Flavours Café keeps it nice – and cheap
CHIC and sophisticated cafés abound in the Bay, each with a more sumptuous menu and decor than the next. And many of these classy hangouts have even greater appeal to those whose preferred pastime is peoplespotting (and themselves being seen in all the “right” places).
But if you’re no snooty-toot, trendsetter or rampant foodie, then it’s sometimes really quite
lekker to park off at a no-frills hideaway where honest, home-style food is served and the price won’t have you choking on your sarmie either. Flavours Café at the Amble Inn complex at 169 Main Road, Walmer, is such a place. It moved here three months ago from Lorraine, where owner Richard Moore and his wife, Elmarie, had it for a year. Before that, it was at 17th Quarter in Walmer for three
years. My hubby, Salvelio, and I popped in for a lightning fast lunch on Tuesday. We found the menu limited: besides a smallish selection of breakfasts, they mostly serve bread or flour-based meals like toasted sarmies, tramezzinis, croissants, pies and the like – if you’re gluten-intolerant a salad is your best bet. Since I’m not, I had the whole-wheat tramezzini with spagbol mince, cheddar and mozzarella and generous side salad for R41, while Salvelio had the toasted ham, cheese and tomato toasted sarmie for R28.
Neither held any surprises – don’t expect fancy plating or mind-blowing flavours as this is the kind of sarmie you would make yourself at home.
The same goes for the lemon meringue pie (R25) which we shared, while the coffees (two cappuccinos, R14 each) might well have been filter with froth.
But Flavours is not pretending to be anything it’s not, and there’s something to be said for that. It has a down-to-earth padstal vibe, and Richard and Elmarie also sell treats like biscuits, fudge and good old Hertzoggies which they make on the premises.
We found it surprisingly pleasant under the trees in the garden. There’s a children’s play area at the back, while a stroll through Amble Inn while you wait for your order is a jolly good idea. This old Walmer house with room upon room of antiques and cottage furniture is fun to explore, and you could also scout out a few bargains at Essence of Israel on the same premises.
Flavours is at (041) 581-0780. It is open weekdays from 8.30am to 5pm, and Saturdays from 8.30 to 2pm.
This review visit was unannounced, anonymous and the meal paid for in full.