Cafe Gitano – Pavilion Shopping Mall
I’ve had many regrets in my life and, I suppose, everyone else can say the same. But it’s not as if I regret the little things; childish things, things like how I was still wetting my bed at 8-years-old. No, what I deeply regret is not going to as many restaurants as I could have and instead, foolishly in hindsight, chose to “dine in”.
Mercifully, my dear friend asked me to tag along to the Pavilion in Westville and quote grab a bite somewhere unquote…bold…underline…neon lights. Being the good friend that I am, I agreed on the premise that he wouldn’t have to be alone. My priorities are right – food first then friends. Sorry, sorry… friendship, then food. Food-ship. There!
Cafè Gitano was the restaurant of our choice that’s located on the upper level of the mall’s food-court, that would break my 10 – month hiatus. Truthfully, I wanted to just dash up the escalators and run in and start eating but had to restrain myself and conduct myself with enigmatic calm. We entered, and were doused in sanitiser.
The menu is vast, really vast. From breakfast to pastas from burgers to shisanyama-boards, to vegetarian dishes and seafood platters to name a few. Variety is indeed the spice of life yet in restaurants this can prove challenging. From serving the freshest ingredients to the time it takes to prepare a particular meal and to simply deciding on what to eat when the menu is teeming with choice. Oh, nice life problem that. I was interested to see how the food would fare so we promptly ordered our starters of Sour Pork Ribs (R72) for him and Fried Squid Heads (R42) for myself only because I wasn’t the one paying.
When the food arrived after 15 minutes, I picked up the fork, as if I’ve never seen one before, I said: “Hi” apparently to the fork I explored the squid with my tongue – it was crunchy with a hint of pepper, a dash of tartar which was herby. Very good. His pork – bites, sweet and soft. Good start. This reminded me of what a teacher said in school when I pulled a muscle during a race and finished last.
We ordered pints of beer, CBC larger (R31) for him and a Windhoek (R35) for me for no other reason but that it was legal to do so and one can still remember when it was a crime to do so. The glistening amber eye, the necklace of food at it’s edges, the inimitable taste…yes, boys will be boys.
The wine list is very limited and wineous would be disappointed at the lack of variety. Oh, the irony! I witnessed some some weirdness in the BBC Chicken Salad (R72) I opted for the honey-infused mustard mayonnaise pampered the crispy mixed lettuce and zesty-tasting peppers, glanced delicately off the cucumber and lightly kissed the chicken-strips and trickled into the shade. Weird, weird but very tasty. His R120 rack of ribs which where 400g looked so good. I really wanted to try them but he said in isiZulu: “Ngizohlafuna mina, wena ugwinye.” (I’ll chew, you’ll swallow) and he made me do it.
While we were eating our respective meals there was a moment where I could taste them in my own mouth as he chewed as if we were neurologically interchangeable. Magic? No, I stole a piece while he was looking at the lights running along the ceiling. What a nice mate I am.
We shared dessert Creme Bruce(R36) but really I ate most. It was good. Restaurants located in malls which are high-traffic zones at this time of the year during this pandemic I have my anxieties as most of us.
To: the lady who sanitised her hands and then her face too, you ma’am made my day and reminded me why I missed eating out so much. Thank you. Now let me shut up and go check my mattress because I’ve laughed way too hard while typing this. I may not be 8-years-old anymore but accidents happen.