Afrikaans is a crazy language, with super-long words filled with many vowels, guttural g’s, and rolling r’s requiring acrobatic tongue movements. Afrikaans food words are no exception; they are delightful and I have no idea what they mean or how to pronounce them. Such were my thoughts as I pondered the menu at Bergbron Plaaskombuis.
What is tuisgebakte and how on earth do I say it? What about boepensbroodjie, roosterbrode, sonop jaffel, vaaljapie? Skilpadjies?
Bergbron (another inscrutable Afrikaans word) is a western Jozi suburb, adjacent to Northcliff, Greymont, and Florida Glen. I was excited to discover an interesting restaurant there (thanks to Gail for the tip), as I find the sprawling West Rand suburbs difficult to penetrate from a “things to do” perspective. The Plaaskombuis is definitely something worth doing.
Marie-Lais and I went to the Plaaskombuis on a cold, rainy Friday morning. The restaurant sits on the property of a garden nursery, so you have to walk through rows and rows of pretty aloes and other indigenous plants to get there.
I expected the restaurant to be empty on a day like this, but several tables were taken and it was so warm and cozy on the enclosed porch (or “stoep”, as they say in Afrikaans). At the center of the dining area was a giant iron stove with actual flames coming out of one of the burners.
I knew we were on to something good.
I ordered the snoop jaffel – two waffle-like circles fused together with egg, bacon, and cheese in between. I’m not sure if I was supposed to do this but I drizzled the whole thing with syrup and it was absolutely delicious. Marie-Lais had the skilpadjies, which is basically two balls of liver, and a side of fried eggs.
I loved everything. My only complaint is the coffee – the cups are way too small and two americanos felt like barely enough for me.
After paying the bill (only R180, including tip, for two breakfasts and four coffees), we were lucky enough to catch our server pulling homemade bread out of the wood-burning oven.
The Plaaskombuis also has a small “padstal”, or roadside stall, next to the dining room selling various homemade goods. I didn’t investigate closely but a friend tells me they have very good cordials, jams, etc.
Bergbron Plaaskombuis is at the corner of Bergbron Driver and Helderberg Road in Bergbron. Call +27-76-932-4333.
How have I never blogged about 44 Stanley Avenue, the coolest shopping and dining complex in Joburg, which is only five minutes from my house?
I guess it’s wrong to say I’ve never blogged about 44 Stanley; I’ve mentioned it countless times over the years (see here and here) when writing about specific restaurants or shops that are there. But I’ve never written a dedicated post about 44 Stanley as a destination and it’s about time I did – especially now, with the holidays upon us.
I’ve been dreadfully uninspired lately, struggling to think of anything I want to blog about despite having a long list of great ideas (many of which you, my readers, provided in September). I’m finding it hard to feel positive about life at the moment. But on Saturday Thorsten and I got the chance to visit Indwe Park, an indigenous garden and sculpture park in Braamfontein, and I knew I had my topic for today.
Given this week’s political nuclear bomb blast, it feels like a weird time to publish a light-hearted post about my recent (pre-election) jaunt through the United States. But I’m hoping you’ve have had enough of the U.S. election horror show – I know I have – and are ready (at least temporarily) for some wholesome American travel adventures. If so, please read on about my four-day visit to Maine, the northeastern-most state in the lower 48, with my sister, Susanna.
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It makes me smile, when I see it.