REVIEW: ROXI’S ON THE SQUARE

Small town, beer garden, boozy pub lunches your thing? Mine too. But we can add a little sophistication to that – and dine al fresco in the Garden Route breeze at Roxi’s On The Square in Wilderness. I must have been born with some sort of Spanish blood running through me, because I cannot get enough of tapas style foods, especially around lunch time. There’s something about eating mini foods with your hands, and no, canapes are not the same.

After a heated round of putt putt at our hotel, we were famished! We had stumbled upon Roxi’s On The Square the night before, but the live music and craft gin tasting was called off as the heavens opened and washed away our chance of a Garden Route outdoorsy dinner. The very enthusiastic manager seated us as we walked into the square, and chatted us through the menu, encouraging us to put together some tapas platters for ourselves.

I was heart broken as I browsed through the (fairly extravagant and extensive) menu, and read that their chef has created a South African style sushi! But only on Tuesday’s and Thursdays, which was sadly not the day we had visited on. Afro fusion platters. Using ostrich carpaccio, biltong and gammon for the meat-lovers and strawberry, avocado & cream cheese for the vegetarian option. Ah, yum?! I’ve seen this before in the Cape Town city, but all the way out there? In little Wilderness? Impressive and innovative. What a great way to serve a signature sushi dish, especially for such a busy tourist village.

So. Over the next 3 hours, Gustav and I wined & dined and obsessed over our beautiful little courses: arancini balls with a fresh chili and ginger sauce, sweet aubergine spread, sticky riblets, the most incredible guacamole and triple cheese stuffed potato skins, bree and lots of fresh, homemade artisan ciabatta. I loved that the house wine was a local from my neck of the woods – a Fairview La Capra Bouquet Fair.

We took a house roasted coffee to go, and headed back to the hotel in awe of this perfect little bit of magic, in my favourite town in the Southern Cape.

Have a look at #thesocialneediatravels photo-journal post about our visit to a Little Piece of Wilderness.

Follow them on social: Facebook for updates, email eat@roxis.co.za or call 044 877 0445 to book your table at the 1 Owen Grant Street, Palms Garden Square, Wilderness restaurant. They are open between 8:30am – 9pm daily, and is completely children and pet friendly. There is lots of free parking around the area.