Isa's Food Addiction

Rabbit in the Moon - Bohemian Cafe in the heart of Sandton

2011-11-04T09:36:00.000+02:00

Food: Eclectic Bistro (a bit of everything)

Wine: Very limited, but some good choices. Prices rather on the high end.

Service: Very Good, attentive and enthusiastic.

Ambiance: Smart Casual, relaxed but eclectically elegant.

In a nutshell: Flavorful Food in a Heartwarming setting where the client is king. Prices on the Menu for the starters and Lunch Menu Items are on the affordable side, with the dinner price range significantly higher, yet reasonable. An excellent choice for a romantic dinner or simply the place to chill out with a nice selection of cocktails. Don't Miss: Filet Mignon and Three Milks Dessert.

City: Johannesburg, South Africa

Address: 198 Oxford Road, Illovo. (Same complex as Yamato, next to Thrupps)

Tel: 011 447 6720

I came across Rabbit in the Moon while looking for something else in the internet, I don't even recall what, but probably related to food. In any case, it turned out to be a great surprise. While a bit hidden, it's a nice Jewel with a classically elegant bohemian mix of vintage furniture and famous art replicas, mainly of famous writers. They have set up a nicely-put-together tent right in front of the restaurant (and probably the reason why you can't easily see it off the street), which boasts the same kind of Bohemian decor as the beautiful interior and connects with an improvised, yet astonishingly wild looking garden setting. We wanted to sit down in this garden area initially, but the cold blowing wind quickly chased us away (it is still spring after all).

To their disadvantage I arrived famished, as I had not had lunch. But, to our delight the food was served speedily and it looked just great. We had the Filet Mignon and the Burger, from which the former proved to be the undisputed winner. The Filet was served with what I take it was a Provencal herbs and brandy creamy sauce with a side of scalloped potatoes with caramelized onions, just delicious! The Burger was good but lacked oomph, with the cherry tomato topping and the balsamic reduction sauce being the highlight. It was served with what were supposed to be Truffle Fries, but the truffle oil could not be tasted. We poured it all down with a Simonsig Pinotage, also a tasteful new discovery.

Then we saved ourselves for dessert, which we don't normally order but fortunately we decided to enquire about the day's selection. We were surprised to hear about the three milks dessert, and I figured that since it seemed to be the traditional three milks dessert I had so often had in Ecuador and they did say it came from Latin America, we had to give it a try... And we did not regret it! The piece we were served was huuuuge and rather costly (R40), but good value, because, despite the size, we ate all. It was certainly one of the nicest three milks desserts we've had, and it can be found just down the road on Oxford Rd, Johannesburg!

We had a great time and felt amazingly attended to by the staff as well as Simon, the owner and manager, who made sure we were thoroughly satisfied at all times. It is such a breeze to find places where one feels warmly hosted and the ambiance, food and drink reflect that care. Visiting Rabbit in the Moon is a must! who knows, I might see you there, because I'll definitely be back.

Love, iSa

Pepper Beef Fillet with a Truffle, Porcini Mushroom and Pine Nut Sauce

2011-10-30T20:49:00.001+02:00

Signature Dish by iSa

Type: French, Italian, Fine Cuisine

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cooking Time: 20 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

4 Beef Fillet thick steak portions (200-250 gr each)

1 big or 2 small Shallots (Brown onion is ok if you can't find Shallots)

2 Large Garlic Cloves

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp Olive Oil

250 ml Fresh Cream

40 gr Toasted Pine Nuts

100 gr of Fresh or 50gr of Dried Porcini Mushrooms

50ml of dry red wine (use one you would drink)

1 bunch of Fresh Thyme

Freshly crushed Black Peppercorns

Freshly ground coarse salt

The best Black Truffle oil you can get your hands on

Preparation: Start by getting everything ready as you don't want either your sauce or your meat to overcook. So, chop the the shallots in a very fine brunoise as they're meant to provide seasoning, not really texture. Do the same for the Garlic. Toast the Pine nuts by throwing them into a medium heated pan and stirring often until they're slightly browned (be careful not to burn them, as their beautiful flavor will be lost!). Crush the black peppercorns and grind the salt. If you chose the Dried Mushrooms variety, rehydrate them by submerging for about 10 mins in just about enough hot water to cover them. Chop the mushrooms (either kind) into slices that can hold together while not being too thick.

How to make the Porcini Mushrooms, Pine nut and Truffle sauce: Place the liquid where you rehydrated the mushrooms (if you used the dried variety), into a small pan and allow to boil and concentrate while you do the rest. Begin with your sauce, by placing a sauce pan in medium heat and after allowing it to warm up, stir in 1 tbsp of Olive Oil and 1 tbsp of butter. Then throw in the Shallots and soften slightly, before adding the garlic. When the previous ingredients have started to brown, stir in the mushrooms. Allow to cook for about 5 mins and then pour in the wine. Allow to evaporate for a couple of minutes, or until it no longer smells of alcohol, then stir in the cream. Allow to cook for a couple of minutes until the consistency is almost as thick as you desire, then stir in the pine nuts and a hint of black pepper and set the sauce aside.

How to make an amazing Truffle and Pepper Fillet: Dry each fillet with a paper towel, then pour a few drops of the truffle oil on each steak and rub it in. Roll the steaks over the crushed peppercorns and the thyme leaves and allow the meat to set and soak in the truffle, pepper and thyme flavors for at least 15 mins. When your sauce is ready and you want to cook your meat, sprinkle each steak with salt all around. Place a heavy-based or non-stick pan (big enough to fit in all the 4 steaks) at high heat. Set the pan aside and pour the other tbsp of Olive oil swirling from side to side, put on the heat again and place the fillets in. Seal the steaks by allowing them to brown on each side, the entire cooking process for the meat should take around 8-10 mins if you like to serve it medium rare, as I do. Place the meat in a warm plate and in a very low warm oven, allowing it to rest without getting cold, while you finish off the sauce.

