Challenge # 4: Helena's at Coopmanhuijs Hotel

| The Stellenbosch Culinary Challenge |

- a student's quest to visit every restaurant in Stellenbosch, 

before her final graduation - 

I was fortunate enough to attend the "Lunch with my lecturer" initiative, organised by the Judicial Society. This event took the form of a luncheon held at Coopmanhuijs Hotel, with Professor Annika Rudman an expert in International Law as our guest. Having her as one of my lecturers this semester I was really excited when I first heard of this opportunity.

The hotel itself is  a 5 star boutique hotel, with 16 rooms. Helena's Restaurant forms part of this venture and even though preference is given to hotel guests, walk-ins are welcomed and accommodated. The restaurant has two dining areas, one being the inside area where you can absorb the rich heritage of this building dating from 1713. The second dining area is covered by a glass roof and opens up to the swimming pool and courtyard.

Helena's Restaurant operates according to their motto: "Where the familiar is made spectacular." They aim to serve dishes known to us, with a certain finesse. 

We were treated to a three course menu. For starters we had a mezze platter consisting of roasted red and yellow peppers, lightly fried aubergine sticks, pork rillettes, pate and lightly toasted baguettes. I can definitely recommend the starter, it is an excellent combination of flavours and was the highlight of my meal. For mains we could choose between a creamy mushroom and chicken soup served with potluck bread or a new take on cottage pie served with a side salad. I enjoyed the soup, especially the enoki mushrooms. The cottage pie was apparently nothing new. 

For desert we had the option of either a cape gooseberry and apple crumble served with amarula ice-cream or a trio of ice-cream. As I was really content by  now, I opted for the trio of ice cream with amarula, vanilla bean and strawberry ice-cream, served with fresh berries and mint. This was a good way to round off the meal and a perfect, light dessert. 

Being a table of eleven people, I must commend the staff at Helena's on their excellent service. All patrons received their food at the same time, were cleared simultaneously and everyone's orders arrived correctly without the staff having to ask who ordered what once the food arrived. This is not often the case with larger tables. 

Even though Helena's is a more upmarket restaurant, you get what you pay for. This is an ideal restaurant for a treat, while not leaving you entirely bankrupt! 

* I take no credit for these photo's - they are not my own and I do not intend to use or process it any further. 

Find Helena's Restaurant at: 33 Church Street, Stellenbosch
Telephone: 021 883 8207 / 021 883 3132
Website: http://helenasrestaurant.co.za/

Challenge #3: Cookie works

| The Stellenbosch Culinary Challenge |

- a student's quest to visit every restaurant in Stellenbosch, 

before the completion of her studies - 

After a strenuous spinning class at the gym, I popped into Cookie Works in search of a red cappucino and maybe something more.(S)more is exactly what I found. 

Having opened on the 2nd of June, Cookie Works is already establishing themselves as the go to place for a sweet treat with a twist of fun. They have a unique concept which will suit every sweet tooth in town. 

Besides selling coffees, teas and a variety of other drinks to go, the real magic is a combination of your creativity and their amazing recipes and spontaneity. 

You can either opt for a ready made cookie, available in a host of different flavours such as pecan dark chocolate, peanut butter & chocolate, white chocolate & coconut  or you can create your own cookie. Being a baker myself, I opted for a cookie creation. The result was a cookie sandwich consisting of a pecan dark chocolate cookie and a chocolate cookie with white chocolate chips, with a (wait for it...) nutella filling - the cookie is freshly baked and with that much use of the word chocolate in one sentence, it was guaranteed to be fantastic.

Other options include creating your own batch of cookies. You start by selecting the type of dough (sweet, healthy, chocolate etc), then you add your own mix ins (variety of nuts, marshmallows, chocolate chips etc) and they then bake and box it for you.
You can also design your own cookie and personalise it with a message for a special someone.

Regardless of your choice, you will have a selection of freshly baked cookies, without any mess in your kitchen. They also have a nifty bicycle, which they use to do cookie deliveries - so a freshly baked cookie is never too far away.

They are the ideal spot for a quick pick me up and I can imagine that having a kids' party there must be a blast!  They have inside and outside seating, daily newspapers, crayons and sheets of paper as well as games available to keep you busy.

The super friendly staff and the smell of freshly baked cookies, contributed to Cookie Works starting my week on a high note, but then again with a chocolatey sandwich cookie filled with nutella, how could they not?!

