will forgive a restaurant many sins if they feel comfortable and “at home”; if they feel respected, even if the feedback provided is not always positive, provided in the interest of making it better;  if they are kept up to date with information from the restaurant; and if restaurants learn to say thank you for regular patronage, for a review, or for business sent to them by a regular client.  Not too much to ask, is it?!

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

An extremely hot summer’s day, as well as a mouth feel urgently requiring crayfish, beckoned the writer to Salt restaurant in the Ambassador Hotel in Bantry Bay, which has been running a crayfish special at R 185 with its sister restaurant OYO in the V&A Hotel for a while now.   There was no cooler way to escape from the heat than lunch at Salt.

Parking is uncomplicated, either across the road from the hotel, or on its roof, and is complimentary if one eats at the hotel.   As the restaurant hostess sat at the computer, meaning that she had her back turned to the restaurant entrance, she did not see the customer arriving.  A yawning waitress attended to the guest but had to go to the hostess to decide which of the many tables could be allocated (only 5 tables in total were occupied)! The waiter Michael came to the rescue, and seated the customer at a table with a lovely cool breeze, and wonderful view onto the ocean.   Later on, the sliding doors were opened completely, and an even cooler breeze cooled one down.   The protective glass barrier can barely be seen, and it looks as if one is sitting at the edge of the door, making this restaurant one of the most spectacular in terms of its location, view and ocean smell.

Michael efficiently took the order for a glass of Colmant Tradition bubbly, at R 59, and agreed to organise that the ordered crayfish be served cold rather than hot.   Cold water was brought to the table regularly, and while the wait for the crayfish was long at 45 minutes, it was worth every minute.  Six small tails of crayfish were served with the most delicious jasmine rice (a bowl of chips was initially brought to the table in error, and one cannot imagine that the restaurant would serve chips with crayfish) and a salad (the only odd ingredient was mozarella cheese, which clashed with the crayfish), and a piquant mayonnaise, a little too strong.  It was the perfect Saturday afternoon lunch.

Other lunch options are salads (caesar salad at R 55); three pasta dishes ranging from R 70 - R 80; four seafood options (mussels R 70, squid R 95, fish and chips at R 115, and fish of the day R 120);  five meat dishes (including burger R 65, chicken schnitzel R 80, and rib-eye steak R 125); and desserts cost about R 55, the most expensive being a three-variation creme brulee at R 85.

The bill was brought to the table efficiently, and Michael was the perfect waiter - no small talk, efficiently answering questions and executing requests.  What is missing is the personal touch - no Manager appeared to be on duty, to check one’s satisfaction with the meal.  This is what differentiates a hotel restaurant from a stand-alone one.

The new chef at Salt restaurant at the Ambassador Hotel, Top 10 chef Jacques de Jager, who recently moved from Grande Provence in Franschhoek, has not yet made himself felt, in that the existing menu is still used.   His new dinner menu will be launched tomorrow evening.   According to Michael, the menu will be in the French cuisine style.

Salt restaurant, Ambassador Hotel, 34 Victoria Road, Bantry Bay. tel 021 439-7258,  http://www.newmarkhotels.com/newmark/salt 

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

WhaleTales does not usually write about established restaurants, but Cafe Max is too special to not write about it, and appears to be a hidden gem that few Capetonians (except those living in De Waterkant) know about.   It has been operating for close to 5 years, and is a relaxed homely friendly place, offering exceptional value for money meals, compared to the restaurants in the new nearby Cape Quarter.  A review by Dax Villanueva (RelaxwithDax) was the incentive to try out the restaurant.

Owned by Anna Ridgewell, originally from Zimbabwe, and a graduate of the Silwood School of Cookery, a chef at And Beyond’s Ngala and Kwandwe game reserves, and owner of a guest house in Grahamstown, she came to Cape Town, and bought the space, previously called Cafe Maxime and housing a jewellery and coffee shop, two years ago.   Anna says she is there all day, every day, and is hands-on in preparing and  bringing out the food, and chatting to the guests.  

