oysters | Hello from the Five Star Vagabond

El Mercado Bangkok 2021

November 5, 2021 by David Herd

calle 35-El Mercado-Bangkok-food-oysters

El Mercado Bangkok 2021

El Mercado Bangkok 2021, any time I visit this great city this restaurant is on the top of my list. They now have three branches, but so far I have only been to two of them. This photo blog is on their Calle 35 branch at 15/8 M Tower, Sukhumvit 35 Alley, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110. Phone: 02 011 1712

A fairly compact venue

However there is also an upstairs section. They have a home delivery service as well as three branches in Bangkok. Check out their website on THIS LINK.

Quite a stylish unique fitout

All products provided by El Mercado will be delivered as per strict temperature control: – Seafood 2 to 5 degrees . – Dairy 4 to 10 degrees

Bread, pastries & croisants

After you dine make sure you take some of these home for later. 🙂

Here is an outdoor area for the smokers

It would be ok to sit here at night but certainly not at lunch time.

Here is what I always order.

Oysters from France, beautiful Fine de Clare No 3.

B886 or $36 AUD, quite a good price for Bangkok, although I get them for $23 at L’Auberge in Pattaya. These were Fine de Clare No 3.

The Fines de Claires Oysters are exclusively produced in the Marennes-Oléron basin in France. They have an elongated shell which makes them easily recognizable.

The Fines de Claires Oysters are less fleshy than normal oysters and have a softer-coloured flesh. The Fines de Claires Oysters are rich in water and have a stronger, slightly sweeter taste thanks to the « affinage” made in ponds connected to seawater during the last weeks of the farming.

Lots of wine available

A very important addition. 🙂

Sauces & mustards etc

As well as the wine, make sure to take home some condiments.

El Mercado started with 4 people “doing it all”, 6 tables, 10 cheeses and cold-cuts, a coffee machine and lot’s of ideas, dreams and hopes.

As a concept, El Mercado means “Market” in Spanish and it refers to a place to find a variety of the fresher and finest foods, usually seasonal, at a reasonable prices. Check out their fabulous seafood on THIS LINK.

Thanks for visiting my El Mercado Bangkok 2021 photo blog.

Amazing shopping mall

Chinatown Bangkok

Notorious Nana Plaza

The fabulous Commons

Patpong red light district

Canal cruise long-tail boat

Spectacular Bangkok Sky Bars

Mahanakhon Sky Walk Bangkok

Jim Thompson Bangkok Museum

Soi Cowboy Bangkok

Pattaya live webcam

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Oysters Beach Club Pattaya

November 18, 2020 by David Herd

Sunset over Koh Larn

Oysters Beach Club Pattaya are on special Tuesdays from 3 pm until sold out. These fabulous fresh French oysters are only B35 each including ++, so I indulged buy ordering 18 at a cost of B630, or $28 AUD.

For many years I have been saying that in my opinion Pattaya has the best sunsets I have seen anywhere in the world. If you don’t believe me just follow THIS LINK.

Looking south along the beach.

Just 30 minutes before sunset, time for some fresh oysters from France. 🙂

Surrounded by high-rise condos

Spectacular views of Koh Larn, but they would get very hot inside every afternoon with the hot sun belting in from the East.

Tuesday oysters special

From 3 pm every Tuesday they serve fabulous oysters from France for B30 a piece. Of course being an upmarket hotel the Pullman adds ++ to the price, 7% VAT & 10% service which brings the price to B35 or $1’60 AUD. About $19 per dozen making it the best value I have found in Thailand.

A complementary wine

Many thanks to the friendly waiter, I will be a regular Tuesday customer.

Spectacular at night

For a very good room discount here at the Pullman hotel just book through THIS LINK.

Escape from the sun

This is the undercover outdoor area, if you want aircon just go inside. 🙂

Oysters Beach Club Pattaya, Fine de Claire No 4

This oyster can be grown in various parts of France, but must have spent at least 28 days in the famous ‘Claires’ to be called a Fine de Claire. The Fine de Claire oyster has a higher liquid content and a delicate salty taste.

