USA Consumer Brochure

BUSTLING
CITY LIFE
Alfresco dining
Curry served in a half bread loaf is known as a “bunny chow”
FROM TRADITIONAL AFRICAN FARE TO THE
MILD, SWEET CURRIES OF CAPE TOWN’S BO-
KAAP DISTRICT, TO THE SUCCULENT SEARED
KUDU SERVED AT A BRAAI (BARBECUE) IN A
SAFARI LODGE’S BOMA (ENCLOSED OUTSIDE
AREA), SOUTH AFRICA IS BRIMMING WITH
CULINARY EXPERIENCES.
In addition to homegrown talent, this gem
of a country is also attracting top chefs from
around the world, making it an exciting culinary
destination. Choose from an array of restaurants
in a variety of settings, including alfresco
waterfront bistros; bucolic hideaways tucked
into vineyards; sophisticated city restaurants;
and out-of-Africa-style safari dining, complete
with pressed white tablecloths and candles. In
Hermanus, you can even enjoy fine dining in a
cave with a lovely view of the ocean!
ON THE MENU
With Cape Town being recently voted the top
food city in the world by Conde Nast Traveller,
and food festivals and award-winning restaurants
popping up throughout the country, you’ll
find a host of culinary delights on your travels.
Wherever you go, you’re sure to be offered some
regional delicacy, and as South Africans like to
say: “local is lekker” (local is nice).
In addition to savory meat dishes made with
beef, pork, lamb and chicken, there are also
several varieties of game that you might want
to try, including springbok (a type of venison),
ostrich, and even warthog. Non-meat eaters
shouldn’t despair: the fruit and vegetables grown
in South Africa are of remarkable quality (try the
world-renowned juices from areas such as Ceres,
about 90 miles northeast of Cape Town) and the
locally caught seafood is fantastic.
A term you’ll hear often is “line fish”, which simply
means the catch of the day, usually grilled and
served with lemon wedges. Local line
fish includes flaky-white, salt-water kingklip, saltwater
snoek, satisfyingly oily butterfish, and even
juicy barracuda, caught off South Africa’s eastern
shores. Crayfish (clawless lobsters), Knysna
oysters, and abalone are local delicacies as well.
Maize, or corn, is a staple of traditional African
cuisine and often makes its way to the table in
one of two ways: roasted on the cob or ground
into flour and cooked as pap (similar to polenta).
Use the pap to dip into a traditional stew such
as umngqusho, made of maize, beans, chilies
and potatoes (and said to be a favorite of Nelson
Mandela). Boerewors – or spiced sausages of
beef or pork grilled together with sirloin and
lamb chops – are a highlight of Afrikaans fare,
and must-taste desserts include melktert (light
custard in a pie shell) and koeksisters (fried
doughnuts in syrup).
WHET YOUR
APPETITE
READ UP ON SOUTH
AFRICA’S DINING SCENE
IN THESE TWO
ONLINE GUIDES:
WWW.EATOUT.CO.ZA
WWW.RESTAURANTS.CO.ZA
35 | SOUTHAFRICA.NET
Braai (barbecue) is a big South African tradition