NO 8 CHRUCH STREET, MURRAYSBURG

On our way back to Joburg after an awesome holiday in the Cape, we chose Murraysburg as our overnight stop. For no particular reason other than wanting to try something different than the usual Beaufort West or Colesberg guesthouses.

As we drove into Murraysburg, my wife commented “maybe everyone is at a church bazaar or something” because we didn’t see a single person or car as we drove through the streets of this little town. Upon arrival at our accommodation for the night, No. 8 Church Street guesthouse, we asked our hostess, Erika, if things are always this quiet to which she responded “today is busy, 3 cars have driven by since you’ve arrived!”

When I made the booking, I arranged for us to have dinner at the guesthouse but given our experience thus far of this humble little dorpie and the fact that there were only 4 guests for the evening, we didn’t expect much more than a simple home cooked meal served in enamel plates with a cup of Recoffy after dinner.

We were seated in the bright red dining room and then Erika started to serve our 3 course meal. 

Butternut and Sage Risotto for starters. 

Stuffed chicken breasts, potato rosti and grilled zucchini for mains. 

Ice cream and homemade butterscotch sauce for dessert finished off by an espresso. 

Huh? I had to ask. 

Turns out Erika is a chef who decided to open a guesthouse (No. 8 Church Steet) & restaurant (Ate Eatery) in Murraysburg.

And all the main ingredients were local produce, either from local farms or from the dominee’s vegetable garden across the road. No really.

Erika also told me about cooking courses that they offer called Karoo Cuisine. There are different options but in short you stay on a 4 star guest farm for a couple of days spending the mornings cooking and learning and the afternoons relaxing on the farm and then being treated to a farm feast every evening. Sounds flippen amazing.