Oysters Beach Club Pattaya, I’ll be a regular Tuesday customer.

Just looking at this photo makes my mouth water.

I have eaten oysters all over the world

To see the history of my affair with oysters from around the world please follow THIS LINK. Did you know that American and Italian researchers found they are rich in amino acids, which trigger increased levels of sex hormones.

Thanks for visiting my Oysters Beach Club Pattaya photo blog. For a very good room discount at this terrific hotel just book through THIS LINK.

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Ezo Seafood Oyster Bar

February 12, 2020 by David Herd

Ezo Seafood Oyster Bar

Ezo Seafood Oyster Bar is ranked #4 of 328 Restaurants in Kutchan-cho Hokkaido. The following photos were taken by my friend Hamish Elton who was in Nisenko for 10 days skiing.

Even though Hamish & his friends dined at many other restaurants including the Michelin starred Kamimura, Ezo was his favourite , in his opinion it had the best and most unique range of fresh seafood.

Bring on the oysters

Hamish & I live in Pattaya Thailand & his nickname there is “Oyster Man”. 🙂

Big & Juicy

I must admit I am also an Oyster, a couple of years ago I had some wonderful huge oysters in Sendai, please check out THIS LINK.

Very expensive compared with Sendai

6,600 Yen or $89 AUD.

Ezo Seafood Oyster Bar fabulous scallops

These look wonderful. Here is their web page for bookings & information.

King crab

The pièce de résistance without a doubt.

Say no more….

How good does this look?

Hairy Crab

The hairy crab (kegani in Japanese) or horsehair crab is found in the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan. It gets its name from the spiky hairs that cover its entire body. This little critter is smaller than the snow crab and the red king crab, making many people say it is more difficult to eat, but it has a dense , sweet flavor, making the effort of cracking open that shell well worth it. People who call themselves true crab lovers will often choose the horsehair crab. It is often boiled in saltwater to bring out its rich original flavor, then cut into sections and eaten by hand.

Ezo Seafood Oyster Bar

As I said earlier Hamish said Ezo was his favourite restaurant in Niseko, put it on your bucket list.

Thanks for visiting my Ezo Seafood Oyster Bar photo blog. Before you leave check out Sushi Kato.

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Fabulous Australian Seafood

August 2, 2019 by David Herd

Fabulous Australian Seafood

Fabulous Australian Seafood is probably the thing I miss the most living overseas. Good avocados are a close second. Writing this article is bringing back so many wonderful seafood feasts in the land down under. 🙂

The photo above & in the header was Xmas lunch 2003, I was happy to spend Xmas day alone with my best friend Ziggy (my Doberman) enjoying my beautiful home that I built in 1990. I ate magnificent seafood and washed it down with my favourite white wine from Margaret River in W.A. a Salitage unwooded Chardonay, life could not get much better than this. 🙂

Avocado & fresh prawns

A perfect combination, add some fresh white bread loaded with Gluten. 🙂 This feast was at Edgewater restaurant on the Isle of Capri in Surfers Paradise Australia.

The famous Australian mudcrab

Absolutely delicious & ideal for a long leisurely lunch with a very cold NZ Sauvignon Blanc.

I have caught & eaten hundreds of them.

For 10 years from 1990 I caught a huge numbers from my jetty at 106 Upton St Bundall until they replaced a bridge in Crombie Avenue destroying their breeding grounds.

Mudcrab prices have gone through the roof.

Especially if you buy them at the seafood shop in the Brickworks centre on Ferry Road. $73 a kilo is way above my budget.

Charis seafood at Labrador.

Much cheaper than the brickworks, but don’t be fooled by the price shown here, it was 2010. 🙂

Fresh seafood from Woolworths

My friend Phil Thomson & I enjoyed this great selection from Woolworth’s at Southport Park shopping mall.

Eagles concert Brisbane 1995

My friend Ross Kennedy & I have a seafood feast in the carpark before the concert.

Fabulous Port Macquarie seafood.

