Royale Eatery

On one of these public holidays in December,  hubby and I wanted to go to the Naturalway Cafe  (I'll write about that another time) for homemade burgers and vegan milkshakes. But, alas, we had prior engagements which took longer than we had planned and by the time we would get to the cafe, it would already be closing time for the kitchen. So, because we were gonna have burgers anyway we thought we'd go to Royale Eatery to grab some.

Royale Eatery has about 15 vegtarian burger options and quite a number of them are vegan. You'll have quite a hard time deciding on them because they all sound so good on paper.  What I like about Royale burgers is that you definitely get value for your money. They are HUGE. On top of that you get to choose between potato wedges or fries. The wedges are the best for me. You can also opt for a side salad with that. So literally your plate will be full. But before I get into the burgers, let's start with the drinks.

Hubby ordered a mango smoothie with mint. Now I don't usually like mango drinks (unless it's mango and orange juice) but this smoothie was a-mazing! It looked, smelled and tasted absolutely fresh and it was super refreshing on that hot day. Mz'o loved it the most. I only got a few sips in and next thing I know, it's gone. But it was understandable. It really was lovely.

I ordered a vegan choco-mint milkshake. I must say I wasn't really impressed with this one. It wasn't what I expected I guess. First of all, it was banana based. Total no!  It's supposed to be choco-mint therefore it must taste like choco-mint NOT banana. The fruit just overpowered the whole drink. It was so thick that I decided to have it at the end lest it fill me up and I wouldn't be able to eat my food . And I was HUNGRY that day. It could've tasted more chocolatey and it definitely needed more mint.  But as I say, our tastebuds are not the same so it may just be what you were looking for. It doesn't taste bad, it's just not what I expected it to be. Try it out.

Now down to the burgers: I ordered the vegan cheeseburger. What I loved most about it was the cheese. It was yummy. I would've liked it to be a bit tangier, but it worked well because of the extras I had with it (onion and jalapenos ). The patty wasn't all that. It was tasty but in an ok manner. I wasn't wowed by it. And it kinda fell apart so it didn't bind nicely. Eating it was messy business. But then again, what burger isn't messy? Overall, i enjoyed it. The combination is really good. You also get an option of what kind of bun you'd like it on (wholewheat/vegan/I don't remember the other one) so take your pick.

Hubby ordered the Googalooly (I think that's what it's called). Now this was was super yummy. I can't remember what the patty was made of (I think black beans though) and it has guacamole and hubby added mushrooms and caramelized onion. I thoroughly enjoyed his one. We had decided to go half-half so we could each taste the other's burger. Of the two, his one won by far.

So that's two burgers down and a lot more to go through. I've had the tofu burger there before. It was my first. But it was so long ago that I'd have to go back and try it again. Then I will tell you all about it.

To those who, like me, are not into the party scene, it's best to go to Royale during the day as it is situated at the top of Long Street and it's right across a very busy pub so if you go at night you might just regret it. As you may know, Long Street is well known for its night life so you'd want to avoid that. Otherwise, get up there and sink your teeth into one of those juicy burgers! Now that, you certainly won't regret.

The Kink is Back

So the braids came off this week (yes I kept them for long. What's the point of sitting long and paying money only to take them off a month or so later? No thanks. If they're clean and well-kept they can stay in as long as possible), and after two days of the fro being out I resorted to the usual twist hairstyle because I couldn't fro anymore. Oh, before I had braids on I cut my hair... more like a big trim. If you remember from a previous post, I had flat ironed my hair and as lovely as it looked, it actually damaged my afro. It caused my hair to burn so there were strands that were straight while the rest of my hair was fro-like.  So when I twisted my hair it was just flat and ugly. But now, the kink is back!  I'm so happy.

Excuse my swollen face...

I got a little help from these other products I discovered. At first I used the shampoo (I was broke and it was the most affordable yet decent-looking one I could find at the time). The first thing that I loved about it the first time I used it was the scent. It's absolutely lovely and refreshing. Then when I actually used it on my head the next thing I noticed was how easily it lathered. This is great because then it will last long. Usually with the shampoos I've used I struggled with them because I would have to use a lot just to get a little bit of foaming in my fro, but not so with this shampoo. I get foaming on the very first wash and I won't even have had to comb out my hair in order for it to lather.  So for me, it's a keeper.