Photo Credit: Cookie Works

Visit them at: 115 Dorp Street, Stellenbosch

Telephone: 021 882 9775

Trading hours: Monday - Friday : 08:00 - 17:00, Saturday: 09:00 - 14:00

They are very active on Facebook and Instagram, which allows for customer interaction and a closer relationship between the coffee shop and customers:

Find them on Facebook: Cookie Works Facebook

Find them on Instagram: cookieworks2014 

Challenge #2: Basic Bistro

Nestled in Church Street, between a number of other popular restaurants, you will find Basic Bistro. 

Bistro (noun) | A bistro is a small restaurant serving simple meals at moderate prices. 

While living up to their name, with their homey feel and non pretentious yet delicious food, Basic Bistro however has more to offer. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as a variety of wines and craft beers. It was their extended trading hours which prompted my return - on a quest for a hearty breakfast on a Monday morning in Stellenbosch - Basic Bistro was one of the few open restaurants in the area.   

Their menu does not disappoint, but I would encourage you to dine from the blackboard. They update their specials regularly and ensure that there is always something new to try. My sister and I popped in for breakfast to start off a special bonding day and opted for the breakfast special (from the blackboard). 

Currently their breakfast special consist of eggs, bacon, toast, caramalized onion, slow roasted cherry tomatoes and a cuppacino for only R 40. They are definitely student-budget friendly! As I am not a coffee drinker, in fact I have never finished a cup of coffee, I asked to replace the cuppacino with a Red Latte, which was the perfect cure to a cold, winter morning.

Other breakfast options include a selection of smoothies, breakfast waffles and croissants brimming with toppings. You can also design your own breakfast from a list - this is a great initiative, especially for picky eaters. As a tea lover I was impressed by their variety of quality teas, including amongst others a Apple Lipacho and Strawberry Vanilla Rooibos tea. They also indicate the exact steeping times for the various teas so that the tea can infuse properly and deliver a full taste. 

From previous visits I can definitely recommend their gourmet burgers. They currently have a burger and beer promotion in collaboration with Stellenbrau where you get a burger and craft beer for R68. They also serve steak, hearty curries and seafood.  You cannot pay them a visit without trying their carrot cake, it is by far the best I have had in Stellenbosch. The portion is large, so it is ideal for sharing after a scrumptious meal. 

They have a small inside seating area as well as an outside eating area, facing Church Street. In winter time they provide blankets and electric heaters, ensuring a cozy atmosphere even in the midst of the winter chill. 

    Photo Credit: The Basic Bistro

Pay them a visit - you will not be disappointed! 

Trading hours: Monday to Friday : 07:30 - 22:00 ; Saturday & Sunday: 09:00 - 22:00

Visit them at: 31 Church Street, Stellenbosch

Telephone: 021 883 3629 OR 081 271 2234

Website: www.basicbistro.co.za

Facebook: Basic Bistro Facebook page

Challenge #1: Balboa Balcony Bar

| The Stellenbosch Culinary Challenge | 

-  a student's quest to visit every restaurant in Stellenbosch, 

before the completion of her studies - 

To start of my Stellenbosch Culinary Challenge, I met up with some special friends at Balboa Balcony Bar for an after-holiday-catch up.

Balboa Balcony Bar is situated in Andringa Street, where Sgt Pepper used to be. It is a small venue with a great vibe. It serves as a Tapas Bar and restaurant aside from an interesting list of cocktails and craft beers they serve pizza's, nacho's as well as a dessert selection. 

I've been there twice and both times it was packed, so booking is definitely recommended. In summer time the deck is open, giving it a more spacious feel and a view on the beautiful oaks and street activities. 

We enjoyed a selection of cocktails, with the Strawberry Daquirri, albeit it's size, being voted as the favourite. The cocktails are reasonably priced, in the R40 region. 

                    Photo Credit: Balboa Balcony Bar

Two friends decided to share the chicken nacho's - it ended up being such a large portion that the whole table snacked on it, and still we sent some back to the kitchen. The pizza's also seem to be very popular. 

Balboa has a great atmosphere and especially their cocktails will ensure my return. The service was a bit slow, but to their defense they were operating at full capacity that night.* Their extended trading hours (from 12:00 - 01:30 on Monday- Saturday) is an added bonus.  

* Take note that no under 23's are allowed. 

                                               Photo Credit: Balboa Balcony Bar

Visit their Facebook page here

Telephone: 021 886 7110

Address: 18 Andringa Street, Stellenbosch

The Stellenbosch Culinary Challenge

 | A student's quest to visit every restaurant in Stellenbosch, 

before the completion of her studies |

Stellenbosch has been described as the wine and gourmet capital of South Africa, securing no less than 9 of the 20 nominations in the 2013 Eat Out Awards. Whether you agree with this status or not, it is an undisputed fact that Stellenbosch is home to a number of fine dining restaurants as well as many trendy alternatives - this combination caters to the eclectic mix of residents you will find in the oak lined streets of the town.