It does not get better than this. These oysters were $15 a dozen & the prawns cost $10, both were as good as anywhere in the world.

Hastings River Port Macquarie

All along the NSW coast there are seafood shops just like this.

I have eaten oysters all over the world, please check out THIS LINK.

Mambo Number 5

A little bit of Monica in my life, A little bit of Erica by my side, A little bit of Rita is all I need, A little bit of Tina is what I see…….
This was a fabulous night at the Freeway Hotel in Artarmon in Sydney, wonderful seafood & an abundance of eye candy. 🙂

Lou Bega - Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit of...)

Watch this video on YouTube

Sydney Fish Market

This wonderful market has every variety of seafood you will ever need, check out their site here.

Murray Cod & Garfish

So fresh they almost jump onto your plate. 🙂

Pony Dining Eagle Street Pier

I usually prefer raw oysters but sometimes I’ll live dangerously. TripAdvisor rate Pony #168 of 3,868 Restaurants in Brisbane. Personally I think they are way too generous.

Baby Barramundi at the Lazy Lobster in Labrador, July 2019.

I should have ordered the Lobster. 🙂

Seafood Chowder at Omeros Bros.

Certainly one of the Gold Coast’s best restaurants.

Fabulous Australian Seafood

We shot this video at Omeros July 2019.

Best prawns I have ever eaten.

Just buy them fresh from the trawlers on the Spit at the Broadwater.

Here are the trawlers

The medium prawns are about $25 a kilo. just call Curly on 0417 668 591, he’s one of the boat owners, he will let you know what they have in stock.

I have saved the best for last.

Chevron Island Seafood is the best value on the Coast, I have been a customer for 30 years. See more of Chevron Island on THIS LINK, it’s where I plan to live when I return to Australia around 2022.

Sometimes I just have prawns & scallops

Cooked to perfection.

Sometimes oysters natural

That’s my friend Frank lurking in the background. 🙂

Other times I have my special dish

A mixture to die for, thanks Warren.

My photos are being seen

I will have to remind Frank & Warren about the free publicity I am getting for them, surely I deserve a few dozen free oysters? 🙂 🙂 🙂

Half price lobsters in December 2020

China, aka “The Bully Boys”, have placed restrictions on many Australian imports, such as barley, coal, wine & seafood. Consequently lobsters are on offer at half price. Due to Covid-19 flight restrictions I can’t enter the country without 2 weeks isolation, sadly I’ll miss out on these great bargains. 🙂

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Sendai Japan Founded 1600

June 13, 2018 by David Herd

Very nice city just north ease of Tokyo.

Sendai Japan Founded 1600

Sendai Japan Founded 1600, located northeast of Tokyo. My first impression was the city seemed a little bland & boring, it turned out I was totally wrong, the city has an exciting nightlife area called Kokubuncho. As you can see above elevated walkways spread out from the station to surrounding buildings.

Tokyo to Sendai on the Shinkansen.

Only one hour twenty minutes & very few passengers if you don’t travel in peak hour.

Lunch at the ANA Holiday Inn.

Very good food & only a short walk from the station.

ANA Holiday Inn

For an excellent room rate with free cancellation just book through THIS LINK.

Lots of modern glass skyscrapers.

Quite a typical modern Japanese city.

Long covered shopping arcade

These arcades are found in many Japanese cities.

At night the action is in Kokubuncho

Nearly 3,000 restaurants and bars crowd within a fairly small area. People flood this area until very late each night, especially at weekends.

Lots of restaurants large & small.

The only problem is deciding where to eat. 🙂

Seafood is very popular all over Japan.

Good sushi eaten in Japan is hard to beat.

Ostra de Ole is at the beginning Kokubuncho.

Huge delicious oysters, follow THIS LINK for more photos.

Highly ranked Thai restaurant near my hotel.

Called in on my way to the hotel for a couple of glasses of red wine.

The owner & his wife were very nice friendly people.

Of course most people in Japan are. TripAdvisor have Ranked them # 319 of 5996 restaurants in Sendai.

