We all fell in love with the idea of being able to enjoy live music while sitting down for a meal because let’s face it, there’s not a lot of those kinds of places around. The only other place I can think off of the top of my head is Pigalle over in Green Point. But Pigalle hurts the wallet a bit, so it’s not really the type of place I would frequent regularly, it’s more of a special occasion spot in my book.
The Crypt sits beneath the St. George’s Cathedral and dates all the way back to 1898. Today it is an important Cape Town landmark as well as a museum… and of course now also a very cool jazz spot. Let me show you around:
You have to admit, that’s pretty damn cool hey?
The menu is quite simple – it starts off with some tapas style options and for mains you can choose between items like prawns, steak, battered fish, linguini, chicken stew and a gourmet beef burger. There’s also some pears poached in red wine, chocolate mousse or lemon mousse, if you want to finish your night off with a little bit of sugar.
To kick things off we opted for some dips & bread – Chicken liver pate, Hummus guacamole & Roasted red pepper and olive (R28 each) – served with choice of tortilla, bruschetta or pita bread. And then for mains I opted for the Grilled steak special with fries (R110). Other dishes at the table included the battered fish & beef burger.
Left: the 3 dips & bread; Top right: Traditional beer battered fish, chips & aioli (R85); Bottom right: my steak
The food, I have to admit, was very average. It made me think of the Spur, but just not at Spur prices. I can however really recommend this great Chardonnay from Glenwood Vineyards:
But listen, I kinda feel like the vibe of the place makes up for the food. So what I will say is, don’t go expecting the best meal of your life, but if you appreciate jazz and want to experience something a little out of the ordinary, then do give this place a try.
They are open: Tue to Sat 12h00 – 24h00 serving lunch, light snacks & dinner
They can seat up to 80 people & sometimes people might need to share tables (but just double check this when you make your reservation – we had our own table)
They add an extra R45 Live Jazz cover charge to your bill for each person. And you can expect to enjoy live music on Tue to Thur from 19:00 to 22:00 as well as Fri & Sat from 20:00 to 23:00.
Address: 1 Wale Street, Cape Town CBD
Contact them on: 079 683 4658 or thecryptjazz@gmail.com
(From my Instagram feed – follow me there: CTmylove)
Last Saturday was one of those days where I set out on a mini adventure, not quite sure what to expect…
After battling with that very serious dilemma of “what shoe is going to be appropriate today? Heels, flats or wedge…” (I went with the latter), I headed off to Stellenbosch to join a group of gorgeous ladies for a brandy blending experience at Van Ryn’s.
The week before I had to endure quite a few brandy related jokes about how I needed to be careful of the karate water kick and all that. But after a fantastic day of learning new things, I can now say to those folks, karate water se gat. There were no Coca-Cola mix vibes here my friend. We were there to experience the true art behind a fine brandy – something which should be savored and appreciated, much like you would with a great bottle of wine.
Now I will admit, I was certainly no brandy drinker going into this. And I won’t say it’s now taken over the place of wine in my life. But what was really great was that I left there being able to tell a great brandy from a not-so-great brandy and knowing what to look out for if I for example wanted to purchase someone a nice bottle as a gift. Also, if I was presented with the option of a brandy on ice in future, I would now be more inclined to go, why yes, that sounds lovely.
Before I go on, a special mention has to go to Nico Gründlingh from Image Solutions Photography. Nico followed us around on the day and captured the most amazing moments way better than I could ever dream of with my click-and-go, or even with all those fancy filters on Instagram. So below you’ll be seeing his photographs rather than my own (unless otherwise specified).
Right, let’s go. Firstly, the Van Ryn’s property is absolutely beautiful. Let me show you what I mean:
We were welcomed with brandy cocktails and brandy infused canapes (which was certainly a great way to kick-start our day), after which we moved on to a tour of Van Ryn’s with brandy expert, Brink, who took us through all the intricate details of the brandy making process...
Just look at that intense concentration…
We learnt so many interesting things – like the term “Angel share” which is what they call the brandy that is lost through evaporation throughout the maturation process. Basically the saying goes that the missing brandy has gone up to the angels as a gift. Isn’t that lovely?
