Category Archives: Wine & Food

December 1, 2025 · 5:35 am

Cape Town — Wine Tour: Rhebokskloof Wine Estate


Rhebokskloof Wine Estate

After our hectic full days on our River Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor, which followed a busy schedule in Cairo, we were looking forward to some rest and relaxation. So, before things got hectic again, we decompressed for five days in one of our favorite cities — Istanbul, Türkiye (most recent Istanbul blog series at Istanbul — Arrival and Shopping; Egyptian and Grand Bazaars). And since, over the years, I’ve highlighted this destination countless times, including Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, the Blue Mosque, cruising the Bosporus, and much more, I won’t bore you with yet another Istanbul series. Instead, I’m going to skip that destination and take you straight to our next stop — Cape Town, South Africa. And since long flights can also wear one down, I’ll begin with our relaxing, post-flight, first-day tour of wineries, starting with Rhebokskloof Estate in the Paarl winemaking region.

Rhebokskloof Wine Estate

One look at the surrounding area might lead you to guess what type of wines are Rhebokskloof’s specialty. If you guessed Rhone-style wines from this Rhone-type terroir, you guessed correctly. Their list includes hearty red shiraz and Shiraz blends, such as their Rhebokskloof Rhebok (60% Mourvèdre, 36% Petite Sirah, 3% Shiraz, 1% Carignan).

Rhone-style reds from a Rhone-type terroir

Of course, it wouldn’t be South Africa without that signature South African varietal Pinotage, which Rhebokskloof also cultivates. But they also drift into some of the more robust whites, such as Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay. But what you won’t guess is what they pair with their wines. Fine gourmet chocolates made in house:

Incredible, delicious, in-house made fine chocolates

At least that’s what was in store for our tour. Other pairing options include wine & cheese and wine & tapas. But, being a certified chocoholic and connoisseur of all things cacao/cocoa, Ursula would’ve chosen this paring over the others anyway.

Is she chewing chocolate already?

As you can see, our group was rather large, as this is but one of several tables which we occupied:

Rhebokskloof Estate wine & chocolate pairing

Rhebokskloof was one of the better wineries we experienced on this tour. Their reds were better than passable, but the chocolates put this winery over the top. You’ll not find better chocolates anywhere. Now for some other views from this stop:

Dancing Beneath the Tree
Rolling Hills and Plenty of Shade
Yummylicious!

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)

Comments Off on Cape Town — Wine Tour: Rhebokskloof Wine Estate

Filed under Photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel, vacation, Wine & Food

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

August 1, 2025 · 5:35 am

Fun Food Friday — Mar Charbel Hotel Restaurant


Fun Food Friday — Mar Charbel Hotel Restaurant

Be careful where you eat in Cairo. That’s no joke. When we took our children there in 1984, three out of the four of us got a severe case of Imhotep’s Revenge. From a salad bar, of all things. Making matters worse, there is only one toilet in a hotel room. First come, first served, and knocking on the door gets you nowhere. When you gotta go, you gotta runs, so to speak. By the way, did you know that diarrhea is hereditary? It runs in the jeans.

Imhotep — resistance was just as futile in 1984 as it was in 1932

But is that warning still valid in 2025? I don’t know, but I was unwilling to test the premise. Also, as you’ll find out my upcoming 6 August article, you’re taking your life into your own hands if you even think of crossing the street in Cairo. So, heading out to dinner on foot is a real adventure. Fortunately, we found a very acceptable restaurant on-site at our hotel, Mar Charbel. As for the hotel, it was very well appointed, quite comfortable, and relatively quiet save for the street noise, which you get everywhere in Cairo. Our only quibble was during check-in, as the desk staff could not find our reservations. But the wait just gave Ursula time to set up a tour, which you’ve seen already.

