When you realise that you’ve had a post ready to go for MONTHS, of an outing on the 1st of JANUARY and you still haven’t posted it – sigh, 2017 is going wayyyy too fast! Let’s just call this #FlashbackFriday!
Noble Savage (he said):
Ahhh, New Year’s Day! The day when people that can’t stand New Year’s Eve struggle to find a decent place to lunch. Year after year we end up in shitty spots because we can’t seem to plan ahead. But not this year! I refuse to start a new year again by sitting in some place that smells like stale beer, stale smoke, and urine. Damnit, we’re going to plan this time!
It’s always nice to get out of the city, and I remembered we made a quick stop at Brauhaus Am Damm a few months ago. So booking made, we headed out! It’s about 120km form Centurion, so if you want to go, take note that it’s not exactly around the corner. But it’s quite a nice drive. We took the N14, then the Magalies road via Noupoort. The road isn’t perfect, but the scenery is rather pleasant (coming back we took the N4 – not scenic, but faster).
As the name would suggest, Brauhaus Am Damm is a brewery by a dam. Their beers are a mainstay at most craft beer festivals, and sticks to traditional German methods in the brewing process. They have it available on tap (obviously), as well as bottles to take home. My favourites are the Pilsner and the Dunkel, but you can have a taste of the selection, and make up your own mind.
The menu is absolutely vast. They really have any type of German dish you can think of. In my humble opinion though, most of their main dishes would be better enjoyed on a colder day (in other words, comfort food), but they also have lighter lunch options.
I was going to go with a pulled pork sandwich, but then saw the duck. And I have never met a duck I didn’t like…
The duck legs are served with sour cherries, red cabbage, and spätzle. The legs were prepared to perfection, but my favourite of the dish was actually the spätzle. I didn’t have a clue what it was – turns out it’s a soft egg noodle popular in Germanic countries. I didn’t care much for the cabbage, but that’s not because it wasn’t prepared properly; I just really don’t like cabbage. To finish off, I ordered a salted pretzel. Quick tip: don’t bother with store-bought pretzels, these are the real deal!
Overall, if you’re in the mood for a bit of a daytrip, give Brauhaus a bash. The owners are very hands on, friendly, and always willing to help. We’ll definitely go back during winter, when the menu can be thoroughly sampled!