Afrikaans is a crazy language, with super-long words filled with many vowels, guttural g’s, and rolling r’s requiring acrobatic tongue movements. Afrikaans food words are no exception; they are delightful and I have no idea what they mean or how to pronounce them. Such were my thoughts as I pondered the menu at Bergbron Plaaskombuis.
Bergbron Plaaskombuis. “Plaaskombuis” means farm kitchen. “Plaas” is farm and “kombuis” is kitchen and the two words are combined together into one long word, as often happens in Afrikaans. “Kwekery” means nursery.
What is tuisgebakte and how on earth do I say it? What about boepensbroodjie, roosterbrode, sonop jaffel, vaaljapie? Skilpadjies?
The menu at Bergbron Plaaskombuis, which the server delivered with a tiny tin cup of homemade ginger beer.
Bergbron (another inscrutable Afrikaans word) is a western Jozi suburb, adjacent to Northcliff, Greymont, and Florida Glen. I was excited to discover an interesting restaurant there (thanks to Gail for the tip), as I find the sprawling West Rand suburbs difficult to penetrate from a “things to do” perspective. The Plaaskombuis is definitely something worth doing.
Breakfast at Bergbron Plaaskombuis
Marie-Lais and I went to the Plaaskombuis on a cold, rainy Friday morning. The restaurant sits on the property of a garden nursery, so you have to walk through rows and rows of pretty aloes and other indigenous plants to get there.
Succulents on display at the kwekery.
Looking in on the Plaaskombuis.
I expected the restaurant to be empty on a day like this, but several tables were taken and it was so warm and cozy on the enclosed porch (or “stoep”, as they say in Afrikaans). At the center of the dining area was a giant iron stove with actual flames coming out of one of the burners.
I knew we were on to something good.
The Plaaskombuis dining area, with the requisite decorated tin cups hanging from the ceiling. (Every Afrikaans restaurant seems to have these.)
The wood-burning stove.
I ordered the snoop jaffel — two waffle-like circles fused together with egg, bacon, and cheese in between. I’m not sure if I was supposed to do this but I drizzled the whole thing with syrup and it was absolutely delicious. Marie-Lais had the skilpadjies, which is basically two balls of liver, and a side of fried eggs.
Bergbron breakfast.
I loved everything. My only complaint is the coffee — the cups are way too small and two americanos felt like barely enough for me.
After paying the bill (only R180, including tip, for two breakfasts and four coffees), we were lucky enough to catch our server pulling homemade bread out of the wood-burning oven.
I love this.
The Plaaskombuis also has a small “padstal”, or roadside stall, next to the dining room selling various homemade goods. I didn’t investigate closely but a friend tells me they have very good cordials, jams, etc.
Bergbron Plaaskombuis is at the corner of Bergbron Driver and Helderberg Road in Bergbron. Call +27-76-932-4333.
So glad you went, Too many childhood foods on that menu, that I wish it was closer so I could try them all. Skilpadjies are just my all time favourite.
I can’t wait to go backs d try more stuff.
God, I miss a proper Western breakfast. I need to get one when I have my mornings free again.
Afrikaans is such a strange sounding language. I remember 2 Saffa girls in our teacher’s room going at it and I’m like, “Huh?” I think I know one word, “lakka” or something like that meaning “cool”. Like Snoopy, Joe Cool 😛
Have you picked up on any of it?
The word you’re thinking of is ‘lekker’. Such a useful word! Although for the longest time I misunderstood and couldn’t figure out why people were always describing cool things as ‘lacquer’.
I’ve always thought Afrikaans is such a beautiful, expressive language. I’ve hardly picked up any of it though – same as with all the South African languages. I think I’m too old 🙂
Hahahhaa. Yeah, I knew I had it close but wrong. And I did think ‘lacquer’. But the spelling I knew was definitely wrong 😛
Yeah, I know the Thai equivalent “sut-yaut”. It’s handy. And some bad words so I know when the students are using it!
But they don’t normally teach you slang when you learn another language. They should though.
You’re not old!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Haha, maybe just generally bad at languages then. Nothing sticks in my head and there are sooooo many South African languages and it’s all too overwhelming ????
I swear I could almost smell the bread coming out of the wood stove.
What is the most common language? Or is it impossible to say?
I haven’t properly researched this, but have heard that Afrikaans is the largest first language spoken in SA. This is mainly because there is a huge population of colored (mixed race) South Africans who speak Afrikaans. But I don’t know this for certain. And I think English will gradually overtake Afrikaans over time. Zulu and Xhosa are the most widely spoken indigenous languages, I think.
Thanks for sharing! My family are now going to visit this “kombuis” this weekend before they finally leave South Africa. Some sadness there but has to be done!
I’m sorry to hear your family is leaving! But this will definitely be a great place to say farewell.
Thanks for sharing this. I’m a South African living in South Korea and it was so nice to read this. Thanks 😀
Thanks Simonette! So glad you enjoyed it.
This place looks fantastic
It is!