In the immortal words of Anthony Bourdain, “You want to go to a place where there’s locals only eating there, that look like they go there a lot.” This could not be more true of Swellendam’s hidden gem, The Garden Shack.
Succulently fresh battered seafood – more delectable than any I have tasted on the coast – is enthusiastically enjoyed by local families one never sees in the more “upscale tourist” restaurants in this gorgeous village. Those who don’t sit down get take-out, and those who know recommend it to their overnighting friends, so there is a constant, low-level buzz of enjoyment. Besides the hake, calamari, mussels and prawns there is a great addition. It’s sushi, expertly made by Zola Ntuma. On Wednesdays, you get extra pieces. It’s fantastical!
Also fantastical is the architecture of the Garden Shack. A motley collection of semi-covered spaces erected over an old nursery jam-packed with dilapidated collectibles, it’s nothing short of gleefully crazy. The entire entrance level is ankle-deep in sea-sand, in which sail umpteen squishy old armchairs. No less motley is the clientele, who range through anything from drunks missing balls at the teetering pool-table, to classy estate managers cheerfully cooking their own snacks over an open fire.
The owners – known to me only as Sid and Des – are quite clearly having the time of their lives, throwing caution to the wind and doing whatever they please. Their non judgemental inclusiveness is a compliment to their Christianity, as Jesus’s teachings resonate with the powerful injunction to “love thy neighbour.”