The main section of the restaurant is a long rectangular room, which was set up with one long table for a function.    Two exquisite Marie-Antoinette flower arrangements in beautiful silver vases attracted attention, especially brought in for an evening function.   The floor has large black and white tiles, a personal favourite, and the walls are painted a silver grey with the finest hand painted blossoms on them.   Three replica art deco-style mirrors dominate the room.  One can step into a courtyard which is covered with a grey and white canopy, and have the benefit of fresh air, and a water feature adds a nice fresh sound-effect too.   A children’s bedding shop Bubble leads from the courtyard.

The menu is printed on a laminated sheet, and offers a variety of breakfast and lunch options.   Breakfasts include Eggs Benedict with ham (R59) or salmon (R69), fluffy scrambled eggs and bacon at R 52, or with salmon at R 65, tartine aux champignons at R 52, muesli and yoghurt at R 39, boiled egg and soldiers (sweet touch!) at R 25, a sunshine breakfast that offers 2 fried eggs, bacon, toast, baked beans, tomato and mushroom, at an astoundingly reasonable R 29 (if you arrive between 7h30 - 8h30, the same sunshine breakfast only costs R 20!), French toast (R 29), sweetcorn fritters with salmon, poached egg and hollandaise sauce at R 59, flapjacks at R 25, and a breakfast baguette costs R 25.  The cappuccino was served in a very large cup, and perfect, costing R 15.   A cute touch was honey served in a small espresso cup.   A chipped stem of a water glass was not.  Presentation of the egg dishes is no-nonsense, with no decoration, but it does not seem to matter.

For lunch a selection of salads (caprese and caeser, at R 45 each), smoked salmon (R 72), chicken or Burger (R 59), and chicken liver (R 45) is offered.   Tartines (”flash toasted” bread), with fillings such as caprese, smoked salmon, chicken, The Max Club, The Max Burger and Chicken Burger, range in price from R 49 to R 85.  Lovely breads and sweet treats (e.g. the most beautifully iced and presented cupcakes) are for sale.

For the second time in a week, a good selection of wines-by-the-glass was seen to be offered (Salt Deli too) to single wine drinkers.  Cafe Max offers 12 wines, and all but one are sold by both the bottle or the glass.   Pongracz, Villiera and PJ Brut are sold in a range of R 20 - R 30 per glass, and white wines range from R 15 for the De May Cenin Blanc and their Rose, and Joostenberg Viognier to R 32 for the Haute Cabriere Chardonnay and Domaine Grier Maccaben Viognier.  Red wines start at an unbelievable R 15 for the Joostenberg Shiraz Merlot and MAN Vintner Shiraz to R 22 for the Stark Conde Pinot Noir.

The Cafe Max catering service was used for a Social Media Marketing workshop, and the tray of finger snacks looked and tasted amazing, and was good value. 

Cafe Max, 126 Waterkant Street, De Waterkant (from Somerset Road take the road alongside PG Glass/Boardmans), and turn right into Waterkant Street to find it).   Tel 021 425 5102.  www.cafemax.co.za   Open Tuesdays to Fridays from 7h00 - 16h00, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 9h00 - 15h00.   Dinner is served on Thursday evenings, from 18h30.

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

The Sweet Service Award goes to Bellavista Country House and Panorama restaurant, located between Stanford and Gansbaai, and neighbouring Grootbos, a surprise oasis of 5-star accommodation luxury and excellent cuisine, owned by Swiss national Georg Schwegler, for inviting WhaleTales to experience the property.   Set high up against the Waterkop mountain, the property has a lovely view onto Walker Bay, and the fynbos of the farm below.   The popular Panorama restaurant, visited by guests from Hermanus and Gansbaai, has a fine-dining menu which is reasonably priced and the food was excellent.   The restaurant is run by two chefs who previously worked at Allee Bleue in Franschhoek, and the service was professional and reactive, if a little withdrawn, whilst the wine list is extensive, with two wine list choices - top-end wines and more affordable wines. 