Final Touches: To finish off this dazzling dish, continue to heat up the pan that you used to cook your meat at medium intensity and pour in about 50 ml of the concentrated mushroom stock, allow to evaporate slightly and then stir in the sauce. Arrive at the perfect consistency again, place each fillet in its corresponding plate and serve with a generous amount of sauce and drizzle a few drops of truffle oil on top. Serve with the starch and Veggies of your choice or see below for recommended side dishes.

Recommended Side Dishes: For my choice of starch, I served it with fresh pasta cooked al dente and mixed with butter and olive oil sauteed leeks. For veggies, I decided to look for those that would compliment the taste of the meat and so I made a fresh salad (to cut off slightly the richness of the creamy sauce), made with roasted bell peppers and cherry tomatoes, rocket and onion sprouts (I could have also used caramelized onions).

Drink: with an excellent Dry Red Wine, with enough complexity to complement this flavor rich meal, such as the South African De Toren Fusion V that we had (courtesy of our good friend Samir)... and of course, enjoy!

Love, iSa

MasterChef South Africa is here and auditions are open!

2011-10-28T12:37:00.000+02:00

After the great success of the many versions of MasterChef that have been launched worldwide and what appears to be the thirst for more from the South African public, the MasterChef franchise has made its way to SA and auditions are now open! To enter and check out all of the relevant info go to: http://mnet.dstv.com/2011/10/27/masterchef-south-africa-2/

I will not be entering the competition, in case come of you may be wondering. Because as much as I love cooking, it is not my thing to do it professionally. I'll leave that to one of you, fellow foodies!

See below the promo video used for MasterChef Australia, I couldn't find one for SA but this should get your cooking adrenaline pumping!

Addis in Cape Restaurant - Ethiopian Food in the heart of Cape Town

2011-09-10T11:31:00.000+02:00

Food: Ethiopian, Curries and Beans.

Wine: Small Selection.
Service: Some staff were friendly and knowledgeable about the food but not wine.
Ambiance: Romantic with dim lights. Colorful and authentic Ethiopian feel.
In a Nutshell: An unforgettable dining experience where you share and eat delicious food with your hands. Don't miss: The tasting menu and great for a Romantic dinner!

Where: 41 Church St, City Bowl. Cape Town, Western Cape.
Tel: 021 424 5722
Email: celebrate@addisincape.co.za

Website: www.addisincape.co.za

Following various recommendations from friends, we were eager to try the flavours of Ethiopia at Addis in Cape Restaurant. Our first attempt to go was on Sunday for dinner but they were closed, remember my previous complaint? We then tried them again on monday and succeeded to our delight.

Decorated with a great variety of colour and what I imagine are Ethiopian artifacts, the place transports you in a matter of seconds to to your destination: Addis Ababa. The lights are dim and a lot of candle light brightens the room, giving it a relaxed, warm and romantic atmosphere.

The friendly waiter explained to us that being our first time it would be advisable to go for a tasting menu, so we could try a wider variety of dishes served on a very big round flat bread that looked more like a crepe. We were presented with 6 different stew-like dishes all served on this huge round flat bread: Lamb Curry, Chicken curry, Beef curry, Prawn curry, Lentils, Chickpeas. They also added some South African styled spinach on there, but we hardly touched it as everything else was just so good! They also served some of that round bread rolled up that we were instructed to use to wrap around the food with our hands and eat, as there are no such things as knifes and forks here. I found the whole experience of eating with my hands fully amazing! this might be my food addiction talking here, but I think it takes the connection to your food to another level. The menu also included bread with some Ethiopian spices as a starter and a deliciously rich Ethiopian Coffee and popcorn to end. I have to say that I'd highly recommend you go for the tasting menu too.

The evening was lovely, we had a great meal, a very nice service from the male waiter (not very good from the female waitress), but a great experience overall. Definitely a must go while in the Cape Town area.

Love, iSa

The Foodbarn Restaurant - Loving Food and Life in Noordhoek

2011-09-04T12:29:00.002+02:00

Food: Fine dining, French inspired with some Asian twists.
Wine: Selection not excessive but right (all budgets).
Service: Outstanding, knowledgeable and friendly.
Ambiance: Relaxed country chic style, food barn setting.
In a Nutshell: Enjoy an unpretentious fine dining experience where food tastes fresh and is approached with creativity, care and a bit of dare. Don't miss: Tuna Sashimi, Nitida Wine, the Deli.
Where: Noordhoek Farm Village. Corner Village Lane and Noordhoek Main Road. Noordhoek, Western Cape.
Tel: 021 789 1390

Email: info@thefoodbarn.co.za

Website: www.thefoodbarn.co.za

Looking to plan something to do during our trip in Cape Town that we hadn't done in our previous visits, we were determined to take a stroll down Chapman's Peak Drive. I figured it would be nice to arrive in Noordhoek right around lunch time and looked for the best place to eat in that area. Almost immediately The Foodbarn popped up about everywhere and I was making a booking in no time. We arrived to find a very country chic styled restaurant where we were warmly welcomed. I had read about the Nitida Menu Winter Special on the website which were 3 to 5 course menus with Nitida wine tasting included. We opted for the 3-course menu option and our adventure began...

They served a deliciously crusty-on-the-outside yet soft-and-fresh-in-the-inside bread that had us entertained for a while, until the first meal arrived. For the sake of trying various dishes we both chose differently. I, for starters, had the Tuna Sashimi with Cauliflower and Basil Mousseline in a ginger and Soy sauce, which were straightforward flavours harmoniously combined, paired with a extremely fresh and floral Nitida Sauvignon Blanc 2011, the perfect start. My husband had a nicely put together Wild Mushroom, Tarragon and Ricotta Ravioli with a creamy and tasty Fontina Sauce served with Nitida Semillon 2010 that had a smoked wood taste. Although the latter dish was rather good, I found the texture of the Ravioli filling to be on the unappealling side, as the ricotta made it more watery than creamy and the mushrooms had been minutely chopped, loosing in the process the intensity of flavor and the fleshy texture of mushrooms.

