A little bit of Italy in Hilton.

Recently there have been a spate of new restaurants and coffee shops opening in Hilton and we are spoilt for choice.

On a whim our daughter decided that we all needed a lunch out and it was to be her treat.   It was a Monday so we did not head for the Midlands as most restaurants are closed on Mondays. We stayed local.   A new pizzeria had caught my eye and although I had not heard anything about it I thought we may try it out.

With baby (and all that goes with it) en tow we set off to the old Jakaranda Centre in the middle of Hilton.   Nestling in the corner right at the back of the parking lot behind Khubeka Trading Store is this dear little restaurant with the most amazing, inviting smells emanating from it.

Di Caprios.

We were met by a mother and daughter team, who were extremely friendly and made us feel most welcome.   A carafe of water with lots of ice and lemon was brought to our table together with the menus.   As it was a scorcher of a day we were most grateful.

The menu covered wood fired pizzas, every pasta imaginable, grills, salads and desserts.   I ordered the Farmhouse Pasta Bake which consisted of Penne coated in a creamy cheddar sauce topped with extra cheddar cheese.   The others both had the Alfredo Pasta with farmhouse ham, mushrooms, cream and heaps of garlic.

Both dishes were fantastic.   Well presented, and very, very tasty.

Di Caprios has a Facebook page where you can peruse the menu in your own time and order your food to be delivered or to be collected if you prefer a take away option.

We certainly will be supporting this little gem in the future.

What a pity......

The Coffeeberry Restaurant at Cascades has been around for many years and has won awards for the best cappuccinos in KZN several years in succession.   Unfortunately my experience of their newly renovated premises last Saturday was not a very pleasant one.

As the power was out in Hilton (again) we decided to give ourselves a treat and go out for breakfast.   My husband had ridden a sixty something kilometre cycle ride early in the morning and we were both rather hungry.   We arrived at the centre at 8.40 am.   The restaurant was not busy so we sat ourselves down at a table close to the front door.   We waited a good five minutes before anyone took notice of us and brought us menus and took our drinks order.   A young girl came by and asked if she could take our breakfast orders which we happily agreed to.    My husband ordered toast with fried eggs covered with melted cheese and tomato relish on the side.   Yum!   I ordered a toasted bacon and banana sandwich on brown bread with chips on the side.   When one has the opportunity why not be decadent!

We waited.

We waited some more.

After we had finished our coffees and a half an hour had passed we enquired from our waitress as to what the problem was.   She proceeded to tell us this long story of the Mini Market people not delivering on Good Friday so they were out of stock of bananas and had sent off to the supermarket for some.

We ordered more coffee!

In the meantime we had seen another couple leave the restaurant and tell the manager (or owner I am not sure) that they had been sitting for about 15 minutes and no one had taken any notice of them.   They went off to the Spur.

There was no shortage of staff as there were quite a few waiters and waitresses milling around.   I think they were all in holiday mode.

Eventually we saw the bananas being brought in by a jovial chap who stopped and had several conversations with people en route.

Needless to say we got our food and to add insult to injury the chips I had been salivating for were old and had been reheated.   Yuk!

We left the restaurant frustrated and disappointed to say the least.

Unfortunately with a recession looming people will be quite discerning as to where they spend their hard earned buck.    What a pity!.

WAFFLE ON DOWN TO THE WAFFLE SHACK

What do you do with two grandchildren who have been caged indoors for a whole week of rain and a promise of spending the day at the dam on Sunday fishing and swimming came to nought when faced with more rain, drizzle and mist?

You pile them into the car and head on up to the Midlands with the hope that the weather will be better there.   Just a drive we said after paying a visit to the ‘Everything’ shop at Tweedie to stock up on snacks.   They were given giant lollipops from the owner of the shop which kept them happy for a while.

We made the Junction at Nottingham Road our destination so that they could amble around the shops especially the toy shop and the book shop.   We were disappointed to find there was mist and drizzle there too.   However we still managed a few shops and then eyed the Waffle Shack.

What a good idea to indulge in decadence on a cold and miserable morning!

Hot chocolate, cappuccinos, coffee latte all good options.  

Our arrival was not greeted with any acknowledgement until feeling a bit spare I asked a passing waitress if we ordered at the counter or do we just take a seat.   We were told to take a seat.   We found a really nice corner with a couch and two arm chairs.  It was lovely and warm and the children were excited.   They had never had waffles before.

