Wake up to relaxed environs

I was having coffee at the then Shamwari Coffee Shop while the furniture was being alarmingly removed by the Sheriff virtually from under us. We gulped our drinks and fled. A couple of years later and after extensive building on the site (corner Maasdorp Ave and Second Street Ext), Vukani Café has risen from Shamwari’s ashes.

Several new buildings form a rough quadrangle around a green lawn. Occupied by various boutique shops — Hi tech trainers, Chico kids for Italian designer kids paraphernalia  — toys, baby bottles, pushchairs — a couple of clothes shops, spectacular wedding and party cakes, lovely leather bags including bright ostrich skin, and high end linen — it has turned into a quiet and contained mini shopping centre.

Teak tables snuggle under big umbrellas and one inside room was laid with white linen, but no-one was eating there at lunch time. On a hot day there wasn’t much to cool us down and I found it sweltering even under the umbrella. We had eschewed Cork Road because of wanting to try somewhere new — but that garden sure is cooler with its lovely old shade trees.

I had expected something innovative after recommendation from an old timer in the food industry, but on the whole found it adequate but not exciting. Met a friend for coffee first and she was tempted by the chilled berry cheesecake (US$5) — unfortunately not available that day. We stayed on for lunch and although the dishes sounded interesting — delivery was disappointing. 

Grilled vegetable salad (US$8) described as an array of grilled seasonal vegetables, olives and halloumi – came with no olives, and a couple of grilled courgettes lurking in a huge nest of lettuce and cucumber.  I did detect a couple of pieces of baby corn.  As compensation the halloumi was nicely grilled and still soft and the missing olives turned up as a side when their absence was noted. 

I opted for quiche of the day also US$8 — first reputed to be spinach and feta, then mushroom and feta, then vegetable and feta. It was tasty enough with a non quiche like crispy cheese topping and served with a side of flavoured cream cheese which didn’t really add to the dish. Side salad was enjoyable with some interesting shoots but already dressed with a creamy dressing although olive oil and balsamic vinegar were also brought to the table.

The one unashamed carnivore sensibly stuck to steak (US$17). Chips were good, thin cut and crispy, steak came with a good mushroom sauce and a nice grilled vegetable mix — courgettes, cauliflower, baby corn — almost more veg in her side dish than in the grilled veg salad!  An adjacent table was enjoying burgers, steak rolls, chicken and chips and perhaps the more substantial meals are a better bet than quiche and salads. 

With a large functions room under thatch and space for a marquee on the wide lawns, Vukani also caters for special events and advertises live music at weekends and occasional Karaoke nights. Facebook page looks good — but hasn’t been updated since mid January and it would be nice to see the menu on the page. Fruit cocktails look nice and worth a try on summer evening. 

Breakfasts are quite pricy with the Rise and Shine full Breakfast at US$13 and a filled croissant US$12. Three egg omelettes are US$10, waffles with bacon US$8 and a petite (one egg with tomato and sausage) sounds like a bargain at US$6. Vukani provides nice food in a pleasant setting and if in the neighbourhood, I would certainly go there but probably not make a special outing for the food alone.

g.jeke@yahoo.com