German Swiss food in the African bush
14 July 2016
African Swiss restaurant advertises a truly different dining experience and I have to say, I agree with them.
What is so unique is not only the type of cuisine, Swiss German, but also the excellence of the food...
African Swiss restaurant advertises a truly different dining experience and I have to say, I agree with them.
What is so unique is not only the type of cuisine, Swiss German, but also the excellence of the food...
I have often driven past this restaurant and always been curious about this European anomaly
sitting in the African bush. A couple of Sundays ago, my family and I finally made it there –
it took us about an hour of leisurely driving through the Magaliesburg.
The day was warm and sunny so we opted to sit on the terrace. The outside area is paved and
rambles about a bit; so you can either sit on the main terrace or in one of the delightful little
nooks around it. We opted for a table on the main terrace and perused the menu while my daughter
rushed off to explore the jungle gym.
The menu is part German Swiss and part South African favourites; the restaurant
even has a pizza oven. We had come for the German food so my Mum chose the eisbein,
I ordered the pork belly, my partner also chose the pork belly (which she had been
dreaming about all week) and my daughter got the kiddie’s menu chicken strips.
We all ordered a rocky shandy to drink. We didn’t try the beer on tap, Erdinger
Weiss beer, but the other diners were thoroughly enjoying it.
While we waited for the food, my daughter and I explored the rest of the restaurant. It really is a delightful location, dotted with seating to suit any mood or occasion. You can relax on the hand made bench around the fire pit or have a quiet beer in a secluded nook on the wandering terrace.
While we waited for the food, my daughter and I explored the rest of the restaurant. It really is a delightful location, dotted with seating to suit any mood or occasion. You can relax on the hand made bench around the fire pit or have a quiet beer in a secluded nook on the wandering terrace.
By the time we got back the food had arrived and we were ready to tuck in! I
must confess at this point, having lived in both Namibia and Germany, I was quite
curious as to what we would we would get on the southern tip of Africa. I was
really blown away. The pork belly and eisbein where amongst the best I have ever
had anywhere. The meat was perfectly cooked - succulent and tasty without a hint
of dryness. The skin was the perfect combination of crispiness and chewiness and
the veggies were crisp and tender. The potato salad was in a class of its own
entirely. I was also surprised and grateful that my daughter’s food was freshly
prepared and very tasty – a very nice change from the usual kiddies menu offerings.
For desert, we shared a home made apple strudel which was spicy, crisp and had that
intricate mix of sweet and sour which is so delicious. The perfect end to a really
exceptional meal.
The total bill came to around R200 a head (our drinks were non-alcoholic) so it wasn’t a cheap lunch; I would recommend it for a birthday or other special occasion. That said, there’s nothing to stop you having a piping hot pizza and ice cold beer while enjoying the charming location.
The best place to get more info is on Africa Swiss' Facebook page: African Swiss Restaurant
Enjoy!
The total bill came to around R200 a head (our drinks were non-alcoholic) so it wasn’t a cheap lunch; I would recommend it for a birthday or other special occasion. That said, there’s nothing to stop you having a piping hot pizza and ice cold beer while enjoying the charming location.
The best place to get more info is on Africa Swiss' Facebook page: African Swiss Restaurant
Enjoy!