Photo Credit: Night jar Travel

I've been a student in Stellenbosch for the past 5 years, but still there are so many restaurants and cafe's that I have not yet visited ... therefore I have decided to make the most of  my culinary experience. My Stellenbosch Culinary Challenge will consist of an attempt at visiting every restaurant and cafe in Stellenbosch, at least once, before the completion of my studies.

A quick search provided a list of approximately 100 restaurants. Obviously with the constraints of a student budget in mind, I won't enjoy a full meal at every restaurant - but I will post a short review of every experience.

If you have any recommendations of restaurants in the area, please feel free to share them with me.

"The primary requisite for writing well about food is a good appetite." - A.J. Liebling. With a healthy appetite, I am all set for my culinary experience.

Let the Stellenbosch Culinary Challenge begin! 

Photo Credit: The Big Easy, Stellenbosch

Being sidelined

There is a reason that my timing chip is not attached to my running shoes yet, that my number is not yet positioned exactly in the centre of my running kit and that I am still awake while most of my comrades are sleeping ahead of the 06:00 start of the Two Oceans Half-Marathon tomorrow morning in the beautiful Cape Town. It simply is this : even though I got my hand on a coveted entry to my favourite road running race - I am sidelined this year by a three letter acronym - ITB. 

Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS) is one of the most common overuse injuries among runners. It occurs when the iliotibial band, the ligament that runs down the outside of the thigh from the hip to the shin, is tight or inflamed. The IT band attaches to the knee and helps stabilize and move the joint. When the IT band isn't working properly, movement of the knee (and, therefore, running) becomes painful. IT band pain can be severe enough to completely sideline a runner for weeks, or even longer.

I have set my heart on running my first marathon - the Cape Town Marathon in September. The grand plan was that 2014 would be my last Two Oceans Half Marathon before moving on to the 56km ultra marathon in 2015.  I have been training harder and better than ever before, I sacrificed many hours of precious sleep to be able to run before entering the law faculty at 08:00 for class, lazy Saturday mornings turned into long long runs, I committed to the cause 100%, I read up all that I could on long distance running. I did not decide to run a marathon to proof anything to anyone - my sole motivation was the absolute joy that I experience from running and the multiple lessons I have learnt through it. Little did I know that the toughest lesson was yet to come. 

A small knee niggle ended up as the onset of ITB. This syndrome is probably  a worst case scenario for runners - it can take months to recover which ultimately brings your fitness level back to square one. 

Even though my body has failed me, I know in my heart that I have not failed. I gave it everything I could, yet I will not join 16 000 fellow runners in the most beautiful race I know. 

Even though I will never get back the lost hours of training and even though the disappointment dwells deep in my heart I know that I went full out for what I believed in and enjoyed. I proved to myself that I am capable of much more than I allowed myself to believe and that I exceeded my own expectations and for now that is reason enough to believe I will lace up next year and race again. 

I believe that this injury is not the end of my dream, it merely is the start. 

Defying the limits of the human heart

On numerous early morning runs I have contemplated adding this addition to my blog, journaling my story - the joys and hardships of running and what it has taught me about the human spirit. 

Before I start however, it is important for you to know that I am just an ordinary runner, I will never win a race, I'm not fast, I don't strike forefoot first and I am definitely not a morning person - but I get up at 05:30 weekdays and even earlier on weekends and run my heart out and. That makes me an extraordinary runner. I run for the love of running. 

"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far.

 It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. 

There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run."

-- John Bingham

The following posts will give you a glimpse of the road to my first marathon - so far it has been characterised by numerous victories albeit a few small setbacks. 

The first and most important thing running has taught me is that everything is relative. When you first start training, 5 kilometers may be pushing the limits, but soon 5km becomes a recovery run after a long run of 15 kilometers the day before. 
When I started training seriously I suffered from "tired leg syndrome". After running two days consecutively my legs would feel like lead the whole day and running on the third day was tiring. However as I become stronger, I have more energy on the days which I run than on my resting or cross-training days. 

Relativity is something which only becomes apparent when retrospectively assessing your situation. In my first year, I felt that the workload at University was pretty intense, now, in my 5th year I know that I am capable of much more than I thought I was in my first year. 

As I train for my first marathon, I welcome you to join me on this journey of defying the limits of the human heart.

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