The Sour Service Award goes to the Cape Whale Coast Destination Marketing Organisation, for reacting to its Sour Award of 28 December by sending a lawyer’s letter stating that “not only is the content of your publication concerning our client plainly untrue, but also slanderous.   You published these statements with the obvious and clear intentions to defame our client, and bring our client’s work, standing, good name and reputation into disrepute”.  The letter demanded “an unequivocal apology in respect of all untrue and defamatory matter concerning our client.  In such written apology, you are to acknowledge the untruthfulness of your earlier statements, withdraw all imputations made, and express your regret that they were ever made”.  The writer gave 7 days for this demand to be implemented (but sent the letter to the wrong address, so it was only received 10 days later), failing which the DMO threatened to issue a summons for damages and apply for an interdict!   Nowhere in the lawyer’s letter did it state which parts of the long article it deemed to be “untrue” or “defamatory”.  WhaleTales has been around the block long enough, and has written for the media, and knows what can/may be said.  Information sources were the Hermanus Tourism Bureau, an e-mail sent to all members of the Hermanus Tourism Bureau, the DMO constitution, and the DMO website itself.   The blog post that the DMO is contesting can be read here.   The DMO seems to be short of funds, yet seems to deem it important to waste its money on a threatened court case with no foundation, and does not appear to value the country’s Constitutional freedom of speech!

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 new restaurant Shaka Zulu, scheduled to open in London in April, is to play an important role in marketing South Africa, and in promoting tourism to the country, says Paul Bannister, CEO of the International Marketing Council, a body tasked with marketing South Africa internationally, reports the Weekend Argus.

The new restaurant is being developed to the value of R 66 million in Camden Market, London, as a nightclub, a restaurant, a cocktail lounge and an African theatre. It can seat 750 patrons, and will feature a water-garden and crystal leopards.     Patrons will be able to eat South African food, and taste South Africa’s best beers and wines.   Savanna cider is expected to be one of the brands stocked, given its popularity in the U.K.

At the entrance to the venue a display cabinet will show off South African products, including Zulu artwork.   King Goodwill Zwelithini, head of the Zulu tribe, has endorsed the project.

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

The “Boozy Bloggers Picnic” at Warwick wine estate on Sunday was a disappointment in a number of respects, despite the bloggers (and other visitors) present having a good time on a perfect picnic Sunday.

WhaleTales has not written about wine estates much, except if they have restaurants on them.   Warwick wine estate, on the R44 between Klapmuts and Stellenbosch, attracted attention because Chef Bruce Robertson, a previous Top 10 chef when he owned The Showroom, was contracted to put together the picnic at Warwick.   When the invitation was received that bloggers were welcome to attend the picnic on Sunday, and that a generous special bloggers’ rate was offered, the booking was made immediately  

Despite being a big fan of Chef Bruce, and enjoying meeting Warwick owner Mike Ratcliffe on the day, one left the picnic disappointed in that a golden opportunity had been lost by Warwick.   Whilst the bloggers were on a special list, they were not told to sit in a defined section with other bloggers, so that they could get to know each other, and exchange information about this new medium.   Not even Ratcliffe knew who the bloggers were and what they looked like.   On a Big 5 wine safari drive during the afternoon, the Backsberg bloggers were on board, and at least one connection was made.  Anel Grobler from @spitorswallow was also present, and came over to chat later in the afternoon.   By this time Ratcliffe had left for his home already.

The vast picnic area is located around a dam, with lawns, and a section with tables under trees, as well as private “picnic pods”, resembling birdwatching ‘houses’, so one has a good choice.  Unfortunately one is not told where one can or should sit.   Also unfortunate is that one cannot see vines from the picnic area at all, so it feels less like a wine farm when one is there.   When one goes on the drive there is no mistaking that Warwick is a wine farm.

The picnic is a little higgeldy-piggeldy, much like the character of the wine estate.   The building houses the wine tasting section when one enters, and here the dissonance begins.  On the right is a beautiful modern wine cooling “cabinet”, with glass and modern white shelving.   In the middle of the room, along the wall, is a ‘mature’ wooden shelf with wine related gadgets for sale.   Behind the ordinary wooden counter the wines are sold.   It is a long room, not well filled, with wasted space at the back end of it.   One walks through to the picnic section, and there is another ordinary looking counter, with a table behind it, filled with the picnics.   It is a vast room, with a single table with things to sell, lost in the open space.   A decor hand is clearly missing in this venue, all is functional but not particularly attractive.