We also learnt that South Africa has been making brandy for nearly 3 1/2 centuries and is currently the 6th largest producer of brandy in the world. The French call it Cognac, which is very much the same as that whole Champagne thing where we can’t use the same term and have to go with MCC, but Cognac is a variety of brandy nonetheless.
South Africa also produces award-winning brandy, like the Van Ryn’s Collection Reserve 12 Year Old, which has won the title of ‘Worldwide Best Brandy’ a whopping four times. Take that Frenchies!
To get a detailed breakdown of the brandy making process, do check out this page called What is Brandy? via the SA Brandy website - they explain the finer details a lot better than I’m going to be able to.
The part of the tour I found most interesting was checking out the Cooperage. This is where coopers still perform the age-old skill of handmaking the French Oak barrels used to mature brandy. At Van Ryn’s, very little mechanisation is used in this process, and they train up a few new coopers every year to make sure this skill is not something that is lost over time.
Abie was there to give us a demonstration of the very skillful process. He’s been a cooper for 39 years and makes it look very easy, but I can assure you, it’s certainly not. They use only handmade tools, in fact, during their apprenticeship, they have to make their own set of tools, and coopers also mark their barrels, so that you can tell exactly know who made each one.
When a cooper completes his apprenticeship, he also has to come up with his own unique song. Abie was kind enough to share his with us:
So cool… After the tour it was time for our inner scientists to shine. We took our seats in the Paradise Room where Brink explained how we were going to go about blending our very own brandy. I didn’t actually know this before, but a brandy is blended from various brandy “building blocks”. It’s not a single barrel process like you’d find in the whiskey world for example, which makes it quite an intricate process.
We were each given 8 brandy building blocks to play with (38% alcohol each). Brink explained that each building block was a typical main component in different types of well known brandies, each with its own very unique aroma & taste. For example nr1 was quite fruity with a vanilla & honey taste and is the main building block in Fish Eagle brandy. Nr3 had a wooded aroma with a spicy, biscuity taste and is the main building block in the Van Ryn’s 10 yr old. And so forth…
The process of then coming up with our very own blend involved a lot of smelling, tasting, planning, brainstorming, mixing and creating.
The blend I settled on was 60% nr2 (main building block for Klipdrift Premium), 30% nr6 (main building block for Van Ryn’s 15 yr old) & 10% nr8 (main building block for 10 yr old Hanepoot). I set out to create a fruity, sweet & perfumy brandy with a smooth & creamy taste, and Brink noted after tasting mine, that I had created the perfect “ladies brandy” – success! I called it “The Love Affair”… (of course)
Ta da… (Pic my own)
With our new titles of Master Brandy Blender under our belts, we settled in for a late lunch prepared by Chef Laurent from Bizerca Bistro.
He had prepared a bit of a brandy-meets-tartare taste journey for us, kicking off with some yellowtail and moving on to some ostrich, beef & venison – all carefully paired with a particular Van Ryn’s brandy.
The yellowtail (top left) was my absolute favourite… (Food piccies my own)
Prizes were also handed out for best brandy blend of the day, which went to Misha (aka @Brandslut_) for her cinnamon, apple pie inspired blend. And best name, which went to Kayli (aka @kaylivee) for her blend called Dark Angels’ (she used the Angel share concept explained above as her inspiration behind the name). Nicely done ladies.
If you want to experience some of the Van Ryn’s awesomeness for yourself. They offer the following great activities:
Brandy tours: Mon – Fri 10:00, 11:30 & 15:00, Sat & Public holidays 10:00, 11:30 & 13:00, Sun – no cellar tours
Tastings – opening hours: Mon – Fri 9:00 to 16:30, Sat 9:30 to 15:30 and Sun 11:00 to 16:00
Pairings: Brandy, coffee & chocolate pairing and a Florentine tasting (those yummy Tuscan biscuits)
Or just try their Angel’s share cocktail – Van Ryn’s 5 year old Viceroy, coffee & caramel, garnished with chocolate shavings.
Just contact them on 021 881 3875. And also check out the Fine Brand by Design website for more info on how to properly taste brandies, some cocktail ideas & also food pairing tips.
