Swiss Deli and Bistro

The heatwave persists! It has been really hot these past two weeks and although it is usually hot here in summer I just can't remember it being this hot! We had a pretty lazy weekend but we decided to go out to a new restaurant in Saint Helena Bay on Sunday, I had heard rave reviews about the "Swiss Deli and Bistro" and in particular about their crispy roasted Eisbein and was keen to try one for myself.

They do not, as yet have a liquor license so I was told that we were welcome to take our own drinks - I put four Castle lagers and a bottle of Delaire rose' into my small cool bag along with two freezer blocks, that went into the top case and we set off on the big red machine.

Because it was such a hot day we couldn't face wearing our heavy jackets so we rode in tee shirts just to get some air flowing around us. I know it's not safe but sometimes you just have to throw caution to the wind, it is only about 35 to 40kms to Saint Helena Bay, but it is hotter there than it is in Saldanha and on Sunday there was no wind at all. The thermometer on the bike registered 36,5 degrees celsius (98 odd degrees fahrenheit) !!

Daniel the owner/chef offered us a table on the big covered veranda, but I could feel no difference in the temperature whatsoever so we sat inside, they could do with a couple of fans just to move the air around. Janet feels the heat more than I do and she was soon using her ice blocks to cool her face and neck down, I did too and it worked.

Our friends Tash, Fred and Maureen - who had told me about the place - had been there the previous night and they obviously ate the last of the eisbeins! There were none left so I ordered fried gammon steaks with sauteed potatoes and veggies and Janet ordered Bratwurst, also with the potatoes and veggies.

Both meals were really good and reasonably priced, the sauteed potatoes were particularly delicious. I started with a dish of mussels in a creamy wine sauce which I really enjoyed with some of their home baked bread. I can confirm that Janet's Bratwurst was delicious as well because I finished it off for her! We will be back and next time I will pre order the Eisbein.

When it came time to leave the motorbike saddle was extremely hot! We again left our jackets in the panniers and set off, I immediately got up to speed to get some air, not letting any of the other traffic slow me down as the heat from the saddle rose up through our bodies.

Janet later told me that as we were cruising along, sweeping past the cars, she noticed something white flapping around the front of her helmet, when she glanced down it was the hem of her tee shirt which was up around her neck! The air was so warm that she didn't notice it riding up, we wondered what the motorists must have thought?! "Biker trash!" At least she says she was wearing a pretty bra!