The Foodbarn's Tuna Sashimi

The Foodbarn's Wild Mushroom Ravioli

The Foodbarn's Pork Belly Roast

The real adventure, however, would come for the mains in the form of Calf's Brains for myself together with a glass of fresh yet bodied Nitida Coronata 2009. If I may say, I was highly recommended this signature dish by our host, who would swear by it, so it certainly helped me into making the decision to give it a try. It was very nicely presented, and it obviously did not look like brains. Cut into bite size pieces and bathed by a creamy port (not sure) sauce, the little whitish pieces of brain matter were rather good, achieving a creamy camembert-like texture and an arguably good taste. Even so, I don't think I'd be prone to order such a thing again. To be fair, I was feeling sick from my tummy even before getting to the restaurant, but after that meal I had a terrible and painful tummy ache for the rest of the afternoon and evening, so, fair or not, my system has kind of blamed the "brains" for the damage caused. My husband for his part, greatly enjoyed the Slow Roasted Pork Belly on Almond Mash, wilted spinach and Balsamic Jus paired with Nitida Calligraphy 2010.

The Foodbarn's Calf's Brains

Banana Crepe with Rum and Treacle Ice Cream

To finish off our adventure I went caribbean and chose the Banana Crepe in a coconut sauce with Rum & Treacle Ice Cream and my other half had the Tempura Taleggio with a Sweet Herb Vinaigrette. My choice was good but not so memorable, while his was not very good at all. The idea had its merit, but the sauce was too tangy and salty for an already salty cheese so it didn't really taste much like dessert, but like a salty starter. Like everything I write here, this is just my opinion, but I think they could still save the dish by changing the sauce to, for example, a Sweet blackberry/raspberry and balsamic vinaigrette with basil.

Tempura Taleggio with sweet herb vinaigrette

Overall, it was a good experience, service was outstanding and the food had a lovely presentation and generally good tastes and textures. If you're going that way, it is a place you should try. They also have a deli where you can buy nice breads and other stuff, so if you're going from Noordhoek towards Hout Bay (heading to Cape Town) you can probably stock up on some goodies for a lovely picnic at Chapman's Peak (ask where the deli is though, because it's not right next to the restaurant as you would expect).

If you have your own recollection of an experience at this restaurant, please, by all means share it here.

Love, iSa

Cape Town Gastronomic Adventure

2011-08-30T11:11:00.004+02:00

The "Mother City", as Cape Town is known in SA, is also very much recognised for its amazing culinary experiences against the backdrop of Table Mountain, Table Bay and the Winelands. Having been to Cape Town a couple of times already, we came prepared for a gastronomic adventure in and around the City Bowl, and what an adventure it was!

Table Bay Hotel and Green Point Stadium

We started our trip on a Sunday, and let me just pause here to recommend that you try to avoid Sundays and Mondays in Cape Town as many places are closed and you end up jumping from place to place trying to find one that is open. We were lucky enough though, to land at Hudsons - The Burger Joint on Kloof Street where a carefully crafted selection of gourmet burgers and local beer brews awaited, not to mention the staff who were just great...

&Union Craft Beer

The next day we woke up with a craving for a good bakery and headed for Cafe Milano, only to find it closed (remember my warning?), then we went to one more place with the same fate until finally a Capetonian friend took us out of our confusion and we joined him for lunch instead at Crave. A lively small spot in a busy corner next to the Thibault Square, Crave serves the freshest Muffins, Sandwiches, Soup, salads and smoothies to cater for the hungry and hip souls in its surroundings. After touring around the city for a while and enjoying the sea breeze, we headed for &Union for some imported artisan craft beer and a chilled Cape Town Sundowner while snacking on some delicious cured meats.

Addis in Cape Ethiopian Restaurant

The evening was still young and after some much needed rest and refresh, we headed to Addis in Cape, highly recommended by several friends it lived up to our expectations through a delightful and very different culinary experience greatly enhanced by the special ambiance.

Beleza Restaurant

At this point, with four different restaurants and bars under our belt in only two days, the tummy started to feel it, but with so much of Cape Town still to taste, we headed for our next destination: Beleza. When I read you could have a proper breakfast in Cape Town for R12 I could hardly believe it, but guess what? All true, and not only so, but the restaurant was handsomely put together and with great service! Next came Lunch, looking for some true Cape Malay food and following advice from a local friend I found Mariam's Kitchen. Very much your day-to-day restaurant in terms of looks and presentation, but the Beef Salomie tasted just like mama's best! We finished off the day with Anatoli Turkish restaurant as advised by a local and loved the authenticity of the food and the setting, we felt transported to Istanbul! From the flat bread and meze to the coffee, the experience was unique.

Next morning, we had a late breakfast at Jason Bakery, we only knew about it because every time we passed by there were plenty of people gathering around the street counter and hence decided to give it a try. The place was lovely and we had the best croissants ever with a huge mug of hot foamy chocolate, service, however, could have been better.

Then for the much awaited visit to The Foodbarn in Noordhoek. We found it while looking for a place to eat after Chapman's peak drive and booked our place for wednesday late lunch. we went for the 3-course tasting menu paired with some fabulous Nitida wines and it was the perfect end to our Cape Town Gastronomic Adventure. The food was generally tasty, well-presented and creative, and although the Calf's brains I had for mains might have been too much for my already sensible tummy, I guess it was worth the try.

The Foodbarn Restaurant in Noordhoek

So that was it, we wanted to go off the-beaten-path of Cape Town and the typical V&A Restaurants and I guess we made it happen with all good surprises.

Ps. Restaurant reviews for each restaurant will be coming up soon, so watch this space!