This Saturday it is time to put on your best threads and get ready for a big night out with this year’s 5 for change event:
A party in support of some great causes…
5 for Change is an annual black tie fundraiser aimed at raising awareness for five inspiring local social enterprises which are making a big impact on people’s lives where it really counts. This year they are showing support for:
Waves for Change: They use surfing as a tool to create an alternative learning environment for children and young adults who are identified by their schools and communities as ‘at-risk’
Ilizwi Photography Club: A youth development initiative that works with young people in under-resourced communities by encouraging creative self expression through photography and multimedia.
Iyeza Express: An affordable delivery service for prescription medication to residents of Khayelitsha.
See-Saw-Do: They focus on the physical transformation of the spaces in which children develop, as well as on the production and distribution of mother-tongue reading material to these facilities.
Trashback: An incentivised recycling project where participants bring in recyclable materials and are rewarded with vouchers for their efforts, which can then be exchanged at local community stores.
To find out more about these amazing initiatives, read on over here.
People who attended last year’s bash raved about it, so I’m really excited to be checking it out this year. They’ve lined up Goldfish and The Rudimentals to keep you movin’ and shakin’ as well as some great giveaways and prizes as little special surprises on the night.
Tickets cost R300 pp (which includes welcome drinks and canapés)
When: Sat 18 May – 7pm till late.
Where: Cape Town City Hall
Dress code: Black tie… well in fact, I’ve heard that this year they are planning a Great Gatsby theme. So if you add a bit of Gatsby swag to your look, you might even be in the running for a best dressed prize… Here’s some inspiration from the upcoming film remake to get those creative juices flowing:
Hope to see you guys there. Remember, it’s all for a good cause and your support will certainly make a big difference to the folks involved with the initiatives mentioned above.
To further entice you, check out some pics and a video from last year’s event over here.
It’s a proudly South African play written by Marlisa Doubell, directed by award-winning Yvonne Copley and brought to you by Sugar-daddy Theatre Co.
The synopsis is as follows:
Set in the seedy underbelly of Cape Town, exotic dancer, Lisa (Sabine Palfi), tries to pick up the pieces of her broken heart.
Things soon spiral out of control and she finds herself thrust into a dangerous love triangle with Dean (Bjorn Steinbach), her explosive former fiancé, and his Greek boss, Nic (Aidan Whytock), a seductive mobster…
From left to right: Bjorn Steinback as Dean, Sabine Palfi as Lisa & Aidan Whytock as Nic
As you can see, it’s a bit of a saucy storyline. So no under 18s are allowed. But if saucy is right up your alley (and you know it is ), here’s all the important deets you need to know to reserve your seat:
When: Wed 15 May to Sat 25 May (excluding Sun/Mon)
Venue: Intimate Theatre, UCT Hiddingh Campus, 37 Orange Street
Time: 8pm
Tickets: R80 (students/pensioners/SAGA members R70). If you buy more than 10 tickets online, you can also get them for R70 AND on Tue 21 May, they’re doing a “half price Tuesday” special where you’ll only pay R40. Get your tickets from Computicket over here. Some stand-by tickets will also be available at the door (at full price only), but I’d say it’s better to plan ahead in case there are no spots left. Plus, Computicket has enabled the “print at home” option for this event, which means no queuing. Love it.
Last week Thursday I attended the new menu launch of Bistro 1800˚ which is situated at the beautifully elegant Cape Royale Hotel & Spa over in Green Point.
Now as far as launches and events go, this one was certainly a goodie. Think flowing drinks all night long thanks to the folks at Nitida Wines, mini massages thanks to the Equinox Spa team (click on the link for my review of their spa), oysters and canapes at the VIP Sky Bar, followed by a 3 course sit down dinner, and out the door with a goodie bag filled with lots of little treats like some TRIBE Coffee and more (TRIBE has recently partnered with Bistro 1800˚, just so you know). Oh AND they also threw in a grand tour of the hotel, including their luxurious suites…
It was a jam packed evening, filled with great folks and great conversation and I woke up the next morning with a glorious hangover. Let’s just say Friday at the office was loooooooong & painful, but all worth it of course.
Now let me share my evening with you in pictures (and some words).