The Hotel Hokke Club was my hotel in a very good location, 10 minutes walk from the station & 10 minutes to Kokubuncho. For an excellent room rate & free cancellation just book through THIS LINK.

Lucy & Glutton, a very good Italian restaurant

It’s Ranked 690 out of 5996 restaurants in Sendai

A very good pasta dish at Lucy & Glutton.

Sendai Japan Founded 1600 has so many restaurant choices it will make your head spin. 🙂

The Koyo Grand Hotel.

Very upmarket hotel, however book through THIS LINK for a heavily discounted room rate.

Farewell to Sendai, next stop Sapporo.

Thanks for visiting my Sendai Japan Founded 1600 photo blog, what a surprise packet this city turned out to be.

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Adelaide South Australia 2014

November 7, 2014 by David Herd

Hindley St Adelaide

Adelaide South Australia 2014

Adelaide South Australia 2014 was my first destination for my Australian road trip, from here I drove to Melbourne along the Great Ocean Road, and spent a few days at Dromana on the way.

Cos in Leigh St Adelaide

Nice restaurant in a small side St off Hindley.

Terrific terrine at Cos

This was an excellent entree at Cos restaurant in the city of Adelaide.

Clever little Tailor

Clever little Tailor is the catchy name of this Peel St wine bar which seems to cater for the local trendies. 🙂

Leigh St Adelaide

Leigh St is next to Peel St & both have some very nice restaurants & bars.

Grange Hotel in Adelaide

Opposite the beach the Grange is has a good restaurant & very friendly staff.

With Nigel at the Grange hotel

Nigel lived on the Gold Coast for quite a few years after moving from Sydney. Here are some headlines from November 17 2015, it seems Nigel has a battle on his hands.

The Marines in Grange

This beautiful line of homes opposite Grange beach is called the Marines.

The Marines

Adelaide South Australia 2014 Marina

Some toys for the boys. 🙂

Sunset Bar at the Marina

The Sunset bar is a great spot for a few drinks while you watch the sun go down over Adelaide.

Glenelg Beach

Glenelg is a very popular suburb for locals as well as tourists.

Adelaide South Australia 2014 Glenelg

Magnificent old building.

Glenelg to the city by tram

The tram is an easy way to travel to the heart of Adelaide city, it takes away the problem of parking your car.

King George Whiting at Cardone’s in Glenelg

Rated number one out of 107 restaurants in Glenelg by Tripadvisor.

Cardone’s in Glenelg

I enjoyed Cardone’s so much I went there twice for dinner.

Oyster Bar at Glenelg Marina

The beer is ice cold at the Oyster bar.

Oyster Bar at Glenelg Marina with Denis Young

Dennis and I were friends way back in 1973 when I was living in Adelaide. Two of the best years in my life.

My old apartment on Anzac Hwy Plympton.

The top right hand corner was my penthouse in 1972, it was known as party central.

My home in Lochwinoch Ave Torrens Park.

I only lived here for 7 months in 1974 before being transferred to Melbourne as State manager for Sanyo Office Machines. I paid $24,000 & sold it to a friend for $31,000.

Caught up with some old friends

Graham & Flo Farquhar were friends in 1974, I last saw them in 1998.

Thanks for visiting my Adelaide South Australia 2014 photo blog.

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Port Macquarie coastal village

August 5, 2014 by David Herd

Port Macquarie coastal village originally was a penal colony, these days many people retire in Port Macquarie on the NSW coast (4 hours north of Sydney), because of the temperate climate, good fishing & boating and nice beaches. I think it is the pick of the NSW coastal towns.

At the end of this post you will see how one of my distant relatives Helen Gillies arrived in Port Macquarie in 1833 after being convicted for stealing in Glasgow and shipped to Australia. Helen was my grandfather’s grandmother 🙂

Port Macquarie is famous for fresh seafood

Beautiful fresh prawns & delicious oysters, in fact my favourite lunch in Port is prawns & avocado on freshly baked bread with a dozen oysters natural to begin.

Port Macquarie coastal village

As good as it gets. 🙂

The Hastings River

Hastings River is also the name of a small, developing wine region. The main clusters of vineyards are located in Port Macquarie and Wauchope.

