Hidden Gems of Cape Town, Kalky’s in Kalk Bay

There is probably nothing better that tasting good seafood fresh from the sea and it does not get any fresher than Kalky’s on the harbor wall in Kalk Bay.

Kalk Bay Habour – pic by Mark Meyer @ TOUCHmediaworx

They have been selling fresh seafood and delicious hot chips for the last 20 years

The restaurant has been part of Kalk Bay harbour for 20 years. Located right on the harbor, it is a hub for local fishermen and lovers of seafood from near and far.

Kalky’s at Kalk Bay Harbour

They have seafood menu that’s to die for, it includes a wide range of seafood that is “in-season” the most popular being their famous fish and chip parcel of hake smothered in hot chips.

Kalky’s famous fish and chip parcel of hake smothered in hot chips.

Other popular dishes are snoek, yellow-tail, crayfish, mussels and calamari fish and chips straight off the nearby boats. One just simply cannot eat everything off the menu in one sitting, so a series of visits is needed to enjoy the tasty fare available.

On our first visit we started with the traditional fish and chips with a serving of calamari and as they say to steal a phrase – “It was finger licking good.”

The staff are fisher-folk and they know how to prepare these dishes best, they also add to the atmosphere with typical fisher-folk hospitality. It is has a homely atmosphere and the regulars are treated like royalty, greeted by name with typical friendly conversation as their orders are recorded.

The trawlers dancing on the water as the fishermen readied for the next day’s trip Pic – Mark Meyer @TOUCHmediaworx

Despite the inclement weather the view from Kalky’s across the harbor and towards the village was one of great beauty, hues of red and gold at dusk, the trawlers danced on the water as the fishermen readied for the next day’s trip.

The view from Kalky’s across the harbor and towards the village was one of great beauty, hues of red and gold at dusk. Pic – Mark Meyer @TOUCHmediaworx

Kalk Bay is home to generations of fisherman and their heritage is still evident by the white fisherman’s cottages/duplexes still standing just above the main road overlooking the harbor along Gordon Road behind St James Mission School.

In fact in summer these residents have a communal fish braai opposite their residences with the days catch brought home by the men/women of the households at the end of a hard day’s work at the nearby harbour.

The area of what is now known as Kalk Bay was settled as early 1860 when a Filipino fishermen settled there after he was wrecked off Cape Point. He was joined by fellow-countrymen and fishermen and women from all over the world. Later, refugees from the Philippines after the unsuccessful uprising against the Spanish in 1872 also settled in Kalk Bay.

The name Kalk Bay is a literal translation from the Dutch/Afrikaans name “Kalkbaai” is “Lime Bay”. This derives from the vast deposits of mussel shells found there, which early settlers burned to make lime for construction. Lime kilns to roast mussel shells are still found along the west coast.

CAPE TOWN TOURISM BOARD DEVELOPMENT FUND 2015 WINNERS ANNOUNCED

In October 2013, Cape Town Tourism’s Board of Directors took a collective decision to forfeit their monthly remuneration in favour of the Board Development Fund (BDF) that assists Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) with support to develop their tourism businesses.

Caption: First Row L-R: Jonathan Jacobs (CTT Board), Siyabulela Siyaka of Ubizo Tours and Events (winner 2015), Ebrahim Osman of Ozzie’s Golf Guides (winner 2014), Shaheed Ebrahim of Escape to the Cape (winner 2015), and Enver Mally (Chairperson CTT Board). Standing L-R: Enver Duminy (CTT CEO), Alushca Ritchie (CTT Board), John van Rooyen (CTT Board), Brett Hendricks (CTT Board), JB Maree (Business Skills Coach)
Image by Deon Gurling, courtesy of Cape Town Tourism

In year two (2015) of the Board Development Fund, Cape Town Tourism received many promising applications and after a thorough selection process, a shortlist of four candidates was created. In March 2015, two beneficiaries were carefully selected and Cape Town Tourism has allocated R50 000 to each in support of their businesses’ growth. Additional non-financial support is also being given in the form of complimentary Cape Town Tourism membership, business skills coaching, mentorship and marketing support until February 2016.

The two successful SMME’s are Escape to the Cape and Ubizo Tours and Events.

Escape to the Cape, established in 2010, has continued to enjoy steady growth and Shaheed Ebrahim, the owner/manager has been recognised in the industry for his entrepreneurial flair. In 2012, Escape to the Cape pioneered on board Wi-Fi by introducing this service in their vehicles. Shaheed is committed to empowering and supporting five SMME’s by providing Wi-Fi for  their vehicles, creating more market share for them  and increasing mutual business opportunities.

Specialising in cultural and historical tours, Ubizo Tours and Events is owner-managed by Siyabulela Siyaka, a passionate tourism entrepreneur who has trained and employs ten local tour guides and three permanent staff. Working in the townships of Langa, Gugulethu and Khayelitsha, his focus is on telling the stories that balance traditional and modern norms. Ubizo Tours and Events would like to add cycling tours to their basket of activities.

The Cape Town Tourism Board and team look forward to the journey ahead with Escape to the Cape and Ubizo Tours and Events.

One of the winners of the Board Development Fund in 2014, Ebrahim Osman, owner of Ozzie Golf Guides had this to say; “As a previous winner of the Cape Town Tourism Board Development Fund, I’m still grateful for the winnings and exposure my business received. With the cash prize I was able to buy some much needed golfing equipment, a laptop, upgrade my website and most of all start a caddie outreach development programme. This programme, with the help of the Big Six, proved to be very successful and we managed to take thirty caddies from five different golf courses to the various top attraction sites in Cape Town i.e. Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch, Cape Point, Waterfront and Groot Constantia. This exercise provided them with practical experience and valuable knowledge, which they can share with our golfing tourists in Cape Town – after all, they spend five hours on the golf course with visitors and we should regard them as grassroots ambassadors for the golf club, Cape Town and South Africa.

For me personally, winning the award provided me with great confidence and self-belief. Today my services are regarded as a value added service by most top hotels, guest houses and tour operators in Cape Town. Thank you once again for this wonderful opportunity.”

Chairperson of Cape Town Tourism Board, Enver Mally, wishes past and present winners well for their journey ahead; “Whilst the Board Development Fund is only a small gesture, it was something that we could implement immediately and is part of our bigger commitment to diversifying Cape Town’s tourism offering. On behalf of the Board I would like to congratulate this year’s winners of the Board Development Fund and we look forward to walking this path with you.”

Cllr Garreth Bloor, Mayoral Committee member for Tourism, Events and Economic Development, concludes; “The City of Cape Town is very proud of this initiative by Cape Town Tourism. It ties directly into the City’s mission to become an opportunity City that creates the favourable enabling environment for economic growth and development. Several City supported programmes advance entrepreneurs and SMEs, and so this programme is directly in line with the strategic focus of the City of Cape Town. We certainly wish the winning businesses well but encourage the other contenders to make use of the 90 plus agencies working with the City in our business support ecosystem to grow their businesses and flourish in Cape Town’s economically favourable environment.”