Love, iSa

Tortellino D'Oro - Authentic Italian Restaurant

2011-08-07T22:11:00.004+02:00


Source: http://www.tortellino.co.za

Food: Italian, Pasta

Wine: Good Selection, although Pricey.
Service: Good. Still room for improvement.
Ambiance: Casual, smarter in the evenings.
In a nutshell: Hearty food, nice wine and good service. Homemade pasta and excellent fresh ingredients and combinations thereof are the signature of this restaurant, with owners always present and an excellent culinary experience almost certain. Always a great choice, although rather on the pricey side. You should book for dinner.
City: Johannesburg, South Africa
Address: Oaklands Shopping Centre. C/o Pretoria Str & Victoria Rd. Oaklands. View Map
Tel: 011 483 1249
Website: http://www.tortellino.co.za/

I've always been a fan of Italian cooking for its relaxed and casual style, yet color and flavor full meals, with another take on vegetables and a great deal of olive oil. Italian food, however, is much broader than one sometimes imagines, with dishes varying from very fresh and summer toned to creamy and rich.

Source: http://www.tortellino.co.za

We've found a place right here in Johannesburg where all these flavors coincide and where you can sit down to indulge or buy a whole lot of goodies from the deli to keep enjoying at home, this place is Tortellino D'Oro...

Located on Athol-Oaklands Rd in a small shopping centre, it's a haven for us food lovers, filled with amazingly looking antipasti options (fresh and pickled), Italian bakery, take-away meals, wonderful fresh Homemade Pasta and Gelato italiano, and a great sit-down experience, this place will leave you wanting to come back for more. It was so much so, in fact, that after our first visit we were back there again less than a week later, in ocassion of a friend's birthday.

I can't really describe to you my step-by-step experience during one single evening, as it has by now become a potpourri of hearty memories, but I can tell you what it's been like in those two occasions and the dishes that I can clearly recall off the menu for their uniqueness and impact on me, I'm talking about wonderland here. OK, so it's not all perfect, we did have a bit of a dry and serious waiter the first time we came but after a few jokes, he started cracking. Even so, the hearty welcome and service of Valeria Bollini and Manfredo, will usually make up for any service mishaps. As cheesy as it may sound, I can even feel the love that goes into in their heart warming food, definitely the family home touch.

Source: http://www.tortellino.co.za

When you sit down, you're presented with the evening's assortment of freshly baked bread and some toppings like olive tapenade, butter and artichoke tapenade. A small platter with a variety of small appetizers will probably arrive following the bread to get your taste buds started. ALthough the menu is not very long, with a set and a seasonal menu to choose from you're still sure to have a tough time making up your mind. So both times we were there we selected an array of starters to share between all of us, and they were absolutely fantastic! From the ones we have tried the most memorable ones are the crostinis topped with camembert and pear; Veal tonne; Pear and almond salad drizzled with truffle oil; antipasti platter and the mussels in Napolitano Sauce (I still like the ones from Thomas Maxwell better, but these ones make a good standing).

The mains have all been good as well, although some better and more outstanding than others. If you go, which you must, definitely try the Ravioli filled with Ricotta and Porcini Mushrooms in a butter sage sauce, Green Taglionni with Porcini Mushrooms and truffle oil and Angel Hair Pasta al Salmone. Yes, there are many more options and it all sounds and looks so good, but you'll go for a sure win with these ones. We have also tried other dishes on the menu which were very nice indeed but not quite as mind-blowing as the previously mentioned ones: Spaghetti with Clams, Pasta with Crab Sauce and I've also heard the Kinglip is a good choice, but haven't given it a try due to it being an orange seafood choice in the SASSI list, as it's overfished.

Source: http://www.tortellino.co.za

Desserts I find, are more often than not, heavily overpriced in most restaurants, and Tortellino D'Oro adheres well to this rule. However, we have also given a go to our sweet tooth at this restaurant and my best choice thus far in that department has got to be the chocolate gelato, just great! (and good value for money) Let yourself go and have it in a cone, nothing better than licking your way through it. The Tiramisu was also nice, but I remember it was almost R50 and I've had better.

Source: http://www.tortellino.co.za

To be fair, we have been in amazing company both times we've been there and hence it certainly helps making it all extra special, but this place is absolutely worth a visit. Just to give you an idea, I've never been to Italy, but it's the closest I've felt to it. I'm still looking forward to go back for some extra unique foodie goodies, like Aceto Balsamico with white Truffle, Porcini Mushrooms or some of those giant fat olives.

Source: http://www.tortellino.co.za

If you decide to give it a try, please let me know how it goes!

Love, iSa

Daddy's Deals - Groupon's got competition!

2011-08-05T11:56:00.002+02:00

Remember I mentioned there is a site named Groupon where you can get excellent deals in South Africa? well they apparently have just gotten some competition! Kulula has entered the deal madness too! check it out. Daddy's Deals

Love, iSa

The Good Food Studio (Pick n Pay) - Indian Cooking Class

2011-08-03T12:52:00.004+02:00

Photo: Pick n Pay website

First of all, apologies for the long absence, but have been busy looking for my dream job lately and hope you can understand that it has taken priority at the moment. I also felt the two long weeks of no writing, I missed it terribly and I have so much to tell you about!!!

The other night my friend Sonia and I went to try our culinary skills and learn some more. We headed to The Good Food Studio in the Pick n Pay on William Nicol.

Photo: Pick n Pay website

We stumbled upon these cooking classes at The Good Food Studio via our daily email intake of Groupon special promotions...

Just to fill you in quickly, in case you haven't heard about Groupon, it's a very nice way to access hot deals in your city of choice, including cooking classes, restaurant meals, Laundry and other great bargains usually at a discount of over 50%! So, one day a cooking class voucher promotion arrives at my inbox and of course, food lover as I am, I recruited my friend Sonia to come with.

We booked in advanced for the class that interested us most from the schedule published on their website, the Indian Cooking class. A fully fledged, modernly decorated and fully equipped cooking studio filled with enthusiastic food lovers awaited. We proceeded to get some drinks from the bar for our dinner and there was a very limited but affordable wine list available, we chose a Rose and carried on to the cooking studio itself. I was very surprised to see the quality of the setup, with various top of the line working an cooking stations, lockers to store away your belongings and we each also got an apron and cloth for the evening.