Given this decor, a ‘gourmet’ picnic concept for this wine estate is ill-matched.  One gets the feeling that the staff are very friendly, but things are not well organised.  Time is a commodity the staff have, but maybe not their guests.    The staff are still putting things together for the picnics when one arrives, even though they have taken bookings for them in advance.  One pays and receives a most unusual “picnic basket”, nothing like one has ever seen before.   A bottle of water is sold as is a cold drink, but no glasses are provided.   No attempt is made to sell one a bottle of wine with the picnic - is that not what the picnic is all about?   The wine sales department is in the first room, so the two departments do not marry their services and sales.  The sweet picnic lady tells us that it is the first day that the guests have to collect their picnics - previously they were brought to the tables.  Perhaps the former method would have caused less of a queue at the collection point.

We sit at a table under the trees, in what is meant to be the bloggers’ section, but see no one familiar, not that a list of names has been provided.   We unpack our picnic:   it has been cleverly put together in a stacked fashion, with two boards, one plastic and one wooden, a baguette wrapped in a massive “Warwick News”, a box of treats, a table cloth, and plates and cutlery, with a silver handle that clips underneath the boards, making one able to carry everything.   The tablecloths are brightly coloured (ours a grass green polka dot). The cutlery is ‘green”, being biodegradable, made from “a starched (sic) based bioplastic”.   

The box of treats contains the food in little plastic and cardboard boxes, and it is a treat to open them to see what is inside:   a delicious “Bruce’s ‘lekker’ biltong and brandy pate”, hummus with peppadew coulis, a small camembert, charcuterie (2 tiny slices of smoked something), poached chicken breast with truffle mayo (chicken tastes bland, but interestingly cut in tiny round slices), “frikkadelle” with tomato bredie (not out of the ordinary), “tabouli” - a green salad with couscous sprinkles (difficult to eat), baby potato salad with yummy mayo), “maketaan” - a yummy watermelon and ginger preserve, a box of Maynards wine gums, and a ‘death by chocolate’ brownie (not very special).   The most gourmet out of all this is the biltong pate.  The food is more wacky than gourmet, and is enough.  We hear bloggers mutter about the price of R 150 per head.  The pink paper menu is not of a “gourmet” standard.

We buy a bottle of wine (we would have loved a Rose with the picnic, but Warwick only does a Chardonnay and a Sauvignon Blanc on the light side), but receive no ice bucket on a 30+ C day.  No staff come to the tables at all, to sell us more to drink.  When we do see some, and call them over, they look at us in surprise that we could ask them for another bottle of water and for an ice bucket.  But it is brought to the table.  Do not expect any proactive service from the staff. 

Verdict - Warwick is sooo laid back, that it does itself a disservice in not focusing on its wine sales.  We left the wine estate knowing little more about Warwicks’ wines (except that there are 5 varieties planted on the farm, hence the Big 5 Landrover drives they do).  The newspaper wrapped around the baguette was placed under the boards for later reading, and was cleared by the staff before one could think of reading it - it is massive, and one is more interested in the contents of the boxes than in the newspaper at that stage.

Great concept, but on the wrong wine estate, in that its design does not reflect “designer” nor “gourmet”, normally associated with Chef Bruce Robertson.   Very child-friendly, and the kids get their own picnic box.   Mike Ratcliffe is a very nice owner, and he came to check on us regularly, and very friendly staff.   Very clean and modern bathroom, which is commendable.  A lost opportunity by Warwick, in getting bloggers together and connected, the prime reason for them coming.  A lost marketing opportunity in that the paper menu does not have contact details nor the web address if one wanted to book again or tell others about it.

Warwick wine estate, R44, Stellenbosch, tel 021 884-3144. www.warwickwine.com   Twitter @mikeratcliffe

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

The Sweet Service Award goes to the Manager of The Big Easy restaurant in Stellenbosch, for making space for a table of two on Valentine’s Day, when the hostess had declined the request initially, even though only half the tables were occupied at the time.   The service and meal were excellent.   It transpired during the evening that a party of 22 had booked, and that the hostess did not want to burden the kitchen, or the new chef Simone’ Rossouw.  Shockingly, the large party did not honour their booking!

