Road food is as refreshing as Tiger’s Milk

WHEN you’re going on a sidecar adventure, you need a great place to stop for lunch. For us that was Tiger’s Milk on Muizenberg beachfront, overlooking the famous surfers’ corner.

It’s the newest addition to the Harbour House group, which includes Harbour Houses in Kalk Bay and V&A Waterfront, Lucky Fish, and La Parada.

The concept is “dude food”, but everyone is welcome, including surfers who can traipse in wearing wetsuits and with sandy feet. There are even lockers for them to rent at the back of the large venue, which hustles and bustles.

Upstairs above Primi, the view is beautiful, and you can spend your lunchtime wondering about the meaning of the shark flags.

We later found out that the ones that had been alternating every few minutes were “shark spotted” and “high shark alert”.

The latter seemed to make no difference to these maniacs, who immediately paddled out again each time it was raised. In their defence, the waves were excellent. I probably would have done the same.

The menu includes lots of lovely steaks, burgers, linefish (yellowtail, because Harbour House restaurants support Sassi), fabulous pork ribs as a starter or a main dish, calamari done two ways, peri peri chicken, a charcuterie platter, and a small selection of pizzas made in the woodfired oven. There is a breakfast pizza, a vegetarian pizza, as well as a pizza of the day, and I was promised there are more to come. The venue has been open only a short while, and the menu is under construction.

I had the pizza of the day, which was ham and mushroom topped with rocket, and was delicious on its thin, crispy base.

The wine list is small, but I would have said yes to anything on it, all available by the glass as well as bottle.

It just so happened that our waiter Jethro mentioned Haute Cabriere chardonnay pinot noir first, one of my favourites. He came back to the table later to try and tell us about the desserts. “Go away, I’m full,” I said. “Please can I just tell you?” he begged.

I couldn’t resist those eyes, so allowed him to describe a chocolate mousse with whipped cream, ice cream, and – the deal maker – Jack Daniel’s syrup. After advising him to go sit in a corner and consider his actions, I said he could bring it. I suggest you do the same. It’s utterly decadent, especially when you get all four things into one mouthful.

Blue harpist and looper extraordinaire Dave Ferguson plays every Wednesday evening, replacing his former residency at Polana, which of course no longer exists since renovations over on that side of the coast, and for which this venue is a more than adequate replacement.

● Tiger’s Milk is on the corner of Sidmouth and Beach roads, Muizenberg, telephone 021 788 1869. Open daily from 7.30am till late (kitchen closes 10pm).