We had two Chefs hosting us, teaching and checking that we didn't burn the food or ourselves. A handful of Recipes were passed on to us and the cooking began. Throughout the evening we would all gather around the Chef's station to watch and learn how it's done and then proceed to our stations to carry on the tasks and get the various recipes done and at the end feasted on our creations. We learned how to cook Lamb Samoosas, Naan Bread, Cucumber Raita and the best Chicken Korma I've ever tried!

I have to say, the Chefs and the other attendees in the class were great and with the company of my good friend, we had lots of fun. I would highly recommend checking it out. It's probably a great plan for an evening out to eat and enjoy quality time with your couple, with a friend or just to add more recipes and culinary skills to your acumen.

Prawns in Lemongrass and Honey sauce - MexicAsian Fajitas

2011-07-16T14:53:00.004+02:00

Signature dish by iSa

Type: Main

Prep Time: 30 - 40 mins

Cooking Time: 10 mins

Servings: 7-8 Portions (depending on portion size)

Ingredients:

2.5 kg of prawns peeled seasoned with a bit of sea salt
2 Lemongrass Stalks finely chopped (preferably crushed in a mortar)
1 big fat Ginger root, peeled and grated or finely chopped
50 - 70 gr Honey
5 big fresh Garlic cloves finely chopped
2 Lemons
Vegetable Oil
2 shots of Tequila
Red Kidney Beans
Sour Cream
Cheddar
Jalapeños
16-20 Tortillas
Hot Mexican Salsa or Salsa Chipotle
1 bowl (250 -300 gr) of Guacamole
1 Bowl (200 gr) of Pico de Gallo

How to make the Prawns: Heat up, on medium heat, 1 large wok or 2 large pans and toss in approximately 2 tbsp of vegetable oil, twirl it around in the pan. Put in the the lemongrass, followed by the ginger and the garlic and roast slightly, watching not to burn it all. Then put in the prawns, allow them to turn a bit pink and immediately follow with the honey, stir and throw in the tequila while allowing to catch some fire to flambé (if you're not cooking on a gas stove, then make sure to have a lighter at hand before you put in the tequila, but be careful, flambeing can be quite dangerous; if you don't know how to handle the pan and an open flame, rather let the alcohol simply cook away).
Let the alcohol burn away for about 1 min and quickly take out the prawns to avoid overcooking. Then put in the juice of 2 lemons in the sauce and allow to reduce for a further 3 - 5 mins). Pour this hot sweet and sour sauce over the prawns and serve.

How to serve: Before making the prawns make sure you have all the accompanying dishes ready and on the table, as prawns get cold very quickly. So this is how the side dishes come together:

Beans: This would be preferably served with black beans, but since red kidney are more readily available in SA, I usually just go for this option. To make your life simpler, just open a can of red kidney beans, pour all content into a small pan and reduce until you a get a more mushy and thicker bean concoction. If they are failing to get gooey by themselves, simply crush some of them a bit against the sides of the pan with a fork.
Salsa: Hopefully you are lucky enough to have some Mexican friends that are so lovely that they bring you the real stuff from there. However, if you don't happen to be as lucky as we are, you can also have the ready-made convenience but not just as perfect, of the Woolies Chipotle Salsa, is a fairly new range, but quite surprisingly close to the Mexican stuff. If you like to make your own salsa, please check out my Salsa Recipe.
Guacamole: This I would never recommend you to get ready made. For my simple Guacamole recipe simply click here.
Pico de Gallo: This you'll definitely not find anywhere in SA ready made, but it's indeed very simple to make, for the recipe click here.
Flour Tortillas: I don't even bother trying to make them anymore, it took me one whole day of frustration a few years ago to realize it wasn't worth the trouble. So you can either get them from Gaby (I'll give you the details so you can order from her, right here in JHB), or if not in Joburg or in a hurry, you can buy the ones from Woolies. Just heat them up in the microwave and serve covered by a cloth, to keep them warm.
The rest: Grated cheddar, Sour Cream and Jalapeños just serve in various serving dishes.

How to eat it: Take a tortilla and fill in with a bit of everything, I usually start with the sauces and the prawns and then the rest. Don't be too greedy though, because you'll end up spilling all over the place. Best way to fold it is as follows, check out the pic:

Source: alipuckett.com

Source: www.taste.com.au

This time we had it with caipirinhas but you can also enjoy it with margaritas or beer and the best company you can find! it's a very exciting but casual meal, so don't invite people who are not prepared to eat with their hands! Enjoy!

Love, iSa

Guacamole

2011-07-10T22:13:00.002+02:00

Sauces by iSa

Type: Sauce

Prep Time: 10 - 15 mins

Cooking Time: 0 mins

Servings: 6 - 8 Portions (depending on portion size)

Ingredients:

4 Ripe Avocados
1/3 Bunch Coriander finely chopped
1 Lemon
1 Chili finely chopped or 2 sliced Jalapeños
Salt and pepper to taste
Cayenne Pepper
Ingredients for variations: Sour cream or cream, Powdered Lemon Tajin (my dear friend Lucia brings it for us from Mexico), Tomato Brunoise.

How to make Guacamole: Peel the avocados and put in the flesh in a bowl (keep 1 or 2 of the pits on the side). Mash the Avos until arriving at an almost homogeneous puree. Stir in the juice of 1 lemon, the coriander, chili and salt and pepper to taste. Try it and see if needs more seasoning. Serve in a bowl and sprinkle some cayenne pepper on top for a more colorful presentation.

Variations: If you like...

...a more creamy Guacamole, stir in a bit of cream or sour cream.

...to use it for dipping nachos, then stir in some small tomato cubes (brunoise).

...to make use of mexican goodies, sprinkle with some Powdered lemon Tajin instead of the Cayenne pepper.

Enjoy as a dip for nachos or pair with any mexican meal, or Latin American for that matter, we all love it!