The Sour Service Award goes to the Darling Music Experience, for the organisation of an event at the Groote Post wine estate outside Darling.   After a long journey from Cape Town, driving on a poor quality gravel road to get to the farm, the attendees of the lunch session had to listen to a talk by German pianist Andreas Kern about music, concerts, etc, and only got to hear one short piece played by him!   All the attendees at the lunch table complained about their expectation of a concert, as it was that that had attracted them to attend.  Lunch was then served at Hilda’s Kitchen restaurant, and was most disappointing:  a salmon salad with potatoes as a starter, a slice of mixed vegetable quiche for the main!!!, and a lovely pavlova.   If it had not been for the long journey lying ahead to travel back, and the lovely persons at the table, one would have chosen to return immediately.  The cost of R 250 per head felt like a rip-off, and was used as a sales opportunity for the Pentz family for their wines rather than as a musical experience for the attendees.   Feedback received from the Darling tourism bureau was dismissive and unsatisfactory, although they did offer an invitation to attend a concert two days later.

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.

Salt Deli, which had a disastrous opening over the festive season, appears to have settled in, and the feedback provided has been implemented, meaning a huge improvement.

The menu has been changed completely, following the feedback supplied (read our initial review here) and the arrival of Jacques de Jager, the new chef at Salt Restaurant at the Ambassador Hotel on Victoria Road in Bantry Bay, Cape Town, who was previously a Top 10 chef at Grande Provence in Franschhoek. 

The biggest change is that cooked breakfasts can now be prepared on site, and these include eggs benedict with bacon (R 45) or salmon (R55), scrambled eggs with smoked salmon (R55), eggs en cocotte - egg cooked individually in cream or butter in a small ramekin (R 45), and savoury ostrich mince (R40).  Further breakfast treats on offer are yogurt, berries and nuts (R 30), bagel and cream cheese (R 20), salmon and cream cheese bagel (R 40), muffins and croissants.  Breakfast is served all day, good news for breakfast fans.  A good cappuccino (R 14) is served too.

The lunch options, which probably are available all the way until the Deli closes at 9pm, include chicken supreme with asparagus salad (R 65), stuffed aubergine (R 60), lamb pita and side salad (R 65), onion and goat’s cheese quiche (R 38), endive, pear and walnut salad (R 40), game terrine (R 65) and a roast beef sandwich (R 65).  I had a tasty lasagne with side salad for R 50, which was not on the menu, but was mentioned.   The lamb pita was dry, and could do with more tzatziki, if there was any in it at all.  A menu board of specials is changed daily, and is additional to the printed menu choice.

A delight for Salt Deli visitors is the large selection and quality of the wines on the winelist - every one of the 12 red wines and 10 white wines is offered by bottle or by glass.   The Bosman Rose costs R 23 per glass, while the most expensive white wine is the Waterford Chardonnay, at R 51.  The reds range from R 31 for a 2005 Waverley Hills Cabernet Sauvignon  to R 55 for a 2006 Ataraxia Serenity blend.  Two Shiraz’s are stocked - 2007 Kleine Zalze and 2006 Andreas.

The star of Salt Deli is the Assistant Manager Cisca, who recognised the guest from the last visit almost two months ago, and came to the table regularly to chat, requesting feedback about the menu and the meal. 

One aspect of Salt Deli that is hidden if one sits outside, is the quality of the bakery items, and the Deli could capitalise on this more in its list of desserts.  The finest tarts (fruit, chocolate, lemon meringue and others) at a mere R 10 each, and the crispiest and lightest pastries (croissants, apple, raisin, danish) at only R 8 each, are fantastic value for take-home treats compared to the expensive ones sold at Voila! in the Cape Quarter.  A good selection of breads is also sold.   The staff dealing with this part of the Deli were exceptionally friendly and accommodating.

Salt Deli has been transformed for the better, and now is well worth regular visits.  In about three weeks the Vodka and Champagne Bar is planned to open upstairs.  Open until 9 pm every day, Victoria Road, Bantry Bay, opposite the Ambassador Hotel. Tel 021 439 7258.

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