The region was first planted with vines in the 1860s but recent history of the area has been pioneered by the Cassegrain family with Verdelho

Hastings River’s cellar door facilities, music events, regional restaurants, coastal attractions and great climate are serving to build interest in the local wine industry.

Beachhouse Pub formally Royal Hotel est 1840

Great place to relax and enjoy a few cold beers on a hot day. 🙂

Vintage cars in Port Macquarie

Everybody loves these old cars.

Love the colour

Certainly not the original colour.

Luxury camper van

On the way to Port Macquarie we saw this luxury vehicle in Coffs Harbour.

My brother Warren lives in Port Macquarie

Warren has lived & worked in Port Macquarie for over 20 years, he & his wife Kerry raised four great children who are now having children of their own. The Herd family has grown incredibly over the last 50 years, I have put a lot of the family history in a post called Following the Herd. My uncle Allan Herd also lived in Port Macquarie for many years, he passed away at the age of 95 in July 2012, his story as a soldier in WW2 is the most dramatic event in our family history, it’s a tale worth reading.

My lovely niece Laura & Jordan Millar.

Laura grew up in Port Macquarie, she is a talented singer/song writer. Here she is with her boyfriend Jordan Millar at The Fig in Port Macquarie.

Family & friends

Three brothers, Warren, Ian, David with Kerry and Chris enjoy dinner in Port Macquarie.

The Wall of China restaurant

Very good Chinese food at this popular restaurant.

Classic council sign

Here is a classic council sign in Port Macquarie on the NSW coast. A friend of mine who works for Trowbridge council in Wiltshire in the U.K. arranged for a couple of these to be erected in Trowbridge, after a couple of months and numerous complaints from the public they took them down.

And I thought the Pommies had a sense of humour.

Helen Gillies

Helen arrived in Port Macquarie in 1833 after being convicted for stealing in Glasgow and shipped to Australia. Helen was my grandfather’s grandmother, she was 4′ 11″ tall. 🙂

Records found in the Old Courthouse in October 1998

Jordan Miller & Laura Bell Herd at the Fig.

Thanks for visiting my Port Macquarie coastal village photo blog.

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Cape Town City South Africa

April 2, 2014 by David Herd

Long St Cape town City

Cape Town City South Africa

Cape Town City is an interesting mix of new & old, Long Street is one of the main streets located in the City Bowl section of Cape Town. It’s famous as a bohemian hang out, the street is lined with many book stores, pubs, & many ethnic restaurants and bars.

Many interesting buildings

Unlike my other posts on Cape Town city which are all very positive, I was disappointed in Long Street. I chose a hotel in the city just to be near this Street because of the information I had received when researching my trip. As it turned out I found the restaurants rather ordinary, plus walking down the street alone at night was rather intimidating. I have been alone at night in some of the most dangerous cities in the world so I do know what I’m talking about, Cape Town city at night was certainly a bit edgy.

These guys are here for a reason

Many of these public safety guys are all over the Cape Town city, there is obviously a very good reason for their presence.

Here is what how the websites describe Long Street, It’s probably fine if you are a backpacker or with a group of friends, however for anyone else my advice is go to the V & A Waterfront which is totally the opposite to Long Street;

MOTHER CITY PARTY CAPITAL

If you’re looking for fun vibes and an excuse to stay out all night, visit Long Street, party capital of the Mother City.

One of the many great old buildings

The old buildings in Cape Town city certainly have character, plus if you are drinking on the first floor verandas you won’t be bothered by the many beggars. The locals call Cape Town city the Mother city.

Grand Daddy Hotel

Contrary to what I said before I did have an enjoyable meal at Grand Daddy Hotel.

Cape Town city Grand Daddy Hotel

This was a nice meal at a very reasonable price.

