Advice on dining out in SA?

Old Feb 13th, 2004, 05:41 AM
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Advice on dining out in SA?

Can anyone please give me some average prices (in Rand) for an evening meal for two in a nice, but ordinary, restaurant in the following areas/ towns?

We'd have maybe 2 or 3 courses each and limited drinks/ wine.

Cape Town
Franschhoek
Oudtshoorn
Knysna
St Lucia (KZN)

I'm also looking for some ideas for a few more special places to dine in when we want to splash out with an idea of prices for those too.

THANKS
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Old Feb 13th, 2004, 09:29 AM
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Hi there!
I would say the average price for two would be round R200 to R240 at a steakhouse such as Spur. Menu items vary in price, so it could be slightly more or less.
If you are travelling and would like to eat at one of the Ultra City or One Stop Service Station fastfood restaurants such as Wimpy, the price for two could be in the region of R100 to R150.
For a treat try and eat real SA Traditional food at for instance a Boston BBQ Restaurant.
Enjoy your visit to SA
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Old Feb 13th, 2004, 10:53 AM
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Thank you!
Does that estimate (240 Rand for two) include 2-3 courses each AND drinks? WOW!
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Old Feb 13th, 2004, 08:50 PM
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Yup, for instance at a steakhouse per person:
Starter: R20
Salad sideplate R18
Steak: R40 - R60
Rack of ribs: R60
Icecream and chocolate sauce: R20
Sunday buffet lunch: R50 plus salad.

At Boston BBQ, Gold Reef City, Johannesburg you get full meal for R120, drinks excluded, eat as much as you want.
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Old Feb 14th, 2004, 04:50 AM
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Hi Kavey: I find those prices a bit high. I eat out all the time. Remember that Wimpy actually has decent food, unlike in UK. At Spur, they have specials of a steak dinner for about 38 rand and Wimpy has all sorts of combo dinners for about the same. You get chips and garnish but that's about it. The salad bar at Spur is a misnomer as it is mostly not what I would consider salad. Instead a lot of mayonnaise things and no lettuce. I live on chicken sandwiches. Wimpy has great breakfast, so does Mugg and Bean (another franchise) I had a bagel, a huge pile of buttery scrambled eggs, some sliced cheese, and 3 pieces of bacon and free refill coffee for 28 rand this am! A good cheap dinner also is calamari and chips at most places for about 50 rand. Maybe it is cheaper on the East Coast.

Kim
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Old Feb 14th, 2004, 06:15 AM
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Fantastic! THANKS
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Old Feb 15th, 2004, 10:15 PM
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It has been many years (not since my student days in fact) since I have set foot in a Spur ? I think my tastebuds would stage a revolution if I did ? and if that is what they are charging nowadays then WOW!
Kim?s suggestion of Mugg & Bean is a good one, and I am sure that you will be able to get a delicious meal of traditional home cooking in Oudtshoorn for a very reasonable price as it is not a common stop on the tourist route.

Last week I had dinner in Sandton Square, where they are not shy with prices. For three people (one starter, three main courses, one dessert, coffees, soft drinks) including a generous tip the bill came to R300. Now even if you add on R150 for a bottle of wine (R450) that works out to R150 a head ? and trust me far better quality than Spur!

A suggestion when in Durban ? have some local curry. Now I know that some believe the best curries in the world are to be found in Manchester, but I say you have not lived until you have tasted Durban Hellfire Mother-in-law?s Revenge curry. I see that you will be staying with Kim in Ballito ? and not far from her is the Gateway centre with the Gateway to India restaurant. It is not cheap, but a good bet for a splurge. If memory serves a year ago dinner (with lots and lots of red wine and other drinks!) for 8 people came in at about R200-250 per person.

Traci

A general observation (more for Americans): in US restaurants a glass of water usually arrives as you sit down ? not in SA.
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Old Feb 17th, 2004, 08:50 AM
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I have had dinner at that Indian restaurant in Gateway and it was OK and really overpriced. I had a dinner with a Muslim friend of mine at a Hallal (Muslim kosher) in Durban for about a quarter of the price and it was great. Love that butter chicken.

I thought Kavey was looking for cheap and decent. I like Spur! It is a typical sit down plain restaurant where you can actually get a good cheap steak or chicken meal. And in Stanger, where I work, it is the only restaurant in town! (other than KFC)

If Kavey wants gourmet, I can take her to Zimbali, but I think it is out of both of our budgets. Otherwise I'm going to feed her Woolworth's frozen dinners.
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Old Feb 18th, 2004, 07:18 AM
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Kim, we're stopping in Ballito to visit you rather than any specific restaurant so whatever you suggest works for us!

I would like some mid-range and high-end options for the Cape area as, every now and then, we'll be treating ourselves to something a little more special but, most of the time, we'll go for budget or mid-low-end priced options. We'll also self cater a lot too.

In terms of curry - although born in England, my parents are from India, and I have visited family there often. I love Indian food but have no particular need to try it in Durban - although there will no doubt be local variations, I have heard from a friend that it's really not much different to Indian food in India and in (good) Indian restaurants in the UK. If you want to cook some of my mum's family recipes you are welcome to visit www.mamtaskitchen.com - I feel safe recommending the site here as it's 100% non commercial so it shouldn't count as advertising!!
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Old Feb 18th, 2004, 08:35 AM
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In Cape Town, one of our favorite restaurants is Rozenhof. I'd say it's high-mid price, or maybe low-high price, if that makes any sense, Kavey!

It's an old house, with 4 or 5 small dining rooms. The food is Western international, nicely presented and served. The atmosphere is quiet and what you might call "well-bred", if I can use that phrase. Anyway, not trendy or what in SA they call "vibey", but not stiflingly elegant either.
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