The West Coast Beach Barbecue -- For dining, a meal at one of the West Coast alfresco restaurants is an unforgettable experience: Sitting on the beach breathing in the aroma of seafood on hot coals and the fresh sea breeze, you drink in the sun and the sound of seagulls, sink deeper in the sand as course after course keeps flowing, and lick your fingers clean (scrubbed mussel shells are often the only cutlery provided). Your only worry will be how you're ever going to manage to save enough space for the crayfish still to come. These eateries are so informal they're hardly restaurants, but if you like casual dining and don't mind sharing your space with strangers, they're well worth trying out. The food, prepared in the manner of a huge beach barbecue, is excellent and usually consists of several kinds of fish cooked in various ways (sometimes with jam, a West Coast specialty); bokkoms (salted, dried harders, or small fish) with grapes, mussels, calamari, paella, waterblommetjie bredie (waterlily stew); and crayfish. There's also piping-hot white bread baked on the beach and served with fresh farm butter and a number of fruit preserves -- this is the killer; you'll want to devour an entire loaf, much to the detriment of the remaining courses. The huge 3-hour meal will cost in the region of R140 ($19/£10) per person, with crayfish adding R35 to R70 ($5-$8/£2.50-£5) to the bill.
Of the West Coast alfresco "restaurants," Muisbosskerm (tel. 027/432-1017; www.muisbosskerm.co.za) is still the best. Located on the beach 5km (3 miles) south of Lambert's Bay on the Eland's Bay Road (3 hr. from Cape Town), this is where the open-air West Coast restaurant concept was born -- for years Edward and Elmien Turner had simply shared their favorite food with friends on the beach, and in 1985 they decided to broaden their guest list. Tertius and Ian are now in charge, but the food is still delicious, and you can usually count on a selection of fresh linefish, grilled and baked; fresh green mealies; local potatoes and sweet potatoes; pots of stew (in winter season, waterblommetjie bredie), crayfish (in season); mussels; and the legendary West Coast breads and preserves. It's a long drive home after a meal like this, so head for Paternoster. Booking ahead is essential.
Sampling the 'Erb -- Rooibos (literally, "red bush," pronounced "roy-boss") is a type of fynbos that occurs only in Clanwilliam and the surrounding area. Its leaves have been used to brew a refreshing, healthful drink for centuries but were first exported during World War II, when the Ceylon variety was scarce. Since then it has become popular in the Japanese, German, and Dutch markets, and research shows some amazing health properties. Rooibos is caffeine-free, rich in vitamin C, and contains antioxidants, iron, potassium, copper, fluoride, zinc, magnesium, and alpha-hydroxy acid. Drinking it "neat" is an acquired taste; try it with honey, ginger, and/or lemon; or -- as most locals do -- with milk and sugar. You can sample it at the Rooibos Ltd factory, Rooibos Avenue (tel. 027/482-2155), or order it just about anywhere in South Africa. Also recommended is the aptly named Honeybush Tea, another local fynbos.