Love, iSa

Pico de Gallo

2011-07-10T21:51:00.001+02:00

Sauces by iSa

Type: Sauce

Prep time: 15 min

Cooking time: 0 min

Servings: 6 portions (depending on serving size)

Ingredients:

1/2 Yellow Pepper
1/2 Red Pepper
1/2 Green Pepper
1/2 Red Onion
1 or 2 Hot chilis
1/3 bunch of Coriander chopped finely
The juice of 1 or 2 lemons

How to make Pico de Gallo: Chop all ingredients above finely and place into a bowl with the lemon juice (enough to slightly cover the rest of the ingredients). I just advise, for more tastiness to make it before anything else, so it gets to sit for a while (at least 30 mins) and allow all the flavors to come together. Enjoy with any Mexican meal or with anything you fancy to try it!

Love, iSa

Hot Mexican Salsa

2011-07-10T21:34:00.002+02:00

Sauces by iSa

Type: Sauce

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 10 mins

Servings: 6 - 8 Portions (depending on portion size)

Ingredients:

5 - 6 Ripe as can be Roma tomatoes (or 1 can Italian peeled tomatoes)
1/2 roasted red pepper
1/2 onion
3 - 4 Chilis
A sprinkle of fresh Oregano
Salt to taste
One sprinkle of sugar

How to make the Salsa: If you decide to go for the fresh tomatoes, get a pan with water to boiling point and put in the tomatoes (whole) for about 1 - 2 min, while still boiling, or until you see that the skin starts to peel right off by itself. Take the pan out of the heat and drain out all the hot water, then place them again in the pan and pour in some fresh cold water. The tomatoes should then get cold enough, so as to allow you to peel them by hand.

Now, (if you bought the canned tomatoes start from here) place the tomatoes in a food processor or in a blender with the rest of the ingredients, except for the seasoning (oregano, salt and sugar), and blend until almost but not altogether homogeneous (I like a bit of chunkiness in my salsa). Place the Salsa back on to the pan, sprinkle with the oregano and let it reduce for a while on low heat until you arrive at a saucy texture, season with salt and sugar (it's not meant to be sweet, it's just used to cut the acidity down a bit). Serve warm and Enjoy with Tacos, Nachos, Fajitas, Burritos, Enchiladas, you name it!

Love, iSa

Thai Carrot Mango Soup

2011-07-09T20:06:00.009+02:00

Reader's Recipes
Recipe by Ben and Siri

Ingredients:

750g carrots
40g ginger
1 normal can coconut milk
1 mango
1 red chilli
3 tablespoons oil
salt
1 lime
1/2 bundle chives
1 bundle spring onions
3/4 liter vegetable broth

Everything is 'to taste' because it depends on how hot the chilli is, etc etc
Chop the onion, ginger and carrot. Brown in oil. Add vegetable oil and let everything cook for 8-10 minutes. Take out half of the carrots and put the rest to puree. Add the carrots and the coconut milk. Cut up and add pieces of mango. Cut up and add spring onions and chilli. Season with limejuice and salt. Sprinkle with chives.

Ben and Siri

Ecuadorian Ceviche - iSa's Style

2011-07-03T23:06:00.001+02:00

Type: Starter

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cooking Time: 30 - 40 mins

Servings: 7-8 Portions (depending on portion size)

Ingredients:

800 gr Dorado or Yellowtail Fish Fillet (no skin)
1 big red onion or 2 small ones
1 bunch coriander
6 lemons / 4 lime (depending what is available, buy extra as the amount depends on how juicy they are)
3 oranges
Pepper trio (1/4 Red Pepper, 1/4 Yellow Pepper, 1/4 Green Pepper)
2 tbsp plain yellow mustard
2 tbsp Tomato Sauce
Sea salt
Ground Black Pepper
Cayenne Pepper Canola Oil
1 cucumber
2 Tomatoes
2 packs Golden Oven-Baked Crackers
1 pack Plain Nachos
Hot sauce of your choice (Tabasco or Lea-Perrins will go well)

How to cook the fish: Cut the fish into bit size cubes, of the cubes are about 2x2cm then it'll take around 30-40 min to cook, if they are smaller, it will take less time. I personally prefer to cut it in bigger pieces as it keeps the moisture and sea flavor from the inside of the flesh. Then place the cubes in a bowl and cover with enough lemon or lime juice, so that the fish is wet, but not fully soaked. Allow the fish to cook in the juice at room temperature (yes, no pot required, the lemon juice will do the job).

Put together your Ceviche: In the meantime, chop the onion and the peppers brunoise style (small cubes), get the juice from the oranges, and have the rest of the ingredients at hand. Poke the fish to see if it has tenderized and if the flesh has turned white (like when it's cooked) on the outside. To see if it's ready I also pick one of the thicker pieces and cut it in 2 and if it's still too raw in the inside, wait a little longer. Then, when it's ready, season it with the cayenne and black pepper, the mustard, tomato sauce, coriander, oil and salt. Stir in the onion and pepper trio and soak it all with the remainder of the orange juice. Stir well and taste for salt and acidity, if too acid you can level it down with orange juice (if sweet) or with a bit more tomato sauce.

Serve: Place two serving spoonfuls in a bowl and decorate with 2 slices of cucumber and 2 of tomato, you can also keep a bit of fresh finely chopped coriander to sprinkle on top. Serve with the Crackers and/or Nachos for choice and pour in a bit of hot sauce if you enjoy the heat. Ceviche makes a wonderful summer day Starter! (although we recently made it for a sunny winter day).

I dedicate this recipe to the friends (You guys know who you are...) who we recently had the fortune of sharing this Ceviche with, all new friends but friends for long we trust!

Love, iSa

Dinner at Chez Christophe's

2011-07-02T00:18:00.003+02:00

We were inivited on a recent friday evening to indulge ourselves in a well kept secret in town, a place where you can't book and you can't buy your way in, a privilege indeed. We were greeted by Christophe and Christel into a warm and welcoming Dining and Living room in a cold winter night. Preceeded by his famous cooking, Christophe had high expectations to satisfy and did exactly just that!