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Time to leave Long Street

I have no idea what this building is, if I ever go back to Cape Town I’ll find out and let you know. 😳

Metlife Centre

The Metlife Centre, is a 28 floor, 120 meter tall modernist skyscraper situated close to the Cape Town International Convention Center in the City Bowl area of Cape Town city, South Africa. The spired antenna on the building’s roof is 22 m/72 feet tall and was lifted into place by helicopter just prior to its completion in 1993.

A 30 minute walk

From V & A Waterfront to the city is about 30 minutes walking.

Castle of Good Hope

The Castle of Good Hope is a star fort built in the 17th century in Cape Town city, South Africa. Originally located on the coastline of Table Bay, following land reclamation the fort is now located inland.

Hotel on St Georges

A very good value hotel in the city center with very helpful staff. Ask for a double bed, NOT two singles jammed together. Book here for a good price. The real shining lights for me in Cape Town city were V & A Waterfront, the wonderful Table Mountain & the impressive coastline.

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Many more photos below.

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Loving charismatic Cape Town

April 1, 2014 by David Herd

Cable car to the top

Loving charismatic Cape Town

Loving charismatic Cape Town & especially one of Cape Town’s most popular tourist attractions with approximately 800,000 people a year using the cableway. On the 29 December 2004 the cableway passed its 16 millionth visitor.

Loving charismatic Cape Town which lived up to what people had told me to expect, charismatic, colourful & spectacular. The city is dominated by the mystical Table mountain however the coastline & the V & A Waterfront have a huge amount of appeal also.

From the cable car

It’s a long way down, if you are afraid of heights you may find this ride a little challenging. 😳

Top of the mountain

Lots of thrill seekers actually climb to the top, I guess it also saves spending money on the cable car.

Downtown Cape Town from the mountain

Cape Town is such a windy city Table Mountain is often closed to tourists.

Signal Hill

Signal Hill, or Lion’s Rump, is a landmark flat-topped hill located in Cape Town, next to Lion’s Head and Table Mountain. The hill was also known as “The Lion’s Flank”, a term now obsolete.

Hout Bay

The sheltered bay of Hout Bay has a white sand beach, a popular attraction for tourists and locals alike. Hout Bay has one of the busiest fishing harbors in the Western Cape with and established tuna, snoek and crayfish industry. The harbor is home to the Hout Bay Yacht Club and several restaurants.

Coast near Hout Bay

Certainly the best way to get an appreciation of Cape Town is to ride the on & off bus, there are two routes, the red & the blue line. The blue is more interesting but does not include Table Mountain.

View from the bus

Cape Town has a beautiful coast line, one of the beaches however are clogged with seaweed which prevents swimming.

Waterfront homes

Some waterfront homes have a height restriction that does not let them build above street level giving unobstructed views from the road.

Green Point Lighthouse

If you were a Victorian-era sailor home from the sea in Cape Town, the Lighthouse Service beckoned. You learnt your new trade at the Green Point lighthouse, which was built in 1824. This lighthouse was designed and built by a German stone-dresser and architect called Herman Schutte. It was commissioned by the acting governor of the Cape, Sir Rufane Donkin, and building began in 1821. To receive my latest posts please follow me on Twitter Follow @David_Herd

Camps Bay Cape Town

Camps Bay is an affluent suburb of Cape Town. In summer it attracts a large number of foreign visitors as well as South Africans looking for a beach holiday, there are lots of trendy restaurants opposite the beach.

Here is where I had lunch in Camps Bay.

For most of the 1800s Camps Bay was undeveloped. Lord Charles Somerset used the area for hunting and used the Roundhouse as his lodge. Kloof Road was built in 1848 and in 1884 Thomas Bain was commissioned to build a road from Sea Point to Camps Bay using convict labor. The road was completed in 1887 and named Victoria road to honor Queen Victoria’s jubilee in 1888. The road allowed people to cycle out to Camps Bay which had gained popularity as a picnic site. This led to the development, in 1901 of the Camps Bay tramway to bring people out for the day and with it the development of the tidal pools, the Rotunda (now the Bay Hotel) and a pavilion for concerts and shows. In 1913 Camps Bay was incorporated into Cape Town although it was still seen as a recreational area rather than a residential area.

