Discovering New Spots

There's a thrill in discovering new restaurants in a city you visit at least a few times a year. Cape Town is my favorite city in South Africa. It hasn't always been because I haven't always had the opportunity to visit the city for pleasure. My trips to Cape Town were mostly for business and I'd go there for holidays only once in a while. In recent years, Cape Town has become a regular holiday spot, whether it's a short weekend holiday during the year or a longer holiday over the festive season. My husband and I usually go there when there are big social events like the Cape Town Jazz Festival. Infact, the CTJF has become an annual thing but we no longer go to Cape Town just for the festival itself because there's always a hype of activity around this time. There's always a bunch of other parties/events happening all over the city. For a few years now we've been using the festival weekend as an opportunity to discover and experience new spots there, be it restaurants or clubs. As far as restaurants go, Paranga at Camps Bay has been a favorite for a long time and we would always have a day where we do lunch or dinner there. First off, the location is so ideal (as are most other restaurants in Camps Bay). Secondly, the food is amazing. Thirdly, their service has never disappointed although I can't necessarily say they have the friendliest staff. They come across as 'aloof' but then will entertain a bit of small talk, if you initiate it. As with most restaurants in South Africa, a great percentage of their staff seem to be people from other African countries. Last but certainly not least, their music selection is always spot-on. It's easy to take something like music for granted, especially if you're talking about a restaurant but the truth is, music goes a long way in creating the perfect ambiance. The music reminds me of a number of cafe's in Europe, especially Cannes in the south of France.

Another a great and recent find was Bilboa restaurant, which also happens to be in Camps Bay, just a few meters from Paranga. Again, perfectly positioned, with the most spectacular view of the Cape sunset. Did I mention the food is amazing too? I've only been there once but once was enough to confirm Bilboa is deserving of another visit. The sister restaurant on the next floor up is great too - Chinchilla. Chincilla has a more casual setup and even the food seemed to align with the lightness of the setup. Our first visit here was after a heavy night and it would be unfair to judge the food on that basis. I remember eating a burger, which is usually my go-to meal after a heavy night. The burger was lovely but I doubt it's a great idea to use it as the basis to judge the food there.

On our last visit to Cape Town this year, I somehow managed to stay an extra day and my husband left me behind to go back to Jhb. To cut a long story short, he had forgotten to book my flights back to Jbg and only remembered on what was supposed to be the actual day of departure. I had been reminding him to make the booking before we left for Cape Town and at some point I assumed he had done it or I just assumed he would do it. Needless to say, trying to book on the day we were supposed to leave was too late. So, I could only get a flight out the following day. I used the opportunity to explore the newly-opened Silo Hotel by Waterfront. I had actually just heard of it a few days or weeks prior and judging from the pictures I had seen, it seemed like a spot worth exploring. So, I went up to their rooftop bar. It was about an hour or so before lunch-time when I went there. The place was empty but it gave me the opportunity to just savour the moment. The place is beautifully decorated. They've kept it light and classy. The views are amazing although there's a building with a roof slightly lower than the rooftop bar, which seems to host hundreds of birds that flock there. I was sitting there peacefully, enjoying my cocktail and the serenity until the birds all started singing in one go. It was crazy how loud they got and it was only then that I realized the bar manager tried to warn me about the loud noise but it didn't click. They go on for a while until they all fly off, I guess to find another hang-out. Other than that, I loved spending a good hour there, taking in the views. I also went to check out the bar inside the hotel, which is set up more like a lounge. Again, very classy although I didn't get to spend much time here. The staff at this place is a lot friendlier but also know how to leave you to enjoy some peace and quiet.

Grand beach café and Bungalow are at the top of my list as far as Cape Town goes. I love absolutely everything about these 2 spots - the food, the location, the ambiance, the décor, the service. The difference between these 2 and the other restaurants I had already mentioned is, they've just done everything better than the rest. Both have the advantage of space because they're quite open with a setting that allows you to sit inside the restaurant for a more formal vibe or outside with a more relaxed ambiance. In the case of Grand Beach Café, you can even have your feet in the sand while enjoying your meal/drinks because it's right on the beach and they've basically extended the beach to the restaurant with all the sand in the outside area. In my humble opinion, Grand Beach Café wins hands-down on location but Bungalow wins on the set up outside because although their space is a little smaller, they've really maximized by the choice of seating they've put up. You'll get a great sea-view at both. The service is awesome. Honestly, I can't find fault with either one. Both come highly recommended.