#HighburyHearsYou – we at Cape Town Etc are passionate about getting local restaurants back and booming in business. As part of our #HighburyHearsYou initiative, we’re dishing out the deets on some incredible restaurants in and around town.
Celebrated Cape Town-based media specialist and the former editor of the Cape Times and Cape Argus, Gasant Abarder takes us through his menu of divine eateries around town. Bonus: they’re all Halaal!
Favourite breakfast – TC’s , Shop 5, Pam Arlene Place, Main Road, Hout Bay
I’m not a big breakfast person. Most days I skip. The stock brekkie is usually some bran flakes, low fat milk, a fruit and that’s it. But on Family Day, the whole family had breakfast at a new spot in Hout Bay called TC’s. It’s one of a handful of Halaal places in the picturesque suburb. There are bales of hay to relax on and pets are welcome. The food is superb – served piping hot even though it’s al fresco. I recommend the TC Breakfast. Great coffee and great value for money too.
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Favourite lunch – The Butcher’s Wife, Belgravia Road, Athlone
This intimate eatery is owned by Qudsiya Gangraker whose husband, Khalil Gangraker, is an actual butcher. He owns the Pickers Meat Company. So, the ingredients for the beautifully presented meals at this strictly Halaal pizza, pasta and grill spot (on one of Athlone’s busiest and most historic roads) is handpicked from the butchery – with wagyu options as well. If either spouse happens to be in the restaurant when you’re there, they’ll treat you like family. My favourite meal is no doubt the rib eye steak. Tip: order it medium. If you order it well-done, you’ll offend the chef.
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Favourite dinner – NV-80, The Point Shopping Centre, Sea Point
This spot is owned by the former owner of Pigalle’s Restaurant, Victor Goncalves, and dare I say, the food is better. It is Halaal-friendly with all meat products procured from Halaal butcheries. The ambience is perfect for a date night out with the Mrs or a big family reunion. The hospitality is incredible. Expect a very hands-on Victor to be walking around asking you if everything is okay. There is a big deck where you can view the sight and sounds of Sea Point Main Road. The menu is stacked with opulence from shellfish, grills, fish and vegetarian dishes. The wing rib – also known as a Tomahawk or rib-eye on the bone – is my go-to dish. Trust me, this is the most delicious steak you’ll ever have. Ever.
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Favourite sweet spot – Bibi’s Kitchen, Broad Road, Wynberg
Strictly speaking, this place is better known for its delicious Cape Malay cuisine. Yes, you can get a koesister or bolla anywhere but these treats just slap differently. (Sidenote: a koesister is not a koeksuster and the two should never be confused. The koesister is a Cape Malay orb made with naartjie peels and aniseed and coated with syrup and coconuts). My personal favourite is their mini milk tarts. The proper Cape Malay style, melt-in-the-mouth texture, in a biscuit cup. Love at first bite!
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Favourite drinks place – Wembley Roadhouse, Belgravia Road, Athlone
This isn’t the conventional drink in the bar sense because this is a review about Halaal spots. Mos! But for the best damn milkshakes this side of the equator, try Wembley Roadhouse, just down the road from The Butcher’s Wife. It’s been a part of the community for decades now. They serve you inside your car or you can order over the counter in the conventional way. But be warned: it’s so popular that the wait, while worth it, can be long. So, you can phone order ahead and collect. I recommend faloodah though – similar to a strawberry milkshake but a Cape Malay traditional drink made from falooda seeds, rose syrup and ice cream.
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The great escape: Akhalwaya’s, Sandton City
If I’m out of town in my next favourite South African city, Joburg, I do my best to get something off the awesome Halaal takeaway menu at Akhalwaya’s. They started off with one store in Fordsburg and now enjoy pride of place in premium shopping malls like Sandton Square. Unpopular opinion: the AK47 (their version of a gatsby) is better than most gatsby places in Cape Town.
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Picture: Unsplash