Dinner at the Deli

Just got back from early dinner at the Olympia Cafe in Kalk Bay - a legendary eatery, where everyone knows the rules: no split bills, no self-discipline, a drama free waiting area where you write your name on the board and wait your turn and definitely no low fat, low calorie or light mentioned on the menu! Everybody from every walk of life is welcome; bohemian locals to Jo'burg kugels - as long as you can pay the bill, you can join the waiting list.

We got there just after sunset on a perfect, calm evening, the twilight colours of pink, purple and rosy grey fading softly into the distant mountains and reflecting on the waters of False Bay, which only two days before was crashing through windows and over the roof of the harbour restaurant and now had only a hint of swell at the Kalk Bay reef. A super-keen surfer ran by with his surfboard to catch the last waves before darkness engulfed the break. Lights sailing serenely past in the darkness later signalled the return of a fishing boat,  lurching and  rolling as it turned into the harbour mouth and catching an eddy before sliding into its berth, safely home after a long day at sea.

We were there to celebrate a few family birthdays from this week: my two sisters and my niece. March and April are busy months for birthdays in our family and then the rest of the year is pretty quiet. The combined age of the 7 of us at the table was 443 years, which probably made us the oldest table at the Deli. We've been going there regularly since it opened so many years ago that I can't remember when that was - but we've earned our stripes and probably shares in the business, having eaten so much excellent food there!

The take-it-or-leave-it approach to everything: decor, bookings, hygiene, renovation - is what makes this place what it is. It will never have a facelift or new tables and chairs or cushions or new paint on the walls or even, heaven forbid, a hearty scrub. The food is the focus and it's never let us down yet. Judging by the people waiting to get in, it's a winning recipe!