We started with some meze of pita bread, tzazitki, hummus, taramosalata, salami rolled gherkins and beautiful fat green and calamata olives. We had been holding ourselves from eating much for the rest of the day, knowing the indulgence that awaited us in the evening, and thinking this was the starter, we tucked away. The other couple arrived and after some excellent SA bubbly, and some nice conversation, we then sat in at a beautifully set table. We were in for a ride through the tastes of France!

Salmon and Pea Veloutee

A bright sweet green pea, salmon and creme fraiche veloutee was served for starter. Not only were the colors inviting, but the combination was just warm, yet fresh and sweet, with the fleshy, salty and deep flavor of smoked salmon, with a creamy touch and a the sparkle of Paprika. I'm guessing there was a bit of mint in there, but then again, I'm just guessing, and it'll be up to our fabulous gourmand host to share the secrets to this delicious recipe.

Beef Bourguignon Caserole

The gorgeous smell all over the flat that one could almost taste, meant that the Beef Bourguignon was making its way to the dinner table, nothing like a melt-in-your-mouth Beef Stew, to warm up the cold winter night! Served in a rich, red wine jus, the beef did not need any knife at all, it was so soft, we could have eaten with a spoon! Served with artichoke raviolis topped with parmesan, poured under with the juicy beefy sauce, the meal was a delight! a true work of skill, patience and long, french style, perseverant cooking - just like out of Julia Child's cookbook.

Beef Bourguignon with Artichoke Ravioli

After such a feast, one can easily imagine that the host is not keen for dessert, but I guess we could have known better. How does a French foodie (aren't they all?) end his meal? Yes, you guessed right! with cheese!! and what a nice variety too... I'm not gonna pretend I knew even half the names on that board, but I promise you, they were all worth a few bites, even if you were as full as I certainly was!

We were very grateful to have been invited to indulge ourselves in such wonderful company and magnificent meal. It all made it such a nice evening, Christophe even made an attempt to enlighten me with his Beef Bourginon recipe, which I really wanted to take in, but I guess the excess of wine took my normally rather sharp memory away. In fear of failing to make honor to his great food, I'd rather let the chef tell us himself about the recipes, and that way I can share with you a more accurate (and sober) version of them.

Cheers to Christel and Christophe for their lovely food, wine and hospitality. I hope you would be as lucky as we were to try this amazing combination of ingredients sometime!

Love, iSa

The time has come for Modernist Cuisine

2011-06-20T00:14:00.002+02:00

http://modernistcuisine.com/

So, it's been a while since my husband and I discovered the object of our dreams - Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking. However, when we did, we took a while reading about the book and analyzing the kind of content we could foresee as the book is serious business, and serious bucks too. The book is written by Nathan Myhrvold - a genius considered the modern day Leonardo da Vinci for his successful incursions in various fields, from Quantum Physics and Mathematics to Culinary Art and Food Science; Chris Young - a graduate of Mathematics and Biochemistry turned chef and food scientist; and Maxime Billet - Creative writing and Literature graduate, Chef and food scientist. Enough read, we soon came to the conclusion that this book would revolutionize the world! In the form of cooking, eating and obviously how those two take place in our own little world. This book explains the chemistry and beauty of cooking processes and ingredients, giving us an understanding from a molecular level upwards of what is taking place and the critical path to achieve utter perfection!

http://modernistcuisine.com/

As you can imagine, we wanted the book, but when the decision was made the book was out of stock and it has been since! Looking back and forth into it, we realized today that orders where allowed in the Amazon UK website (although the stock will only arrive in August and we can only expect to receive it in September) anyhow we bought it!! Ordered in advance and with a great deal of excitement and expectation, Modernist Cuisine is bound to become our formal and glorified cooking trainer and coach!

I won't tell you much more about the book itself for now, as I want you to judge for yourselves, but I'm sure I'll tell you more when we get it and begin exploring it (all 6 volumes and 2400 pages of it!). Please visit their website for further info, videos and the full downloadable guides. I feel this book will give us all more understanding and tools to enjoy our food in a completely different level, like we never have before.

http://modernistcuisine.com/

“This book will change the way we under stand the kitchen.” — Ferran Adrià

“The most important book in the culinary arts since Escoffier.” — Tim Zagat
“A fascinating overview of the techniques of modern gastronomy.” — Heston Blumenthal

Can't wait to get it!

Love, iSa

A BBQ/BRAAI Grill in a Garden Pot?

2011-06-18T21:52:00.002+02:00

WOW! This is quite inventive and very cool! As our living space gets smaller, this are the kind of inventions that we need to keep the up the quality of our food, no matter how big the space. Wish thy would sell this in South Africa! Visit the website to take a look for yourself: Grill in a pot: black + blum - Official website and shop

Crispy Pork Belly Roast - EuropAsian style

2011-06-16T22:55:00.004+02:00

Lazy Lunches by iSa

Type: Pork Mains

Prep Time: 20 min

Cooking Time: 2 Hours

Servings: 3 - 4 Portions (depending on portion size)

Ingredients:

1 kg Pork Belly (one piece)
3 tsp Five spice
2 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 tsp Paprika
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Hot English mustard
5 tbsp brown/treacle sugar
Juice of 1 Lemon
Juice of 1 Orange
9 Cloves
Rosemary Sprigs
1/2 onion
4 Garlic cloves
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
1 Cider
Sauerkraut
Veggies of choice: Corn and Sweet Peas
Potato wedges or mashed potatoes
1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda

How to make a mysterious Pork Belly Marinade: Start by pre-heating the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees celsius). Now, start getting your hands dirty by rubbing the skin side with the bicarbonate of soda, let it stand for about 2 minutes and then rinse it thoroughly. Place the meat cut on an oven tray (meat side down) and cut the skin on the top in diamond or cube shapes. Make sure you don't cut too deep, just enough to score the skin, not only will it look pretty, but it will allow the fat to cook down and the skin to turn crispy. Rub in throughout the meat the salt, pepper, five spice, cayenne pepper, paprika, mustard, soy sauce and sugar. Bathe the meat, trying to keep the skin dry, with the lemon and orange juices, followed by the cider while allowing all the liquids to flow into the oven tray. Chop the garlic and onion roughly and add to the oven tray juices. Next, place the meat in the tray, skin side up again, and stick the aromatic cloves and rosemary sprigs spread out in the incisions, rub the skin with a bit of salt and then pour some olive oil on top of the skin and through the cuts.