The next one was the hair spray. I discovered this one when I got the braids done. I didn't know there was a whole range of this brand. I went to the shop looking for the usual Sta Sof'ro that I always use when I have braids or twists. But lo and behold,  there was a hair spray for the shampoo brand I used so I figured well, I have the shampoo so I may as well get the spray. And so I did. I absolutely love it.  It also smells like the shampoo so my hair doesn't smell all different types of scents after use. It kept my scalp free from itching and kept my my braids looking fresh and clean.

The same time I bought the spray I saw their hairfood as well. Now you know how important it is to base your scalp (yes I still do that) and so I bought it. This hair food is very different from the ones I've seen and used before. It looks like a gel but moisurizes like good hair food should. In my opinion I owe the revival of my kinks to this hair food. It just brought that curl back and now when I twist my hair it curls up and bounces like it did before. No more flat, boring hair! I'm so excited.

My hair is much shorter than before but that's ok. I'm just glad to get my kinks back. There are a few straight strands here and there but I will sort those out with time. Oh and more exciting news is that my bald spot is growing nicely. I managed to join that hair with my longer strands so I can actually wear my twists down now,  I don't have to tie it. And when I had the fro out I could tie it quite higher up than before although my "luphondo" was a lot smaller. But that's ok because we are on the road to recovery.

Now I'm not trying to promote these products. They're not 100% natural, they just contain some good ingredients. I'm just sharing with you what has helped me from where I was to where I am. Our hair is NOT the same, so rather use something that works for you. I also found that although these are great for my scalp, it didn't really help with my dry fro when it was out, it works much better when my hair is in a protective style. So a coconut/olive oil treatment comes in handy now and then.

Good luck to you with your natural hair journey. I will keep you posted about mine. I'm just giving my hair a breather. Next up is braids by Jane. I'm thinking kinky twists. It's so expensive (in my opinion) but it looks closest to my natural hair when it's in twists. I can't wait!

NOMAD

Because I'm such a wonderful friend I decided to write next week's #FabFoodFriday (#FFF) post this week, just so that my friends can enjoy what I have enjoyed, all thanks to a discovery made by my friend Cindy Jean-Pierre. Sharing is caring, right? So here it goes:

NOMAD is a cute, warm, homely-ish restaurant based in Stellenbosch on Bottelery Road. Not a far drive if you live in the north but it is (sort of, not really) if you live in the south (of Cape Town that is... let's not be confused). You can use this as an opportunity for a leisurely road cruise. You'll enjoy the fresh countryside air and the beauty that surrounds it. One of the things I liked as we arrived there was the sound of the tyres on the gravel road as we parked. There's just something about that sound. Call me weird, but I love it.

Inside I totally fell for their wooden pizza oven and how they designed it. It really gives the place that warm, cosy feeling. It doesn't sound like a feeling you'd want on a hot summer day, but that's why there's aircon to keep you cool while you still feel all warm and cosy inside. It's not confusing at all! Lol. We opted to sit inside for the aircon but the deck outside is pretty cool too. Cool, not as it temperature but cool as in like it overlooks a dam  (though I think it's man-made) and other nature-ry surrounds. If you have kids it's  also great for you because there's also a mini playground just off the deck.

Ok, ok. I know you just want me to get to the part about the food. It is absolutely delish! There's something there for everyone.  To my non-vegan friends you would love this place too,  but I'm writing this blog primarily for my vegan friends so I will focus on the vegan part of the menu. In short, I will say they have drinks, burgers, pizza and pasta that are suitable for vegans but, alas, this week their menu has changed (to add more vegan options) so I don't know what they have anymore. So... I will just tell you about what we had.

Drinks: To be honest, I wasn't too into the drinks. They have juices and milkshakes so I opted for strawberry juice and hubby went for a vanilla milkshake. The milkshakes are coconut cream-based and because I know how overpowering coconut cream can be I specifically asked the waiter if it tastes coconuty or vanilla-ry. He said the latter. I didn't buy it. But hubby went for it anyway. And it tasted more like coconut than vanilla, so yeah... no thanks. My strawberry juice wasn't a winner either. It tasted like they'd blended a bit of banana in there. Not cool at all. Strawberry juice should just be strawberry juice. I know what strawberry juice tastes like and that tasted like a strawberry-banana blend. Again, no thanks.  Our taste buds are not the same so you can totally try it out. You might like it.

Food: We had pizza! Now these were total winners! Not just because it's pizza but because they were really great. There wasn't a wide variety to choose from (only two really) so we had the classic margarita, then that but topped with mushrooms (and I'm not talking boring white button mushrooms but a mix of yummy wild mushrooms), and then a Mediterranean one. To add to that they have this foccacia bread (I hope I spelled that correctly) that was just scrumptious. Oh, before I forget, they serve this awesome health bread and they make two kinds of vegan butters to spread on it. Remember to request that otherwise you will get normal butter. It was very delicious. I loved it.

