There's nothing quite like a bout of load-shedding to cast a pall over a city.
Implicit in the lights going out is something darker than the mere absence of electricity: We are reminded that our power failures are inextricably linked to political failures, and that our economy's essential utilities are being badly run.
Luckily, I've found the ideal spot to restore the spirits of Sauvignon Blanc-slurping suburbanites - a place where it doesn't matter whatsoever whether Eskom flicks the switch. Who needs power when you've got good food, a great view, and a generator?
The Noordhoek Community Market has all three. Hosted at Cape Point Vineyards' restaurant every Thursday evening, its location is hard to beat - even in a city stashed with gorgeous panoramas. Mountains surge up to your right; in front of you, beyond the dam and lawn and benches (where picnics are held during the day), there is fynbos, a sprinkling of houses, and then the thin white line where Noordhoek beach meets the sea.
It's a decidedly vanilla and moneyed affair. Little blonde kids run about on the grass while their parents, both expats and locals, mingle on the deck, drinking the estate's award-winning wines (Cape Point Vineyards is particularly renowned for its sauvignon blanc). I hate obsessive racial accounting, but I couldn't help but notice the disconcerting lack of a single black patron.
There's a nice spread of things to eat as well as to take home, including some familiar sights from other markets - Hungarian flatbreads, artisanal cheeses, juices, loose-leaf teas, biltong. I had a piping-hot prawn rissois from the Portuguese stand and a stack of ribs from Peter Goffe-Wood's Kitchen Cowboys (a little underwhelming for R70).
A few days later, after several attempts to make a reservation (it is, perhaps understandably, incredibly popular at this time of year), I managed to nab a table at the restaurant on Monday. The market stalls were long gone - instead, the minimalist interior was home to elegantly laid tables.
The distant sea gleamed in the sunshine, and there was a cool breeze, so I made sure I got a spot out on the deck.
Having tried the estate's deliciously toasty chardonnay (and the equally lovely cabernet sauvignon) at the market - and discovered that, at R65 a glass, both cost R10 more in the restaurant - I opted for a summery mojito (R50) instead. It took a while to arrive (as did the water I requested), but was worth it, striking that tricky balance between sweet and sour.
The small menu consists of mostly Mediterranean and Italian dishes. The black mussels for starters tasted as if they'd been plucked off the rocks that morning. Deciding against Kingklip (it's Sassi orange-listed) and the beef sirloin with mushroom, I opted for the springbok loin for my mains.
Too full for dessert, I finished off with a double espresso.
The cost of R350, including tip, was a little steep for a single person, I thought - making this ideal to visit when you've got overseas visitors paying the bill. But at least the view was free.
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 
