December 2022

Our December holiday is long forgotten – so much has happened in the meantime – but it’s always nice to look back and remember the wonderful time we had on the West Coast of South Africa.

You will remember from our last post (you can read here), that we camped with Berto’s family in the small fishing village of Lamberts Bay.

On our last evening there we decided to go for a unique dining experience. Muisbosskerm is a very famous outdoor restaurant with a buffet menu as long as my arm!

So, this is going to be one of THOSE posts – pictures of delicious looking food!

Entrance to Muisbosskerm

If you are a seafood lover, this is THE place to visit on the West Coast. They offer lunch and dinner (and the duration of each meal is about 2-3 hours).

All the food is prepared on the fire

Wood burning to prepare all that wonderful food

The restaurant is literally on the beach – it’s always a good idea to take a walk on the beach between the different courses, just to make sure you still have room for the next treat!

Your view while eating at Muisbosskerm

For only R350 (€18) per adult, you can enjoy a feast of seafood and traditional dishes. For an additional R100 (€5) you can add half of a West Coast Rock Lobster (Crayfish) to your meal – if it’s available that day. There is also a bar at the restaurant where you can order all your favourite drinks.

We also suggest that, if you ever have the opportunity to eat at Muisbosskerm, starve yourself for the day!

Here are photos of some of the amazing food we tasted – remember small portions or you won’t make it to the end!

We started with Corn on the Cob with real butter. The other dish is something very unique to the West Coast, it’s called Dried mullet “Bokkoms” (or Bismarck herring). This is an usual taste, but we suggest you try a small piece.

Corn on the cob

“Bokkoms” – before and after cleaning

After you’ve eaten as much corn and “bokkoms” as you want (but remember, there’s a lot more on the menu), we move on to the Barbecued Fish. On the menu are Yellowtail, Snoek, Tuna, Mullet, Hottentot’s fish and Cob.

Preparing the Barbecued Fish

Barbecued Fish served with fresh lemon

Hot on the heels of the Barbecued fish, follows the Smoked Fish. You will once again have the opportunity to try a West Coast specialty, namely Snoek or you can have a few pieces of Angelfish and two types of Mackerel.

Preparing the Smoked Fish

Preparing the Smoked Fish

Smoked Fish

Now, you’ll be happy to hear there are side dishes too (I’m not kidding)! Colourful Vegetable Stir Fry, Green Salad, Sandveld Potato Chips and Caramelised Sweet Potatoes. In South Africa, you never eat fish without sticky caramelised sweet potatoes!

Vegetable Stir Fry

Sweet Potatoes & Potato Chips

Before we got to the meat dishes (can you believe it!), there were more yumminess on the way. Their Fried Hake, Fried Calamari and Seafood Paella are out of this world!

Preparing Fried Hake & Calamari

Delicious Seafood Paella

I am helping myself to my favourite – caramelised sweet potato

Ok, there is one treat you cannot pass up, and that is their Sourdough bread with homemade jams and butter! It’s available throughout the evening … I bet you’ll want to enjoy it between each course!

The bread table is a favourite spot

The fun element of this dining experience is that you can dish up as many times as you like. And your cutlery is a tin plate and a mussel shell that serves as knife and fork.

(One of) my courses enjoyed with a local white wine

(One of) Berto’s courses and we shared the thick slices of fresh bread

I can’t remember where we fitted this plate of absolute yumminess

Halfway through the menu, all the fish and side dishes that are left over are laid out on one table. So hey, let’s go for another round!

Left over fish and side dishes

However, you will remember that I mentioned earlier about meat dishes that were also prepared … exactly, now it was time for the meat eaters to come forward!

Meat ‘potjies’

The meat ‘potjies’ (stews) are varied between “Waterblommetjie” or Green Bean- or Tomato Stew and Curried Tripe. Tonight we also had Eisbein (perhaps as a substitute for the lobsters that were not available).

Tomato- and Green Bean Stew

Delicious Eisbein

And just when we were about to collapse after eating all these delicious dishes, sweet-sweet watermelon appeared on trays. I mean, really … of course we walked over to the tables to eat a very (small) piece!

Sweet watermelon

The kettles were also on the fire for everyone who wanted to end their evening with coffee and “koeksisters” (“koeksister” is a traditional Afrikaner confectionery made from fried dough in syrup). And no, we didn’t have coffee or “koeksisters” … but we did take home (to enjoy the next day)!

Coffee time

“Koeksisters” (Photo: Eat Out – MasterChef SA)

What an evening! I don’t think it’s necessary to convince you that we had a great time – for us it was as good as royal food (mind you, the royalty of this world might like to know about Muisbosskerm)!

After all this eating we just sat back for the last time and stared at the fires as the sun set over the ocean – unforgettable!

The last fire

Sunset at Muisbosskerm, Lamberts Bay