When I original conceived this blog, the focus was intended to be on food and the memorable to middling meals eaten with the people you encounter while traveling – hence the name of the blog, sharing a table. Between conception and execution, I moved to South Africa and fell in love with going on safari and exploring my adopted country. The focus of the blog naturally shifted from food to more of a travelogue and safari tips. And, despite living in the most cosmopolitan city on the continent, Joburg is woefully underrepresented. With six uninterrupted weeks in Johannesburg, I decided it was time to start exploring Johannesburg and ticking off the restaurants I have been meaning to try.
Anyone who knows me will not be surprised that this weekend I flew to Pietermaritzburg and drove 45 minutes to Hartford House for a meal. I have been slowly eating my way through the 2013 Eat Out Top 10 restaurants in South Africa and while I don’t get think I will get through the list this year, I have managed to eat at six of the top ten restaurants.
Winemaking has a 350 year history in South Africa. In exile Napoleon enjoyed South African wines from Constantia and even Jane Austen was a fan. Despite a long history of wine production, South Africa is classified as a new world wine producer much to the consternation of local winemakers. Stellenbosch is the largest wine producing region in the country and the perfect weekend getaway.