Our order was taken but the service was very slow.   Eventually our coffees and chocolate milk shakes arrived and to try and keep the children occupied while we waited for the waffle was quite interesting. Luckily we had our cell phones with plenty of photographs to keep them entertained.

After much ‘toing and froing’ and lots of apologies our waffle arrived.  A  Cinnamon finger waffle with ice cream and chocolate sauce to share.   The children pounced.

They loved the ice cream but the waffle was so soft that we could not dip it into the chocolate sauce without it staying there and creating a huge glob!   A delicious glob!   But a glob none the less!

Overall the restaurant was pleasant but the décor was quite sparse because of all the empty shelving around the walls.   I presume they are in the process of upgrading.

The Junction at Nottingham Road has always been a destination of choice for families doing the Midlands Meander and I look forward to seeing the beautiful butterfly that emerges when they have completed their upgrade.

HER VOYAGE.

The wind howled and blew her long auburn hair into her eyes as she sat on the back staircase of deck 8.    She looked into the swirling ocean waters and her mind whirled with thoughts going around and around in her brain.   Her favourite spot on the boat was here.   Watching the sun rises and the magnificent sunsets!   Watching the birds following the ship and marvelling at the calm beautiful sea suddenly turn into a raging turbulent cauldron as it was today.

Two more days until we reach our destination and nothing has happened!

Her mind numbing, boring life had taken an unexpected turn when she had inherited a small sum of money from an old aunt she had never set eyes on.   All sorts of ideas had opened up to her to help her out of her humdrum life.

She could invest in a little coffee shop.   A dream she had long since nurtured!

She could go back to university and do a course.   Perhaps a fine art degree!   Everyone had said she was quite artistic at school!

The thing she longed for more than anything was a man to love her and children of her own but after the untimely demise of both her parents she had become a recluse.   She found it difficult to relate to people and she had crept out of society.

Trawling through the internet she came across a ‘Cruise of a lifetime”.    It promised romance, adventure, broadening of the mind with cultural expeditions, theatrical extravaganzas, unimaginable cuisine and 2500 passengers to mingle and mix with.

This is it, she thought.    This is what I will spend the money on.   I will meet likeminded people and even the man of my dreams and we will live happily ever after!   She paid her deposit and set about preparing for her holiday.   Her voyage!

Clothes and accessories were bought.   A whole new makeover was embarked on.   Excitement filled the air.   She booked flights to Italy to meet the boat and when there was no money left in the coffers she packed her suitcases, locked up her funny little flat and made her way to the airport.

Life would never be the same again!

Ocean going cruise liners are a smorgasbord of experiences.   Sometimes not for the feint hearted yet she threw herself into the way of life on board.   She attended all the talks, the documentaries, the cabarets.   She went to the Captain’s cocktail party.   She signed up for gym and aerobics classes.   She thoroughly enjoyed the arts and crafts lessons and spent a lot of time in the library.  The dancing lessons were invigorating. When they docked at various ports she found the expeditions amazing and enlightening.

Yet she felt lonelier than ever.

People were kind and friendly but everyone had their own partner or friend and they never seem to include her in their circle of friends.

Time passed so quickly and the reality had just hit her as she sat at the back of deck 8 watching the swirling waters and felt the strong winds buffet the ship.

I have not met the man of my dreams and I have spent every cent of my inheritance and my savings.   What more is there for me?

He looked at the forlorn figure sitting with head cupped in her hands.   Her beautiful auburn hair blew in a frenzy about her face and she did not seem to care.   He had watched her from a distance for most of the cruise but because of his extreme shyness he had not approached her.   She seemed so sure of herself and so confident yet she did not have anyone special with her.   Maybe she was meeting someone at the end of the cruise.   He had heard how some women sailed out to meet their men in far flung places.

How he longed to chat to her.   How he longed to touch her beautiful hair.

Suddenly he watched in horror as she stood up and with great determination climbed the railing and dived into the swirling waters.   His heart seemed to stop!

MAN OVERBOARD!!!    The shout went up.

He threw the nearest lifebuoy he could find into the water near to her bobbing head and shouted.   ‘Hold on, I am coming’

She looked up and their eyes met.    With that he leapt off the railings into the water as she slowly began to sink.

It never occurred to him that he could not swim!