South Africa: Die Walskipper Restaurant: Shoes NOT Required!
Story & Photos by Vivienne Chapleo






















A warm breeze off the Indian Ocean tousles my hair, cool damp sand chills my toes, and waves dance
along the shoreline of Clapton Beach. With the sun setting on the horizon, four friends feast on the
mouth-watering seafood pan before us.

Accompanied by melted garlic butter, the seafood pan for three is an enormous platter of the freshest
and most delicious seafood I have ever tasted. Mounds of crayfish, calamari, mussels, prawns, linefish
and crabsticks served over a bed of rice are more than the four of us can possibly devour in one
evening.













Not exactly on the beaten track, Die Walskipper Restaurant in Jeffreys Bay is well worth putting on
your list of “must do” things in South Africa’s Eastern Cape.

At first glance from the parking lot, I wondered what the heck kind of place my “local” friends had
brought us to. The open-air restaurant appeared more like a shack. Simple, but brightly painted wood
plank tables and benches, food served on tin plates, wine poured into enamel mugs, mismatched
cutlery, dim light emitting from lanterns, a corrugated iron roof on a wood-sided open-air structure, do
not inspire confidence of indulging in a gastronomic delight.













As Jacques, our friendly barefoot waiter guided us towards a table close to the beach affording
ultimate ocean views, the multitude of cooking aromas (seafood, steak, South African dishes of
crocodile, ostrich, quail eggs, springbok biltong and droëwors) cooked on coals and open fires
heightened our appetites. With fresh home-baked bread, liver pate and jam promptly delivered to our
table, our biggest challenge was leaving room for our highly anticipated seafood pan.

Not a chance four people could dine on this much seafood in the US for this price, or even close to it.
The bill - ZAR 495.50 ($67.30) was a steal of a deal and we even toted home a huge doggie bag full of
seafood.

Perfect for a luscious lazy lunch oceanside followed by a stroll along the beach, a romantic dinner with
your special someone or sharing a fabulous spread with friends. You will want to dress casually and
kick off your shoes as you go barefoot on the restaurants sandy floor.

If you find yourself along The Garden Route, Die Walskipper is open Tuesday through Saturday all year-
round from noon to 10pm. Reservations are highly recommended - PH: +27 (042) 292 0005 www.
walskipper.co.za

The service - top notch! The food - perfect! The view - priceless!

P.S. there are 18 linefish species, most indigenous to South African waters and the firm-fleshed fish is
a delicacy on menus
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