Welcome to Die Strandloper - Image: Elaine de Wet
Having heard rave reviews from family and friends re
Die Strandloper, translated means The Beachwalker, this sounded like a place we definitely wanted to visit. The open air
Strandloper is located 125 kms up the west coast from Cape Town on the water's edge of the Langebaan Lagoon.
The West Coast people are down to earth, the food is totally unpretentious and the surroundings beautifully unspoilt.
Unspoilt location - Image: Elaine de Wet
We had a party of seventeen and so had two tables booked (pre-booking is absolutely essential) within close proximity of each other. The first thing one notices and feels is the sandy beach underfoot, always a great excuse for me to remove my shoes, and to enjoy the sand between my toes. I usually remove my shoes when dining out, but here it's a pre-requisite.
Looking up at Die Strandloper from the beach - Image: Elaine de Wet
is BYO (bring your own) so everybody arrived with cooler bags (eskies) containing all the liquid essentials to get the party started. There is also an on-site bar available, but it appears that most diners choose to bring their own.
Seating and alternative seating in boats - Images: Elaine de Wet
Lunch commences at 12.00pm with the first course being served at 12.30pm - the whole dining experience is self-service and no cutlery is made available. Guests use mussel shells in lieu of cutlery, but you can use a clean mussel shell for every course. The staff informed me that millions wash up on the shore every day.
Wind indicators - Image: Elaine de Wet
Meals are served in individual courses extending over a three to four hour period with the central focus being an open
braai (barbecue) area. In between courses guests stroll around, chat and explore the rocky outcrops with seagulls soaring overhead.
One needs to get up and walk/rock clamber as the ten course meal would surely take its toll if one just sits!
The Menu:-
1st and 2 Course
Mussels...anybody? - Image: Elaine de Wet
Mussels in wine and onions; and
Mussels in garlic butter (the two styles of mussels are served simultaneously);
3rd Course
Bokkoms (whole mullet) - Image: Elaine de Wet
Bokkoms - this is a whole, salted and dried mullet, a West Coast of South Africa delicacy. Once having had your Bokkom served up, local ladies debone and peel off the skin of the fish for you - all these extra tidbits are greatly enjoyed by the local seagull population;
4th Course
Mixed Seafood curry;
5th Course
Braaied (barbecued) snoek with potatoes - Image: Elaine de Wet
(barbecued) snoek with potatoes and
patats (sweet potato) - snoek is a long, thin species of mackerel found in the seas of the Southern Hemisphere ;
6th Course
Lamb Bredie (stew) (this is the only course where red meat is served, specifically for guests who are not totally into seafood);
7th and 8th Course
Images: Elaine de Wet
Smoked Angelfish and grilled Yellowtail (these two courses are served at the same time);
9th Course
Crayfish galore - Image: Elaine de Wet
Crayfish (every guest gets a half tail and for those like me, who don't eat crayfish, hubby was very happy to double his portion)
10th Course
Coffee and koeksisters - Images: Elaine de Wet
Strongly brewed traditional coffee
(moerkoffie) and Rooibos tea served with koeksisters - koeksisters are the traditional South African flavoured syrup or honey infused fried dough.
Freshly baked bread, farm butter and home-made jams - Images: Elaine de Wet
All courses are served with freshly baked bread, farm butter and home-made jams. Guests are welcome to return for second helpings as the food is more than ample.
Donny, the roving entertainer - Image: Elaine de Wet
All this divine food is enjoyed to the accompaniment of live traditional guitar music - the guitarist, Donny, strolls around and serenades the diners at each and every table. If you're looking for something a little different,
Die Strandloper is a superb venue to celebrate important events such as beach weddings, birthdays or anniversaries.
Beach bar - Images: Elaine de Wet
is
not open every day of the week, but is usually open for lunch and dinner on weekends - with only the two sittings. During the week they are open on Wednesdays for lunch only. To book a unique laid-back dining experience at
Die Strandloper please click here.
Working off some of the food - Image: Elaine de Wet
Adults R295 per person (roughly $29.50);
Children 12 and over pay full price and under fives are free;
Children aged 5 to 11 R60 ($6) excluding the half crayfish
No credit card facilities are available - diners need to remember to bring cash along.
Djy is welkom:You are welcome - Image: Elaine de Wet
Blue skies, sandy beaches and all the seafood you can eat! This was truly a memorable experience, enjoying
South African cuisine in a laid-back, rustic and stunningly unspoilt location on the water's edge of Langebaan Lagoon.