First we have one of their 2 bedroom suites. The place is bigger than my apartment, the kitchen is kitted out with anything you might need (including a dish washer) and on your first night, you’re treated to the most special turn down service I think I’ve ever seen:
That’s right folks. A monkey… a freakin’ monkey made out of a bath towel! (If I got one of those, I’d be the happiest chappy ever)
Then we moved up to the VIP sky bar where we watched the sunset while enjoying some bubbly, those mini massages I mentioned earlier and even some live music.
Photo credit: Justin Davis
Photo credit: Justin Davis
Then we headed back down to Bistro 1800˚ where we got to sample a selection of dishes from the new menu:
Cape Royale MD, Johann du Plessis, with (top) Chef Jonathan Gargan and (bottom) Food & Beverage manager, George Sakulias – Photo credit: Justin Davis
My favourite things were the chicken salad, both meat dishes and that orange infused chocolate mousse.
Jonathan & George say they set out to create a menu that is hearty with lots of comfort food options and dishes which are authentic, homely & uncomplicated. They’ve always been known for their steaks and the new menu still has lots of succulent options to choose from. Actually on that note, just an interesting little titbit – the bistro gets its name from their signature New York style grill, which cooks your steak perfectly at exactly 1800 degrees fahrenheit. So now you know. The new dishes include things like grilled loin of lamb (R135); phyllo baked Atlantic salmon (R139); Kingklip en papilote (R125) and slow roasted breast of duck(R125).
Find them at 47 Main Road, Green Point. And to make reservations, you can make use of the following contact details:
Bistro 1800˚: 021 430 0506 or info@18hundreddegrees.co.za
I’m also just going to leave you with some specials currently running which are definitely worth a mention:
VIP Sky Barcocktail special: R30 a cocktail every day from 3pm – 6pm (just in case you weren’t sure – this bar is open to the public, it’s not only for hotel guests)
Equinox Spa Mother’s Day Special: For the whole month of May – book any facial, body treatment or spa package and receive a free 30min back neck & shoulder massage or 30min petite manicure.
Corporate lunch special at Bistro 1800˚: Two-course lunch starting at R99.00
Thanks to everyone at Cape Royale and Bistro 1800˚ as well as Jade, Aneeqa & Leozette from Red Carpet Concepts for an amazing night out. High 5s all round guys & girls…
Me with Leozette from Red Carpet Concepts – Photo credit: Justin Davis
If you ever saw out my first blog, My Love Affair with Italy, you’ll know that my number one activity while touring through that incredibly beautiful country was definitely: eating. Italians love their food and it’s therefore a big part of their culture. (along with family, fast cars & fashionable dressing of course)
They’re planning 10 weeks of Italian cuising, each week dedicated to a different Italian region with a different menu & carefully selected wine. I sadly missed out on their latest menu tasting session which took place this past Saturday (as I already had another commitment), but I’m definitely going to be paying them a visit for the full Italiano esperienza…
Things kick off this Wed, 15 May and will run until the week of 17 Jul. This is what’s waiting there for you each week:
Region 1 Sicilia- Wed 15 May to Tue 21 May Pasta alla Norma R55 aubergine, tomato and ricotta Cape fish of the day served with Caponata R115 traditional agro-dolce aubergine dish Cannoli alla Siciliana R40 Sicilian ricotta pastries served with vanilla ice cream, citrus syrup Suggested Wine: Flat Roof Manor Pinot Grigio
Region 2 Calabria & Basilicata - Wed 22 May to Tue 28 May Spaghetti alla Puttanesca R42 Spaghetti with tomato, anchovy, olives, capers & basil Melanzane Parmigiana R70 aubergine, pomodoro, Grana Padano bake Chilli Infused Gelato R10 per scoop Honey Suggested Wine: OBiKWA Moscato
Region 3 Puglia - Wed 29 May to Tue 4 June Orecchiette con Broccoli R50 “little ears” pasta with broccoli, garlic & chilli Braciole al Sugo con Polpette R90 fresh mussels steamed with tomato, white wine, garlic, chilli and finished with olive oil Bitter Chocolate & Cherry Gelato R10 per scoop Suggested Wine: Thelema Muscat de Frontignan
