A very good breakfast and dinner are included in your stay at the Kruger Gate Hotel and they are both buffets,
so you have endless choices, which change every day. This is inside seating at the breakfast venue ...
so you have endless choices, which change every day. This is inside seating at the breakfast venue ...
We preferred to sit outside on the terrace with views
The choices are vast, fresh in-season fruit, dairy, cereals, yogurts, fruit juices, if you can imagine it, they seem to supply it
It is so fresh and tempting. We tried to be careful and did not put on much weight despite the temptations
It is so fresh and tempting. We tried to be careful and did not put on much weight despite the temptations
If you prefer a Continental breakfast, this station is for you, from smoked trout to various cold meats, pickles
Behind that is the cereal and muesli bar and you can ask for porridge if you would like some
Cheeses, biscuits, avocado purée, and so much more
Croissants, doughnuts, many different sweet pastries, pancakes, waffles... so much choice
And an expert on egg cookery. We had omelettes, poached eggs, and saw people having full English Breakfasts
Those wicket iced doughnuts
A toast station with many different bread options, and more pastries
More choices on this side, with jams and preserves, sauces, many different breads
We have to confess we ate very sparingly so as not to overdo but you certainly can, the choice is yours
We have to confess we ate very sparingly so as not to overdo but you certainly can, the choice is yours
We stuck mainly to our normal breakfast of fruit, and eggs for protein, with a tiny splurge every day
and then at about 7 in the evening, we went to dinner, which is served in the Lapa
One evening, a different guest appeared over the lapa wall. A very cute Bush Baby
We preferred to walk the length of the main buffet stations to see what was for dinner each evening,
to choose which main course we might have, before we chose our starters
A station near our table with freshly made Braaibroodjies and S'mores toasted on an open fire
Cheese, onion and chutney are the traditional fillings, served warm off the braai
At this section there is almost anything you might want to start your meal with,
some lovely temptations, and they change every evening
Salads and preserves
Breads and rolls
Cheeses, biscuits and stewed fruit
and, on the other side of this room, is the very delicious and varied dessert section.
Very good presentation and delicious cakes, pastries and wickedly good individual desserts
How to choose? Some had more than one
Temptation and sensible choices
Ice cream was tempting in the 40º heat
Off to the main buffet, you could have vegetarian choices, soup, fish, and different vegetable choices each evening,
even a stir fry section. Friendly staff to help one choose, this station was cooked meats
The chef who cooked on the grill, here doing barbeque chicken
and each night, a roast
Another night, another choice
Surrounded by roasted vegetables
Chef was generous with portions and there was good gravy
Traditional South African boerewors
A very good Cape Malay prawn and calamari curry which Lynne tried
Fresh fish
and even a pasta station
Beef samosas
and lots of salads
These were besides the vegetables being served on the main buffet
Another starter choice
The wine list had some wines we know and we bought the familiar Simonsig Chenin Blanc
and a bottle of Franschhoek Cellar Merlot,
which enabled us to have a wine that suited whatever we chose from the buffet
which enabled us to have a wine that suited whatever we chose from the buffet
A fire in the centre of the Lapa with some well-directed smoke helps to keep the biting insects at bay
and the Lapa has its own Troubadour who wanders around singing to the guests
He knows his music
Another choice on the menu, Friars Cove Sauvignon Blanc
People eating, choosing and chatting; dress is informal, so no need to dress up
Good friendly staff keep your table cleared and questions answered
Our favourite staff member on the right who welcomed us each night with another member of staff and a happy Lynne
You can also have a dinner à deux with a special menu in one of these river view pods
Good highlighting on the surroundings, so you can spot any game that might be about
We were invited to have the special Private dinner, which we accepted gratefully
It was held in this larger river view pod
Lynne joked that if you have security staff they could be placed at this long table. Or your large family...
Ours was set back and we had Sommelier and Butler Lawrence and two other very pleasant staff serve us
Good table layout
A glass of our Simonsig Chenin Blanc
The Menu, which we were sent before we arrived, so we could make our choices
Tea lights
Sous chef Yanga Dywit prepared our meal specially
Popcorn cauliflower was the amuse bouche coated in a crisp batter, topped with Parmesan cheese and miso honey
We both made the same choice of starter was the Prawn Canneloni (not pasta, it is made with a prawn mousse
It was filled with prawns and avocado mousse and served with tempura coated mussels. Innovative and very enjoyable
Lawrence explains the food to us
Lynne's choice of mains was the herb crusted Kingklip
served on a pave of sweet Potato, roasted baby beets, a citrus cauliflower mousse
Good fresh fish all this way from the ocean and a very good dish
John had the tender beef fillet (as ordered, without mushrooms!)
a wedge of roasted butternut, crisp broccoli and a citrus mustard butter
Accompanied by a glass of Bellingham Bernard Series 2021 Bush vine Pinotage
The wine was full of layered fruit and very good with the beef
The wine was full of layered fruit and very good with the beef
Dessert for Lynne was an absolutely deliciously crisp brandy snap filled with brandy flavoured cream, a chocolate spoon and seated on cream, custard and berry jelly
John's was a plate of chocolate delights with a caramel ice cream and berries
All the stories we have produced since 2012
can be opened from the archive list near the top of the column on the right of this page