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Home  ACE Stories Entree Table Tasty Accent of South Africa
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Tasty Accent of South Africa |
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Friday, 30 May 2008 |
Tasty Accent of South Africa
By Gretchen Williams Tostrup
“I always wanted to have a bar after I saw Tom Cruise in “Cocktail” as a very young man” said Robin McLean, owner of Springbok Bar & Grill. “It looked like a lot of fun. And it is!”
Long Beach is a far cry from Durban, South Africa, McLean’s original turf. He came to the U.S. to play rugby, the heavy action game that makes soccer look shy. Ten years later, he is the happy landlord of the Springbok, a bit of South Africa landed in Long Beach. This authentic rugby and soccer pub has an excellent offering of beers on tap, and an international assortment of tinned and bottled brew. The full bar and the fulsome barkeep could make even a strong man weep with joy.
Durban is a place of great surfing and fishing, with a temperate climate similar to Southern California. The melting pot of South Africa means a cuisine with the influences of England, the Netherlands, France, Greece and India, with the finest natural resources of Africa. The menu at Springbok speaks many languages, all with a tasty accent.
Appetizers are meant to compliment the liquid refreshments, and favorites like Bafana Buffalo wings in secret sauce, or crispy Hout Bay calamari with garlicky mayonnaise really fit the bill. Golden Sammy’s Samosas (Indian savory turnovers) are fun finger food, with curried beef or vegetarian potato and onion, served with a sweet chili sauce. For a more sophisticated starter, try Huguenot escargot with a lovely garlic butter sauce to dip crusty bread in, or Vasco Da Gama’s Peri Peri chicken livers, also with a tasty sauce. Spud’s potato skins with bacon, cheddar cheese and sour cream make a substantial snack for rabid sports fans.
Salads are sensibly offered as a starter or whole meal size, and the house dressing is outstanding, made with grainy mustard. The walnut salad has a winning combination of candied walnuts, crumbled bleu cheese and croutons over spring greens, dressed with balsamic vinaigrette. It would be worth coming to Springbok just for the splendid salad dressings.
Springbok’s menu has wonderful surprises, like fish and chips made with sole, a match made in heaven. The chips are, without doubt, the best French fries you have ever eaten. Served with fresh greens and homemade tartar sauce, this is fish and chips for the gods, for $12. Grilled New Zealand lamb chops, tender and cooked perfectly to order, with green salad, crunchy cole slaw and those fabulous fries, is the top tab on the bill of fare at $24 – it would be a good deal at twice the price. A recent special was 4 Springbok sliders – little hamburgers flame broiled, with tomato, lettuce, grilled onions and bacon, topped with cheddar cheese and spread with Thousand Island, for $9. Specials on the regular menu include a complimentary domestic draft or glass of house wine – a particularly good deal on Cape Point Sole fillets sautéed in white wine sauce or grilled Mahi Mahi filet over rice, both for $14. Weeknights are very special, with Tuesday nights offering a fantastic whole pound of crab legs for $14. Draft beers are all $1 on Thursday nights. Friday nights are all you can eat Mozambique style shrimp, with succulent shrimp cooked shell on with tangy sweet chili sauce, deliciously fun to eat with your fingers. Even the kids will love Springbok – the fish and chips or chicken tenders and chips are $6 on the children’s menu.
“Boerewors”are terrific South African beef sausages, grilled and served with “Train Smash,” a tangy tomato and onion sauce thought to evoke the visual horrors of a railroad wreck, hence the name. In spite of the image, do not miss this brilliant combination. Durban style curry is served with the day’s choice of beef, chicken or lamb, spicy and intriguing, and served over rice,with sambals (relishes) and pappadum (Indian crisp bread). Springbok Bar Burger is a classic burger with lettuce, tomato and onion, and with added options of bacon, pineapple, cheese,and barbecue or Springbok signature “Monkey Gland” sauce.
The dessert menu is short but sweet, with a South African traditional Auntie Spookie’s pudding (layers of banana, vanilla wafers and custard, topped with whipped cream and cinnamon) or Shaka Zulu’s Mud Hut (a chocolate lover’s dream of chocolate soufflé’ with chocolate ice cream covered in chocolate sauce) or a lovely milk tart, similar to custard pie, with whipped cream and a sprinkling of cinnamon.
Springbok Bar &Grill is all about fun. The bar is a sponsor of the Belmont Shore Rugby Club, and the sport fans are serious here. At any time of day, soccer matches from around the world are televised on the big screens. The cozy bar and comfortable terrace offer good seating anytime. Spit barbecues on Saturday and Sunday promise weekend adventure. Direct TV packages cover football, basketball and baseball. Live music is happening on Friday and Saturday nights. Springbok covers a lot of territory for your travel dollar.
Springbok Bar & Grill 423-A Shoreline Village Drive Long Beach (562) 437-3734.
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