Region 4 Campania - Wed 5 June to Tue 11 June Mozzarella in Carrozza R25 deep fried mozzarella sandwich, dressed rocket Braciola di Maiale Pizzaiola R89 pork chop with Pizzaiola sauce Chocolate & Almond Gelato R10 per scoop Suggested Wine: Idiom Bianco di Stellenbosch Pinot Grigio
Region 5 Molise, Abruzzo & Marche - Wed 12 June to Tue 18 June Spaghetti all’ Aglio Olio e Peperoncino R42 spaghetti with garlic, olive oil & chilli Cape Fish served with Inzimino & Salsa Verde R115 traditional chickpea, swiss chard & tomato stew with green sauce Salame di Fichi Gelato R22 fig, almond & walnut ‘salami’ crumbled into Gelato served with an espresso Suggested Wine: Idiom Sangiovese
Region 6 Lazio & Umbria - Wed 19 June to Tue 25 June Lenticchie Con Salsicce R45 lentil stew with sausages Saltimbocca R118 veal escalope, Prosciutto, sage Gelato al Espresso R15 espresso flavoured ice cream Suggested Wine: Idiom Rosso di Stellenbosch
Region 7 Tuscany & Liguiria - Wed 26 June to Tue 2 July La Ribollita R38 hearty Tuscan bean soup Bistecca alla Fiorentina R145 grilled 500g T-bone steak, fresh lemon Candied Fruit Gelato R10 per scoop
Suggested Wine: Terra del Capo Sangiovese
Region 8 Emilia – Romagna - Wed 3 July to Tue 9 July Chicken Broth with Tortellini Bolognese R52 pasta filled with pork loin, Prosciutto & Mortadella stuffing, floating in a rich chicken broth Lasagnia al Forno R80 oven-baked lasagnia with Ragù alla Bolognese Grappa Gelato R10 per scoop Suggested Wine: La Vierge Satyricon
Region 9 North Western Italy - Wed 10 July to Tue 16 July Canederli R45 broth, bread dumplings Osso Bucco alla Milanese R130 veal shin, bone marrow & saffron risotto, Gremolata Chocolate & Hazelnut Gelato R10 per scoop
Suggested Wine: Steenberg Nebbiolo
Region 10 Veneto & Fruili, Venezia Guilia - Wed 17 July to Tue 23 July La Jota Triestina R42 rich bean soup from Trieste with bacon Fegato alla Veneziana R89 sautéed calf ’s liver, caramalised onion, soft polenta Tiramisu R40
Suggested Wine: De Grendel Pinot Gris
Mmmmm… they had me at Gelato… (OK and many many other things) To make your reservation, give them a shout on: 021 42 42 100.
And then their address for those who are new to Societi Bistro: 50 Orange St, Gardens
Ciao ciao for now signore e signori! (that’s my last Italian reference, I promise - at least you can’t see my hand gestures from where you’re sitting. I mean we all know the Italians can’t speak without their hands )
xxx
PS. Check out the Tour Through Italy page for more info on the regions & the different wines.
A miser is a person who is reluctant to spend, sometimes to the point of forgoing even basic comforts and some necessities, in order to hoard money or other possessions. Although the word is sometimes used loosely to characterise anyone who is mean with their money, if such behaviour is not accompanied by taking delight in what is saved, it is not properly miserly…
This sets the scene quite well for The Miser which opened at the Baxter Theatre last night. Based on the 1668 five act comedy by French playwright Molière & directed by South African actress, voice-over artist & director, Sylvaine Strike, it certainly opened with a bang.
Brilliant performances by an incredible group of actors & actresses, amazing set & costume design, a fresh, sleek production which will have you on the edge of your seat throughout. No wonder this play won a whopping 4 Naledi Theatre Awards for Best Production of a Play, Best Director, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role (for Patricia Boyer) and Best Costume Design.
In essence the story follows a man who loves his money more than anything else in the world. He is mean-spirited and selfish and runs a very strict household. When his children then fall in love with what he would class as the wrong kind of people, a crazy sequence of events unfolds…
It’s showing until 25 May, tickets cost only R150 each and you can get them from Computicket over here.
The play finds its home at the Baxter’s Flipside, which got its name because it’s basically the back side of the main theatre. It gets quite chilly in there, so do dress warmly. But they provide blankets as well if you need.
About two weeks ago, some friends and I decided to try out The Crypt – Jazz Restaurant in town.
I called it “The Love Affair”… (of course)
