Mondays : 10am-5pm

Tuesday to Friday : 9am-5pm

Saturdays : 9am-1pm

Sundays we go fishing to bring you more Fresh Fish…….

Our Take Aways are available Monday to Friday : 10am-3pm

Call us on 044-3823811 for your orders of Oysters & Crayfish!

Fresh Fish, Sushi, Take Aways, Exotic Seafoods, Prawns & More!

Whilst enagingly different, one thing I do dislike about Il de pain are their clients. Every time I go there some idiot gets nattering on their cellphone and its something that really gets under my skin. Today there were two of them. Totally oblivious to everyone else around them. Something I feel the owners should make a note of and put a stop to.

And whilst I am about it I might as well have a go the Oyster Catcher. Its a dump thats long past its sell by date. We went there a couple of weks ago and ordered the Goujons which were soggy and grey in the middle. We spoke to the waiter who did refer our complaint to the Manageress. She couldn’t have cared less. The venue looks grubby, the staff look grubby, the service is bad and we won’t be back.

The no name Cafe and Takeaway in Main just after what used to be the Protea Hotel, has closed, the owners have relocated to Cape Town and I know of at least one person who swears that their bacon and egg sandwiches were the best you could get. St Elmo’s have opened their doors on the other side of town offerng yet another option for Pizza.

That’s the second thing I look for, originality. There are very few restaurants or coffee shops in Knysna where I cant sit down and order without even looking at the menu. They are all the same and they are mostly deadly dull.

Finally there is the question of the taste. What can you say about a kitchen which throws marmalade into their humus; other than try it. My first choice (in Knysna) has to be the Cafe Francois bistro at the Scarab Market just outside Sedgefield. That said with apologies to Cruise Cafe which I do enjoy and Zest which I haven’t got to yet. I cant see them maintaining their poise and good humour when faced with a boisterous six year old who is always accompanied by his younger brother.

When I stop to think of newspapers and coffee shops, it has to come down to Gabriella’s where I am quite happy to pay an extra six rand for the cheese, jam and marmalade that comes with ones croissant and along with everything else. She also does the best french toast I have yet managed to find. And this without a mention of the bacon that’s missing. The plate is large, its simple, looks good and tastes better.

For a takeaway there is grilled calamari from the Seafood Safari. It reminds me of the Fishmonger when it first started up, oddly enough,  in Joburg. I enjoy the buzz one finds in what is an interesting “foodie” shop.

Spotted a new sign for Mark’s Restaurant at le Bistro on George Rex and it appears that Mark Nofal has left Canyan’s and opened up on his own. Bon Apetit built up a good reputation here years ago but its never really worked since and I don’t know why. Its a great place for a cosy fire in winter as well as being a magic setting for those hot summer days. One just hopes that this time its going to be different.  I have also discovered that you can in fact get a newspaper on Thesen’s. But you have to find Ingledews (turn left at the circle and its behind Lush ). Its a small convenience store that serves a hot cup of Illy coffee as well.

On the down side there is a lot of unhappiness down at Paquita’s and the new owners, Cornuti’s seem to be getting off on the wrong foot before even opening. I saw an advert in Action Ads stating that contrary to the rumours doing the rounds, the previous owners have settled all their creditors. One then hears the rumours and you are left wondering what the real story is?

The White House has opened its doors and it was busy when I stopped for coffee. They have a light, simple menu and although the cakes were on other side of the room, they looked good.  The waitress who served me was trying to get through her first day at work and the inevitable hic-coughs that come with a busy opening. That earned me a complimentary plunger and greek biscuit to go with the coffee. On top of this however, the potato and leek soup I tried was also far too salty. And that, even for my jaded and shell shocked taste buds. One hopes that the kitchen will settle down with time, as it is still a very pleasant venue.

The Knysna Fish Market next to Tait Marine and Boesmanland Biltong at the Mall have closed shop. But with winter all but over we should see the Gabriella’s, Chatters,  Pembrey’s and Ile de pain’s all firing up their stoves and getting ready for the season. The Whitehouse should also be opening in Thesen House where Mackintosh’s used to be. I understand its going to be lifestyle furnishings, fabrics and clothes with a “small coffee shop”.

Over the weekend we took off to Enrico’s in Keurbooms where one can always get a decent meal and there were two things that got me thinking. Firstly there was the beach and the rocks which have appeared after the last Spring tide. Besides the fact that there are a lot more of them and the fact that the sea must have moved an enormous volume of sand they are veined and flecked with what I assume is quartz. Such that I stopped to question how it all came about and to take pictures with a camera that no longer works. The other issue that got me going was the menu and the question of whether it was politically correct to order kabeljou from the menu or whether they are on the “being over fished” list. I just don’t know enough to be seen to be socially responsible about it and consequently ordered the Arrosto, like I always do.

A question I ask myself every time I do an early drive through to George is where to do breakfast. We generally end up at Rademachers because of kids play area and it gives Joy an opportunity to look at plants. Then there is House of Flavour and The Conservatory, but where else is there? What about Sedgefield and Wilderness? I know and enjoy Bungalo at Groenvlei but there must be others. And for that matter who does offer that unforgettable breakfast. They all dish up pretty much the same thing, some are just not as good than others.

Besides that I stopped at the Heath the other day to be confronted by the portly short gentleman I always assumed to be Enrico from Keurbooms. However apparently he is not Enrico, is joining Warren and they have a lot of ideas they want to try out. The Kitchen has closed doors and not much seems to happening with the St Elmo’s franchise which is still neither quite here nor there.