My love affair with food (and consequently, this column) has taken me to some interesting places. Some good, some bad and some replete with imminent threats of food poisoning.
Thankfully, the day I walked up the slight rise to Vintage Coffee Shop and Restaurant, the gods Demeter and Dionysus were smiling down on me.
Despite it being a particularly chilly day in the capital city, I couldn’t resist plonking down on the couch right next to a big tree outside. With a view of a beautiful water fountain and an overall feeling of tranquility, I order a hot chocolate. I’m just about half way through my hot chocolate when my friend arrives. As he sits down, a waitress walks past with a pile of blankets. Yes, blankets. Not the kind of establishment that leaves their customers out in the cold, Vintage were gracious enough to make sure that I didn’t catch a cold.
The menus make me smile. Not only because they’re beautifully designed and jam-packed with option upon option to make any self-respecting foodie’s heart skip a few beats, but also because at Vintage, they serve Nesquik. Yes, you read right. Nostalgia-engendering Nesquik. Nesquik and a list of ‘10 Fun Facts About Wine’ and the option to ‘Build Your Own Spud’ had me I’m sold on Vintage. Before I’d even tasted the food.
Wrapped in foil, the baked potato arrives filled with cream cheese and bacon. How could you possibly go wrong with potatoes and bacon and cream cheese? You can’t. The spud was moreish and cemented my new-found love for Vintage. (I’m sure there’s a life lesson in here somewhere: Never underestimate the power of a potato. Or something like that.) A standard spud will cost you N$30 and you pay extra for every filling you add.
Between a bounty of wraps, burgers, salads, pasta, savoury and sweet pancakes as well as a variety of meat, chicken and fish dishes, we were spoiled for choice. We finally decided on the Thai Fusion (pan-fried chicken strips and stir-fried veggies smothered in sweet chilli sauce served on a bed of pasta for N$78) and the Surf and Turf which, at N$120, is grilled steak, eight crumbed and deep-fried calamari steak strips, rice/chips/a baked potato served with a homemade tartare sauce and a fresh green salad. While the menu gives you an option between rice, chips and a baked potato, my rather brusque waitress unfortunately did not and I had to have the chips. Nevertheless, the Surf and Turf hit all the right spots. The Thai Fusion was a little too sweet for my taste, though.
A lovely oasis from the hustle and bustle, Vintage makes for a great change of pace from the usual eateries in Windhoek. Go for a long brunch and don’t be shy to take the kiddies along – they’re child-friendly.
Vintage is located in Eros on the corner of Robert Mugabe Avenue and Luther Street. They serve breakfast until 12h00 and are open on Mondays from 09h00 to 15h00, from 07h15 to 15h30 on Tuesdays to Thursdays and from 07h15 to 16h30 on Fridays. On Saturdays they’re open 07h30 to 13h00. From 14h30 to 17h30, they are open for kiddies parties.
– cindy@namibian.com.na
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