Goodbye

We are closing down R8it! So sorry to let you down but there are too many other projects on at the moment. Thanks for reading and take care!
Kimicat

Restaurant: Gabriellas

Gabriella's in Hout Bay is a small restaurant at the Mainstream shopping centre. Today, being Women's Day in South Africa, I was treated to coffee and wanted to go to Gabriella's because we were going to the shopping centre anyway. We were greeted warmly by the owner when we arrived and everything was looking good except that there is a huge tv just as you walk inside. I really do not like televisions in restaurants unless they are a sports bar. Really, can you not tear yourself away from the tube for a while and enjoy the tastes and smells of a lovely restaurant? Anyway, enough ranting about tvs. It was not so bad as the Olympics were on but it is really antisocial.

I was impressed with the menu as there was a good variety of items. I ordered a gourmet cupcake and gourmet it was. Red velvet, absolutely beautiful and tasty. I really should have taken a photo but I was really in holiday mode! My partner had a delightful scone. It was flat, round and tangy - just like scones should be! After the cake and coffee, and because it was actually lunch-time, I felt a bit more peckish and decided to order a snack. I ordered the bruschetta as it sounded like a small snack and was only R39 (oh, and a glass of my favourite wine, Beyerskloof Pinotage). Well, the  bruschetta was a lot bigger than I tought, coated in peppers, cheese, olives, tomatoes and lettuce and I was very impressed with the presentation. However, one bite in, I realized that the bread itself was soaked in oil! It was really soaked but the toppings were so great that I tried to overlook it. As I got home, I started to feel ill. Fortunately it was a public holiday so I was able to take a nap. After a short nap I was really nauseous. A bit later, my stomach started to ache and then to run! Sorry for all the details! Well, it did not ruin my day or anything but I will definitely think twice before ordering that  bruschetta again! Another point was that there is a smoking area outside, and the smoke wafts in to the non-smoking area inside which is a bit annoying (and I am sure illegal). All in all a nice restaurant with a large menu, many choices for wine by the glass and a homey feel.

The r8ing: 6/10

Cafe Nood

Cafe Nood is a delightful place to eat and grab a cup of coffee or a drink. They have half portion tasty pastas that are just the right size for lunch and will not break the bank. The decor is 'just right' and there is even a bakery where you can buy brownies or other tempting delights. But be warned - the baked goods come at a cost! Some other negatives are that the service is a bit on the slow side and there is a TV that detracts from the dining experience. All in all though, a great little place for a bite to eat! A novel aspect to this restaurant is that you can buy packets of chips or books and magazines there too so it feels like a little delightful corner cafe. The milkshakes are also very good!

R8ing: 8/10

A Tavola Ristorante

A Tavola, meaning 'to the table' is a well-run restaurant on Wilderness Road in Claremont. There is an interesting menu of fine Italian foods with prices that are not steep and portion-sizes that are "not too big, not too small'. I was, however, surprised that, as an Italian restaurant, they did not provide patrons with bread while they waited for their food! There were also a few other surprises. The menu was laminated with the specials inside on a piece of inserted cardboard - not very professional. The table cloths (allbeit easy to clean) were plastic. Other than that, you could see that the tables were turning over fast, there was a family atmosphere and the service was prompt. There was no television in sight - which is a bonus as most restaurants have them and it does not make sense to go to a restaurant so that you can be glued to the box instead of savouring the fine food on offer. Really - if you want to watch tv - eat at home. Back to A Tavola... they get an...

overall r8ing: 7.5/10

5 Ryneveld

A lovely lunch experience in Stellenbosch. An interesting menu that is charmingly quirky - also resonant with the restaurant design. The burgers and milkshakes are divine. Possibly also a great place for supper. Only the sweet potato wedges and the service could be slightly improved. The prices were not reasonable nor exorbitant. I recommend the delightful courtyard for lunch provided there are not too many smokers. All in all, a lovely dining experience with excellent food presentation. R8ing 8.5/10. P.S. Worth the visit if just for the Steri Stumpi and ice-cream milkshakes!
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