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AS I typed that headline I thought of one night in Bangkok, and this is nothing like that at all. Rather tame in fact, but no less enjoyable. From Cradock, via Addo (which is a town and not only the elephant place which bears its name), I reached the N2 and headed west. After a 16km dirt road,…
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THIS leg of the road trip was the longest - distance, not time - and I had to be properly prepared. I filled up with petrol, and selected a suitably long playlist. While waiting for the guy to finish checking my tyres and whatnot, I became vaguely aware I could hear a news broadcast on the radio.…
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THE second leg of my epic road trip took me onto Route 62 proper - the road that runs all the way from Montagu to Gqeberha, should you care to make that journey. It was not my destiny to follow that path; after Oudtshoorn I'd be making a sort-of left if you look at a map. But more about that next…
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IT all began with an invitation to dinner in Cradock (which you can read about here). It's more than 800km, which is a bit far for one stretch. Luckily I have connections with the Cape Country Routes people so with some planning, a two-week road trip was planned. When I announced I would be…
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THERE are so many reasons to visit Hazendal in Stellenbosch's Bottelary region, from the Russian tea ceremony to the open-air Pivnushka beer garden, from the Marvol Gallery to the classic car collection, from the Babushka Deli to Wonderdal edutainment centre for children, and jazz events like the…
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YOU know that feeling when someone knows what you want even before you do? No, me neither, not so much. But when you're a guest at Leeu Estates, the flagship Franschhoek property in the Leeu Collection, that's exactly what happens. I checked in on Friday afternoon after a superb five-course meal…
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AT La Petite Colombe, you have two exceptionally fine dining options: the Chef's Reduced Experience (which is by no means a reduction in sensory pleasures) or the Chef's Experience. Both can be combined with a Fine And Rare Wine Experience for ultimate pleasure. La Petite Colombe is now located…
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WHEN I first visited Epice, shortly after it opened in December 2019, I reviewed it for Daily Maverick, concluding with "what a joy this flawless meal was"; that verdict remains firmly intact. Chef Charné Sampson was previously a sous chef at La Colombe, which is not only a fabulous restaurant…
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A WEEKEND of eating and drinking wine at some of Franschhoek's finest restaurants, while based at a luxurious estate...no wonder people keep saying they want my job. As a guest of Leeu Collection, I arrived at my first stop on Friday afternoon: Protégé. There have been movements and relocations…
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OH the memories! Arnold's has been around since 1998, pretty much the same time I embarked on a particularly hedonistic phase of existence which required all-day breakfasts, and breakfasts with an ice cold beer. Although the owners are new-ish (four years), the vibe is the same (and the smoking…
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