Dessert: I think there were two or three vegan desserts. I opted for the cheesecake. I'm not sure how I feel about it. The blueberries that hey used in their couly  (is that how you spell it? No, I don't have time to check on Google or in the dictionary) but that sauce that they pour over the cake, it smelled and tasted like it was either sauteed in or infused with balsamic vinegar. It confused my senses.  I loved the crust bit though.  I'm undecided about the actual cake. I think the price made me even more confused about the cheesecake.  Lol. But you can't knock it until you've tried it, right?

So that was our meal and just overall we had a lovely time there with our friends. I hope you will get to experience NOMAD and that you'll love it just as we did. We will be going back sometime (probably after pay day) to check out the new menu. It is better to call and make a reservation. Their operating  times vary and sometimes they're only open for pizza takeout so it's always best to call first before you make the drive. So Google them and enjoy your time there.

Polkadraai Strawberry Farm

Ok, before I start on what this blog is actually about, let's talk about data... data (or lack thereof) is the reason I couldn't write for so long (well minus the time I topped up but then got very busy and the fact that network coverage my side of town is little to none). Like what happened to the #DataMustFall movement? It was such a hype and then it died. Come on Tbo-Touch! You gave an ultimatum and then dololo! Seriously though... this movement must rise because data really must fall.

Right... now back to the topic at hand. So I FINALLY got to go to Polkadraai! Yey!  I'd heard about it for years and really wanted to go but time was an enemy (and it's just a 10-15min drive from where I stay). So after longing and being envious over prople's Facebook pics I also got to go ☺. Sadly hubby wasn't on leave (as is usually the case for December) so Mzo and I went with our neighbours. It was lovely.

We struggled with parking (as to be expected) but found a nice spot right outside the gate. We walked down and just surveyed the place a bit. Went into the little shop to buy our buckets (and we later discovered that tokens for the horse riding, truck ride,  putput etc were all bought here so poor us, who didn't know at the time, did a whole lot of trips to that shop).

Next was the mini lecture on how to pick the strawberries. The old lady harrassed us about not all of us having buckets and how "every single person who goes down to pick strawberries must-have-a-bucket! " as she yelled looking directly at us. I was so annoyed.  "Lady!  The poster says kids under three are F-REEEEEEEE!" As I pointed to the two two-year old's we were  with.  "Oh, oh ok", she says as she continued with the lecture. An apology would have been nice at this point. But she wasn't going to spoil my day...

There had been a lot of strawberry picking done so we had to go to the top end of the farm so we were going to lose a few kilos indeed. It was quite a walk uphill (considering the fact that we had two toddlers with us). It was all worth it though. We got to our spot and started picking. Yho!  I don't know how the farm workers do it everyday all day! Just to fill our bucket was a killer! My back was dead! My quest to pick only the red juicy ones quickly came to an end and I just wanted to fill the bucket so that we could go back.  My job here was done.

We walked to a nearby tap to rinse off some of the strawberries and have a tasting session. Oh-my-golly-gosh! I have never ever EVER tasted such yummy strawberries in my life before! Unlike the store-bought strawberries, these ones actually had flavour. They were super sweet and juicy. I couldn't believe it. I generally cannot eat strawberries as they are so I use them in smoothies, cakes and whatever else I can mix them into but never as is.  But THESE strawberries... these strawberries were the real deal. I was popping them one after the other. I had to stop myself from eating all of them. They were really delicious.

Back at the little shop we saw that a large tray of strawberries costs (drum rolls please)... R10! What?! You have got to be kidding me! For the same size you can easily pay R50 at a general store. What a rip off! At least we now know where to buy our strawberries, and thankfully for us it's just down the road. The little shop also sells dried fruit and nuts and other interesting little things but at this point it was getting way too hot to handle and we wanted to head home. I did manage to get some bottled grape juices though. They were also quite nice but not as nice as Inah or Ashton Kelder.

So after a short snack attack session we gathered outr things and headed home. (To those who aren't vegan the waffles and ice-cream there looks AMAZING! It was a struggle to remain temperate). Everyone should go to Polkadraai at least once in their lives. It's affordable and you get great value for your money. And it's super if you have kids (it will keep all of you busy for a whole day). Try it. I guarantee you'll love it.