Camps Bay

The first residents of Camps Bay were the San (Hunter Gatherers) and the Goringqhaique, Khoi pastorates. When Jan van Riebeek established a refreshment station for the VOC (Dutch East India Company), the 12 Apostles were covered in forests with lion, leopard and antelope.

Camps Bay beach

Everywhere you look in Cape Town there is a stunning view. Please click on Google + to help my page ranking.

Table Mountain from the bus.

No matter where you go in Cape Town Table Mountain is nearly always in sight, it totally dominates the landscape.

Bus route

A great way to see the city.

Loving charismatic Cape Town

Check out my Safari post & the V & A Waterfront for lots more Cape Town information and photos. More photos in this slideshow.

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Great food Waterfront Cape Town

March 30, 2014 by David Herd

Food, food & more food

Great food Waterfront Cape Town

Great food Waterfront Cape Town, I had a terrific dinner at OYO restaurant & cocktail bar, the entree pictured above was as good as I have had anywhere in the world. Prawn and avocado tian with sesame wonton crisp’s and a touch of “caviar” for around $9. A dozen Oysters were only $22.

Food & the magic mountain, two things stick in my mind when I think of Cape town, great food at V & A Waterfront and the magnificent Table Mountain with clouds cascading over the top.

LIFE DOESN’T GET MUCH BETTER THAN THIS

Add a stunning view, excellent decor and very efficient staff to the great food and you have all the ingredients for a very good evening.

I have eaten oysters all over the world, please check out THIS LINK.

Great food Waterfront Cape Town & wonderful smiling faces

Two of the friendly staff at OYO, how about those terrific smiles?

Den Anker, Belgium restaurant & Bar

Great statue on the bar at Den Anker, they import their beers from top Belgian producers to ensure that locals have the opportunity to taste the best Belgium has to offer. Here is their description of what they serve; “We have 6 amazing beers on tap as well as some really exciting bottle brands.Liefmans Cuvee Brut is a firm favorite and if you are feeling a little adventurous you may like to try a Duvel Tripel Hop. We serve Trappist beers, Orval, Westmalle and Chimay for the real traditionalists. Beer drinkers wanting to sample Kwak beer should check the state of their socks. The draught beer is served in so special (and expensive) a glass that we demand one of your shoes as a deposit. It’s kept in a basket at the bar till you’ve returned our glass.”

Great food Waterfront Cape Town at Den Anker

Den Anker also serves great food V & A Waterfront.

Den Anker overlooks the water

The whole V & A Waterfront offers so many choices of restaurants and bars with wonderful views, great food and reasonable prices.

Table Mountain from V & A Waterfront.

Table Mountain, one of the greatest sights in the world. I spent hours watching the clouds cascade over the edge while sipping Belgium beer at Den Anker bar & restaurant.

A breathtaking view at Great food Waterfront Cape Town

It is mystical and magical, you can watch it for hours.

Belgium beer at Den Anker

After spending time in Brussels & now Cape Town I have decided Belgium beer may be the best in the world.

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Awesome view from Great food Waterfront Cape Town

There is a great view in every direction, I spent hours captivated. I felt so lucky have the beautiful blue sky to enhance my photographs.

Great food Waterfront Cape Town

The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in the historic heart of Cape Town’s working harbour is South Africa’s most-visited destination, having the highest rate of foreign tourists of any attraction in the country, Situated between Robben Island and Table Mountain and set against a backdrop of sea and mountain views, it offers a variety of shopping and entertainment options to visitors, intermingled with office locations.

Nice colonial building on the waterfront.

Next time I visit I’ll choose a hotel near the V & A.

Victoria & Alfred Waterfront

Prince Alfred, second son of Queen Victoria, began construction of the harbor in 1860. The first basin was named after himself, the second after his mother, hence the name. The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront development is a renewal project that incorporates much of the historic harbor infrastructure. The whole complex is managed by a private company owned by Transnet. An international consortium of Dubai World and London & Regional Properties acquired the development in 2006 at a record value in South African terms of 7.4 billion rand.