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From the south-western corner of the little cluster of shops on Noordhoek's Beach Road there is a superb view of Noordhoek Beach and the sea - an expanse of white sand that curves round the bay to the distant village of Kommetjie, with the deep blue of the Atlantic Ocean stretching away to the horizon. This spot has been occupied by several coffee shops over the years (with mixed success) and is now home to Slip Slops Kitchen Beach Bar, a welcome new addition to the South Peninsula restaurant scene [Aside : If you're not sure where "Noordhoek" is, it's a suburb of Cape Town in South Africa, on the south-western coast of the Cape Peninsula].

Slip Slops Beach Bar ...

Looking out over the Atlantic Ocean (above)
The semi-alfresco bar counter (below)

The restaurant has been renovated in a relaxed, beach-bar style. There are several outside tables in the shade of the leafy milkwood trees that cluster between the shops of the centre, but the new owners have obviously realized that the South Peninsula weather is such that it is a rare day indeed when one can sit outside and eat without shivering in the wind - hence the new interior of the restaurant, a prefabricated construction that manages to avoid looking cheap and nasty. It is bright and airy inside, with wrap-around windows and plenty of room. The gnarled trunk of an old tree curls its way through the walls and out of the roof.

Slip Slops is a licensed restaurant, not a coffee shop, and its menu reflects that - pizzas, burgers and steaks dominate. But there are a few light meals on offer, as well as some unusual temptations such as churros. Intrigued by these, I ordered the churros and an Americano, wondering what exactly I'd get. Unfortunately the coffee was a bit weak (as is often the case in restaurants that do not specialize in coffee) but the churros were fantastic. It turns out these are deep-fried pastries or dough sticks, served with chocolate sauce and condensed milk ; they are very popular in Spanish and Latin American countries. Mid way through dipping and eating the churros I decided to keep the remainder of the condensed milk to use in my second cup of (hopefully stronger) coffee.

This time I asked the waitress to make me a double-shot Americano, and when the coffee came I poured the remainder of the condensed milk into it. Holy mackerel, was that good! The coffee was very strong and the condensed milk gave it a rich creamy flavour. The churros were excellent, but that second coffee with condensed milk was simply outstanding.

Sipping a cappuccino at the counter

I haven't sampled any of the main meals there, but if you want a great cup of coffee in a relaxed environment, try Slip Slops Beach Bar in Noordhoek ; just make sure you ask for a double shot. The view is fantastic and they won't mind if you're barefoot, covered in sand and wearing beach shorts.

  Slip Slops Kitchen Beach Bar
  Red Herring Trading Post
  Corner of Beach & Pine Roads
  Noordhoek
  Western Cape
  South Africa
  (Phone) +27 21 789 0122
  (Web) www.slip-slops.com
  (Facebook) www.facebook.com/slipslopskitchenbar