The view from our Mar Charbel room
The view from our Mar Charbel room

Fortunately, dining in your hotel means you needn’t brave crossing the street, and in a reputable hotel you won’t be subjected to The Wrath of Colon (William Shatner, Ricardoo Montalbuns, Paramound Sphincters, 1982). So, with those enticements in mind, up we traveled to the Mar Charbel Hotel Restaurant.

Mar Charbel Hotel Restaurant

Being a rooftop restaurant offers up some nice views of Cairo, especially as the Sun sets:

Cairo sunset view from the Mar Charbel rooftop restaurant

In the mood for Egyptian cuisine? You’ll find it here. Not all that adventurous? You see French, Italian, and even Mexican dishes on the menu. Looking for something really basic? Yes, even sandwiches, burgers & fries, pastas, and pizzas await you. But, when in Cairo…

The lentil soup was so good we kept coming back for more

Is spicy your thing? Got you covered:

Heinz Hot Sauce

The tables are nicely appointed here:

Mar Charbel Hotel Restaurant

Worried about eating raw vegetables? That’s what got us back in 1984, as the veggies were “washed” in the local tap water. If you’re worried (we had no problems here this trip), then just make sure you forego the salad, tell the waiter to leave off the parsley, and order your veggies cooked:

Breaded cutlet, fries, and mixed vegetables

Don’t forget dessert. You’ll even find milkshakes on the menu. But the dessert we kept coming back to was the lava cake:

Rich, decadent lava cake

Next week draws to a close our Cairo adventure, after which it’s time to head south for a Nile cruise.

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)

Comments Off on Fun Food Friday — Mar Charbel Hotel Restaurant

Filed under Fun Food Friday, Fun Photo Friday, Photography, R. Doug Wicker, Restaurant Review, travel, vacation, Wine & Food

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

June 20, 2025 · 5:35 am

Fun Food Friday — Bucharest Gem: Caru’ cu Bere


Caru’ cu Bere — Strada Stavropoleos 5, București 030081, Romania

Caru’ cu Bere is not your typical dining establishment. Indeed, there is nothing “typical” about Caru’ cu Bere on any level. This place opened as a brewery way back in 1879. Hence the name, which translates to Cart with Beer. Thus, it’s a beer hall that morphed onto a restaurant featuring some really great Romanian food. And it does not cater solely to tourists. I was immediately struck by how many Romanians head into this establishment. Especially as it’s not exactly cheap to dine here. You can find their website at this link.

Caru’ cu Bere Historic Marker

As they say, you only get one chance to make a first impression, and quite the impression this place makes when you step inside. The place is filled with rich, carved wood:

Caru’ cu Bere

Stained glass:

Caru’ cu Bere
Caru’ cu Bere

Detailed mosiac tiled flooring, and massive exquisitely detailed vaulted ceilings:

Caru’ cu Bere

And that food! Wow! Let’s take a look at the menu:

Caru’ cu Bere menu
Caru’ cu Bere menu
Caru’ cu Bere menu

And in case you’d like a more detailed look at what Caru’ cu Bere has to offer, here is there online food and drink menus.

Of course, it’s not a beer hall without beer to haul:

Caru’ cu Bere — one of their many beer offerings

The bread looked wonderful, so we cordered some before the meal:

Caru’ cu Bere — Fresh bread

Naturally, we just had to try the bean soup in a bread bowl, and it was phenomenal:

Caru’ cu Bere — Bean soup in a bread bowl

For the main course we opted for a traditional mititei, which is a skinless sausage made from seasoned ground beef, lamb, and pork. Way to filling, and next time I’ll be tempted to try other items as the nearby tables had some really tempting offerings.

Caru’ cu Bere — mititei and fries

Next week I’ll show you our next stop on this two-month excursion — Cairo, Egypt.

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)

Comments Off on Fun Food Friday — Bucharest Gem: Caru’ cu Bere

Filed under Fun Food Friday, Photography, R. Doug Wicker, Restaurant Review, travel, vacation, Wine & Food

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,