Cape Town eating out, restaurants, fresh
seafood, fine dining, entertainment, nightlife, wines.
There's one thing worse than being a stranger in a strange land
trying to find your way around in a language you don’t even
know where to begin to try and express yourself, let alone find
directions, and that is if you need to find some nourishment after
an exhausting day of exploring dodgy back-street alleys because
you've decided to take the road less travelled. Especially if the
menu requires that you choose your meal while it is still alive
and well, eyeing you shortly before it is beheaded and thrown into
a pot with lots of other peculiar looking ingredients.
All that remains is to hope that you survive this cultural encounter
of culinary curiosity without spending the rest of your trip...
well, let's leave it at that. After all, we are talking about food
here. The fact remains, a true experience of any culture starts
with its cuisine.
South African food in one word – "bleddie lekker!"
(real good or tasty). Practically a cultural institution is the
traditional "braai" (barbeque – and no, we don't
do hamburger patties) where you are likely to find other favourites
such as "boerewors" (spicy sausages dripping with flavour)
and "sosaties" (skewered meat cubes), and that's excluding
the mutton chops and ribs and plenty of beer to wash it down with.
South Africans' appetite for meat is apparent in another local "lekkerny"
(tasty favourite) – biltong (strips of salted meat that has
been cured and dried).
Then there is the spicy tradition of Cape Malay cooking which
includes hearty dishes such as "bobotie" (mince pie with
a topping of savoury egg custard) accompanied by yellow rice with
raisins, curries and pickled fish. And not to forget those little
fiery in-betweeners – "Samosas" (spicy, fried, triangular
pastry filled with vegetables or meat).
And then there's an array of African delights for those feeling
adventurous, for instance "Upentse" which is tripe and
vegetables (see what I mean?). But not all dished sound so dodgy.
Madiba's favourite – "Umngqusho" – is a wholesome
meal of granular maize staple with brown sugar beans.
If your idea of kosher cuisine remains within the kitchens of
the West, cheer up. Cape Town is a truly cosmopolitan city that
embraces all flavours and favourites from around the globe. With
about 7000 eateries you're sure to find one to tantalize your taste
buds.
|
