El Port Restaurant

El Port Restaurant

Castellon is a quiet port city north of Spain. El port restaurant is a nice little place on the marina close to the port. Its a moderately priced restaurant, and one can be sure to get only the freshest seafood available. Our waiter was really nice and ready with great efficient service. Ambiance was not so great due to the decor that didn't match the standard of the food.  ~ Darren Mendonca
 

The Old Biscuit Mill

The Old Biscuit Mill

The Neighbourgoods Market at The Old Biscuit Mill is a must when you are in Cape Town. Hundreds of food stalls, each more tempting than the next. I always find myself in a personal dilemma when it comes to choosing a meal. There are just too many irresistible choices, so I always try my best to convince Darren to take one of my choices so that I can taste more than one dish....Clever Wife ;-)... This place is absolutely amazing. The decor is kept to a minimum, which I can understand, cause there is just too much going on. Unfortunately, due to the popularity of this market, you always struggle to find a place to sit. A serious case of being "too sexy for my space". I could recommend you go early, not later than 9:30. This way you will still have time to do your rounds, choose a meal, and find a spot to sit and enjoy. They usually have a very funky local band there playing super chill vibes. 

BUT THEN...

If the food stalls weren't enough to drive you crazy, you can just walk around in The Old Biscuit Mill, this will surely drive you mad with desire. The most creative stalls, selling anything from jewelry, to shoes, to bags, to cool 3D printed stuff and the list goes on. One piece of advice...Don't think budget when you are browsing there. All around the stalls there are the coolest little shops selling things you can't find just anywhere...They  are super 'designy' and very original. Well, if you haven't noticed by now...I LOVE THIS PLACE!! Its, by far, the best market I have ever been to! ~ René Mendonca      

The Kitchen

The Kitchen

The Kitchen is the restaurant at Maison Estate in Franschhoek, in the Western Cape. The food is absolutely beautiful, a great example of the saying: 'you eat with your eyes'. The food is very good and its a great experience to taste these dishes. With items like black garlic aioli, onion candy, and gooseberry butterscotch you can be sure that you won't find this type of food everywhere. We thoroughly enjoyed the decor, minimalism against the most beautiful mountain backdrop...whats not to like? The only strange thing was when the waiter told us the aged beef smells bad. I think this is a once in a life time experience, as it should be. The food taste good and its incredibly beautiful, but it was very expensive and not really worth visiting again. I would be happy to pay the same amount for a dish that offers a bit more, for food that becomes part of your soul. This menu is a bit cold. ~ René Mendonca

La Parada Tapas Restaurant and Bar

  La Parada

This is, by far, our favorite restaurant. The food is AMAZING....and no, 'amazing' doesn't cut it. The vibe at La Parada is super funky. The first time we were there, they had a jazz band playing, which was very cool. After that there was something different going on, every time very entertaining with one constant... THE DAMN GOOD FOOD. You can literally order anything on the menu, I guarantee you will not be disappointed. They use fresh ingredients which they mix up just enough to make it incredibly interesting and beautiful, but you will never find anything on their menu slobbered to death with some or other unnecessary sauce. The decor is just as cool and the service is also pretty good. It looks like a restaurant from Spain, injected with some funky modern vibes. I LOVE THIS PLACE. We always try not to go to any place more than once, because we want to have as many different culinary experiences as possible...visit as many places as possible, but with La Parada this is just not an option. When in Cape Town...Go to La Parada...ALWAYS!!! ~ René Mendonca