The South African wines of origin (WO) scheme came about in the early 1970’s. This system was based on the European classification system. Today the WO classification recognizes “geographic units”, regions, districts and wards.
This is done in order of size from the biggest to smallest. The WO appears together with the name of the area on SA wine labels and this confirms that the wine was in fact made from grapes grown in the area.

Stopped in there quickly today for my now routine lime milkshake and a chat with the very friendly manager, Nico. He said he’d like me to show off their sushi bar so that is what I’m going to do. Trying it out on Monday.

Bike is busted, oh no, and honestly Knysna is not the very best place to be looking to buy a bike. I’ll have to do a trip soon and get something to ride on. Meantime I’m looking at the walking as physiotherapy.

Discovered that a rotational stretch is a good one. Freeing up my hip muscle, (damaged late in 2009 when I fell on the last downhill into coffee bay) Think it’ll come right sooner or later, especially if I eat right and they say sushi is the best thing for tissue regeneration. Omega 3 and all the rest of it.

I’ll put some pics up here on Monday afternoon. When I’ve sampled the sushi.

And I’ll tell you if it helped my sore hip. Maybe a weekly dose. I’ve been here for nearly two months now. Do I live here? No not yet. When my hips better I’m off up the west coast.

So, I have now been exploring the various restaurants in and around Knysna for a while. A good few weeks. Still a way to go and I haven’t even begun my look at the guest houses.
There are some amazing places to eat in knysna and I look forward to trying out the hotel restaurants. They have such an excellent reputation. Of course, the articles I have been writing explain what the places are about and stress the positives.
There is such a thing as a bad restaurant in Knysna. I have drunk cocktails in chipped and scratched beer glasses. (Is this a fad I was unaware of?) I have seen ordinary bits of hake presented as a delicacy. The time for that sort of thing appears to have passed however. With the new cuisine culture that has a hold of everybody.
In a way it might have been inevitable that we would start enjoying food here since the whole experience of Knysna is very close to nature and eating food, when you think about it is as natural as it gets.

Well now travelling on the garden route is something that I’ve done about as much of as a person can. It’s an unusual place, beautiful in a way that few places are. Years ago I cycled the old seven passes road, took a heavy old clunker bicycle up the montague pass and found the Herold guest house owned by a man named Michelle. A frenchman. Beautiful quiet place full of hand made really exquisite furniture. Wasn’t a television in sight. Wonder if they’re still there? Ended up in oudtshoorn on that trip with a buckled wheel and in those days I was so green to cycling that I didn’t even have a spoke spanner to fix it myself and oh yes I remember now the shop said they had no stock of those spokes. Waited three days.

More recently I cycled from Port Elizabeth up into the Baviaans reserve to spend a night in a favourite spot. There are two brilliant places to eat in that neck of the woods. (Food becomes important if you ride bicycles really far) The one is on the other side of the mountains in a tiny town called Steytlerville and the other is in Patensie. I’m not quite sure but I think they might actually both be called the Royal Hotel. Hmmn.

Further along the coast in the direction of Cape town we find the garden route though and that’s where the fun starts. If you have time and money, or even if you don’t, the place is a pleasure paradise. Rich living coastline and Protected natural forest areas surround towns with the most diverse culture to be found in Africa. Cuisine and customs from all over the world meld together in a cultural stew that is unique to the garden route.

It wasn’t always like this, in the days of the timber industry I’ll take a fair bet that vetkoek and mince was about as close to fine dining as Knysna and the surrounding garden route got in the old days. (Vetkoek is a kind of fried bread dough. Not unlike a doughnut but coarser and meant for savoury rather than sweet.)

Since the advent of international tourism however the tummy fares rather better on the garden route. Cuisine has gripped the people of Knysna in particular like a fever. I spend a few weeks on the Garden Route at least once a year and I have a few observations to make. Big business is moving in and many of the interesting developements in the fine art of food are feeling a lttle left out in the throes of this developement. That’s what this blog is all about. I want to tell everybody about all the fantastic places that are in danger of being drowned out amidst all the noise and bustle of a modern and rapidly developing community.

I say let’s make a fuss. Let’s tell the story of the garden route and all it’s wonderful foodies.

The economic development of Knysna was first driven by precious wood,
then gold and recently, a precious seafood. OYSTERS. Little did we think
that Knysna as result of more and more people traveling to knysna after
Oysters,  would develop into a major source of delectable farm produced
raw products and world class gourmet restaurants. It is after these new
gourmet jewels, that tourists flock towards the Garden Route every day.

* In the centre of town, a warm vibrant deli restaurant and bakery
“Il de Pain”, is run by Liesie and Marcus. Liesie is a gourmet
chef and Marcus blows your senses away with bread and
confectionery of world class. Try a chocolate crousant or a simple
open sandwich, to taste their quality and creativity.
* Still in town, tucked away in Memorial Square, is the “Thai Kitchen”
lurks. This feisty and spicy little bistro awaits the lover of Thai food.
* Everybody’s favourite is situated in the middle of the Knysna
Waterfront. At “34° South”, best quality sea foods are served
right on the water’s edge. After a decade or two in business, this
restaurant still amazes you with freshly made Sushi, the freshness
of the fish on every dish and gorgeous fresh salads on the tables.
Enjoy wines from a frequently voted “Best Wine List” choice of
wines and take your time to find a suitable article for your loved
ones at home, in a well stocked food and gift shop.
* Take a casual drive along the Garden Route to Bramon Wines at the
Keurbooms River turn-off. Enjoy a selection of Meze dishes over
lunch while being seated amongst the bearing vines! Then open some
of the fresh crispy wines from Bramon and enjoy a very special
experience!
* “Cruz Cafe” is situated just West of the Knysna Waterfront, on the
water’s edge. With a brilliant view across the lake, guests can
enjoy drinks from a mouth watering cocktail list and eat fresh
oysters by the dozen. Cruz Cafe caters for every person and its
location is truly tranquil.

Contributed by Knysna’s Cheeseman who ……..Garden Route Dairies

So here’s a start, Take a look at these pics, just to let you know why people started coming here all the time in the first place and then indulge me by following the link to an article I wrote about one of these places serving food that anyone who knows anything could tell you is world class cuisine.

Restaurants, takeways, fast food, slow cooked, deli’s, comfort food, home cooking, snack menus, bistro’s, coffee shops, cakes scones, confectionary, catering on the Garden Route Western Cape South Africa.