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!

WHERE FRIENDS AND FOOD MEET

WHERE FRIENDS AND FOOD MEET

An article written by

Marilyn Mills

What better place to meet than at La Popote restaurant and Sue Tarr’s Summerhouse in Hilton on a warm Saturday morning.

The venue is small and intimate but the garden is amazing and the beautiful trees and umbrellas give ample shade and cover.   When it is misty and rainy as it often is in Hilton the inside is snug and warm often with the fire burning brightly in the corner.

A group of us ,who are like ships passing in the night, decided to meet recently and catch up.   I chose the venue and we were blessed with a really spectacular day in Hilton filled with lovely soft sunshine and a quiet little breeze.

We arrived at La Popote just as the breakfast rush was over and we enjoyed a lazy mid-morning coffee break with indulgences in the form of freshly baked scones with raspberry jam and cream, carrot cake and French lemon tarts.   A real treat!

Lesley, the owner, always greets everyone as her friend and makes one feel completely at home.   The little shop attached to the restaurant is very popular and one can browse for hours.

Friends for years made up for lost time and were able to 

lose any sense of time for a few happy hours.

WHO LET THE DOGS OUT....

Who let the dogs out…..

Meandering around the Kzn Midlands Meander is one of our favourite things and having breakfast on a Sunday at one of the many venues is the cherry on the top.

Our youngest son and his girlfriend were visiting and as they love Terbedore Coffee they suggested we go out to their venue at Curry’s Post for breakfast and top up our coffee pantries at the same time.

So it was that we found ourselves visiting the renovated barn with ‘quaint farm style chic’ for breakfast recently.   We were greeted by Sultan- the resident Great Dane who is also their brand ambassador.   Terbedore started in 2004 when the family Macaskill sourced the finest coffee beans and began roasting with ‘patience, courage, heritage and dependability’.

We were first introduced to Terbedore coffee when visiting family in Franschhoek.   Michael Macaskill had opened a coffee tasting venue just outside Franschhoek on the Cape wine route and it proved to be a very popular spot for tourists.

Our breakfasts proved to be amazing.   This is no ordinary venue for breakfasts and lunches.   This is where innovation and love of good food and delicious coffee reside.

The boys ordered the special of the day which was a potato rosti served with boerewors, bacon, roast tomatoes, eggs and hollandaise sauce topped with crumbled feta cheese.   This was served in a frying pan.    WOW!!!

Meg had sautéed potatoes with poached eggs,  mushrooms and rocket.

I had sweetcorn fritters (my favourite) with scrambled egg, bacon and roasted cherry tomatoes.

This was served with their very best coffees.   Rob enjoys their Tin Cup coffee (Filtered coffee mixed with condensed milk served in an enamel mug.)   We loved our cappuccinos .

Needless to say we did not need to eat for the rest of the day!

We suggest you book as this venue becomes very popular over a weekend.

It is worth a trip as the coffee is much cheaper there than in the shops.  

TEA FOR TWO

TEA FOR TWO

Written by

Marilyn Mills

One Saturday morning while meandering around Howick, after we had visited the Karkloof Morning Market, we decided to stop off at Ray’s Café in the tourist hub for a really welcome cup of coffee.   It was a muggy day and we opted to sit outside on the pavement where a gentle breeze was blowing. 

It was very pleasant sitting there watching the overseas tourists browsing the few curio shops left in that area.   We had visited the antique shops and collectables which we love doing and were ready for our morning ‘cuppa’.

The service was swift and the menu varied.   We spied an item on the menu called ‘Tea for Two’ which was a variety of sandwiches, scones and cakes for two people sharing at almost the same price as a cup of tea and a scone bought separately.

After enquiring if this could be served with coffee instead of tea and being told it was fine we went ahead and ordered our ‘Tea for Two.’   It took a while for the order to come through but when it did we were blown away!

We had a selection of very fresh white tomato and ham sandwiches, brown egg mayonnaise sandwiches, scones with grated cheese and scones with cream and jam and delicious fresh chocolate cake slices.   It was a veritable feast.

We tucked in!

I have very rarely tasted such fresh fare from a coffee shop anywhere in South Africa.   The sandwiches were amazing and so tasty, the scones were huge and the cream provided was enormous.   The cake was still warm from the oven and the icing was pure heaven.

We will certainly be heading back to Ray’s Café on a regular basis to try out the other interesting items on their menu.   You should too.