Wolfgat
Thegenreof
musicthatplays
atthisaward-winning
Strandveldrestaurantis,
muchlikeitschef-patron
KobusvanderMerwe(who
alsohappenstobea gifted
pianist),hardtopigeonhole.
“Eachmorning,KobusandI
lookforoldandnewmusic
andwhateverwelikeon
thedaygoesonthelist,”
sayspartnerandconsultant
RoelievanHeerden.“It’sa
mixofalternative,jazz,pop
andclassic.Absolutelyno
whinymusicis allowed,
andneitheris anythingtoo
unnecessarilyshouty.”The
playlistsareundeniably
eclectic:wistfuloldieslike
RobertaFlack’s“WillYou
StillLoveMeTomorrow”seguesinto80santhemslikeNick
Kershaw’s“Wouldn’tit beGood”,whichspillsoverintothe
dreamyelectrobyM83rubbing shoulders with the feminist
rap of Peaches.wolfgat.co.za36 TASTE MARCH 2020
TABLE TALKHelloSailor
“Cultandslightlyoff-centre”is howownerBoško
PopovacdescribestheplaylistofhisCapeTownrock
‘nrollbistro.“Themusicrangesfromblues,swingandfunk
topunkandmetal,”hesays,addingthatthesoundtrackis
influencedbya hostofvariables,includingthetimeofday,the
weatherandhowmanydinersthereareata giventime.This
meansregularsmighthearCabCallowayandDjangoReinhardt
oneday,andBillyIdolandPixiesthenext.“Themusiconeeats
tohastobepositionedsoit’snotoverpowering,”hesays.“You
don’twantthecustomertocompetewithmusicthat’stooloud
orup-tempo,butyoualsodon’twantthevolumesolowthat
it doesn’tcreateatmosphere.”Boškoalsoregularlyleavesthe
DJinguptohisstaff.“I trynottoforcemystafftoplaywhatI
want,butrathertolearnandbeabletoreadthecrowd.It’snot
alwayssuccessful,butthat’swhatmakesit fun:sometimes you
get death metal for breakfast.”hellosailorbistro.co.za
NOW PLAYING
Chow tunes
Whilea badlycuratedplaylistcanruinyour
appetite,a well-consideredonecanadd
anotherdimensiontoyourmeal.Wedelve
into the discographiesoflocalrestaurants
that have nailed the formula