Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Lunch at Beira Mar, St Helena Bay

In our extensive hunt for restaurants in the Britannia Bay/Stompneus/St Helena Bay area we found there were approximately five. We thought we might like a good Sunday Lunch on Easter Day and, having secured a reservation – with a bit of nice talking, headed for Beira Mar, which is the first restaurant you come to as you enter St Helena Bay from Vredenburg

This is their sign and the road to tiny Slipper Bay, a very ancient historic site
Not a wildly welcoming entrance but better is to come
Prescriptive or preventative? Children are welcomed. Despite the sign, a lovely Labrador puppy gained entrance. It was very well-behaved
Still a bit rocky
The bar and reception area where we met the very friendly and helpful staff
Another toast to Pieter Visser of Oak Valley, from the best table in the house with a magnificent view of the bay
Studying the menu
Slightly cloudy on the restaurant deck at 12h30, which cleared to much brighter later. Large parties were expected and one table of 14 simply did not turn up. Unacceptable and unforgivable on a public holiday, when the restaurateur had to turn people away because they thought they were fully booked. We had been squeezed in. We saw several people who wanted to eat here turned away
This bottle of 2002 Nederburg Auction Reserve Private Bin Cabernet from our cellar was absolutely magnificent. Full of soft and full berry flavours, delicious and as elegant as hell. Can go for a few years more but, if you have any, drink now.
Yes to all of the above

Lynne went for the ribs and strip: barbeque pork ribs with the meat falling off the bone and a few crisp calamari with a salad. The wine was made for this sort of food
and it wowed with John’s Portuguese Espetada. Grilled fillet of beef on skewer with a red wine and garlic sauce. Also with a salad
Oh, it was Easter and we could not resist an ‘Easter Egg’ reward of dessert. We shared a perfect New York baked cheesecake – light and tangy and a solid ganache chocolate tart. Was worth the cheating. Followed by a good espresso.
Sun is out, the restaurant fills up and there is that empty no-show table. Such a pity, this was the best food we had all weekend and we will be back. It was good value at R410 for the two of us for two courses each, including tip. There was no corkage charge
Slipper Bay. Lynne read about this in a local history book and, apparently, this is where dolphins and whales regularly beach themselves and, apparently, they have proved that ancient man used to come and take advantage of this.
A white heron, aka Great Egret, (Ardea alba melanorhynchos), also known as the Great White Egret and Common Egret
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2013

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