Stick it into the oven and let it cook away for approximately 2 hours, checking on it from time to time to make sure the skin doesn't burn and the juices don't dry or burn.

How to get the crackling right: Apart from the bicarbonate trick, keeping the skin dry from marinade and seasoning it with salt and olive oil, try to keep the skin dry form liquids and rather sprinkle it from time to time with a bit more olive oil. If towards the end of the 2 cooking hours the skin is not crispy, then take it out and let it rest outside the juices, while allowing these to keep reducing in the oven. Place a non-stick pan and some oil on the stove on low to medium heat and place the meat on top, skin side down. Be careful! the juices from the meat might roll down to the pan, causing the oil to burst out of the pan and getting you hurt. Please remember you only need to do this for a little while, and inly in the event that the skin doesn't get crispy. I made the mistake to bathe the entire piece of meat (skin included) and I take it that's why my skin didn't crispy up, so now I've included here the method to get crispy chicharrones, from a Colombian recipe to this one, it should work beautifully.

Serve with Hot english mustard and Sauerkraut on the side, as well as Potato wedges or mash. Veggies is a good inclusion as they help you keep it balanced and clean the palate between bites. I chose Corn on the cob, but would also taste very nice with grained corn and Sweet peas, simply boiled.

Enjoy!!

Love, iSa

Bellinis Restaurant

2011-06-11T14:59:00.011+02:00

Food: Cafe Mix (Light Meals - Salads, Burgers, etc) and some Bistro Mains

Wine: Limited but fair

Service: Exceptional. Intelligent, diligent, warm and caring.

Ambiance: Classic decor, Friendly and Vibey atmosphere.
In a Nutshell: Excellent food classics in a warm and welcoming environment with great energy and service. This restaurant lives up to its outstanding word-of-mouth reputation and everyone in the staff team does their part towards maintaining it! Don't miss: Chicken Livers Peri Peri and the Pepper Fillet.
Where: 18 Chaplin Rd, Illovo. Johannesburg, South Africa.
Tel: 011 880 9168

Dijon Beef Fillet

After innumerable recommendations we went for dinner to Bellinis in Illovo, and what a pleasant night it was! The restaurant looks always busy for lunch and dinner, and so that kept deterring us from trying our luck. I phoned to make a reservation for Friday evening, but they said they don't take bookings for dinner. Hence we decided to venture in early and off we went, right after work!

It is a busy street, so keep in mind that finding parking, when arriving after 7 pm, can be tricky. Also, since they don't take
bookings you might have to wait for a table, but they have cleverly organized a nice bar area where you can start with a round of drinks, and it didn't seem to us like anyone had to wait that long anyway. This time we got there early so we fortunately didn't have to deal with any of that. We were warmly welcomed by the manager who allowed us to choose our table, as there was only one other table sitting down at the time (6 pm). The place is very simply decorated, but the wooden tables and bar, all dressed in black and white, together with the polaroid B&W pictures help create a classic, yet cozy atmosphere.

Ready for a drink, we decided to go for a red wine, they don't have an extensive wine menu, but the ones they have promise to be good. I was specially happy to see an Idiom blend in the Chalkboard menu but left that option for another time (budget allowing). This time around we tried the Vergeelegeen Cabernert Merlot which turned out to be quite a good choice. The Food Menu isn't very extensive either, or very fancy for that matter, but again, as long as what a restaurant serves is done very well, I would never be happier! For me, the purpose of a good restaurant should not be to serve food that pretends to be this or that, but simply good food, done right that you enjoy in every bite and if they don't make a particularly good ceasar salad or pasta napolitana (or any other of those dishes that seem to appear across many menus), then by all means please leave it out of the menu!

Chicken Livers Peri Peri

We started with one portion of chicken livers peri peri (perfectly enough to share) and they were magnificent! Medium cooked with lovely per peri (non-creamy) and seasoned with just the perfect touch of chilli with a splash of lemon! the best I've ever had!! Last minute we realized that the Livers needed some serious refreshment to follow, and so we ordered a Grolsch to share for this meal, which they were speedy to bring with a pair of Ice cold glasses! Excellent combination.

Almost everybody that has ever recommended Bellinis raved and praised about the fillet there and so we knew that we had no other choice for mains. I went for the Dijon Fillet while by husband chose the Pepper Fillet, for sides we went for the salad and the chips, so we could share. I have to say that the raving and praising was highly justified as the meals were VERY good. The meat was cooked to perfection and you could tell the quality of the butchery behind it for the tenderness of its flesh. The sauce bathed the fillet in what almost looked like a soup, it may seem excessive but the soft and buttery texture of the sauce (we liked the pepper one better), with that hot peppery taste and crackling finish were done just right and did not compete, but rather complimented, the grilled Fillet. The chips were thin and crispy and the salad, leafy but nicely dressed. I hate to sound biased, but I wasn't at all, everything was just that good!

Dijon Beef Fillet

Pepper Beef Fillet

Up to this point, I've failed to mention much about the service itself, but I have to say that it was exceptional! The waitress changed our tablecloth due to small spill; they were attentive, yet not in your face; great timing; they could explain meals and provide wine recommendations; and they seemed to genuinely care about our satisfaction and comfort. Now, that's what I call service! We were so happy that we tipped the waitress accordingly and she thanked us warmly for the gesture, no arrogant assumptions here.

A glass of Drambuie later we walked out with a full tummy and a happy heart, wishing to return in the near future.

Love, iSa

DW eleven 13 - Restaurant Review

2011-06-05T00:08:00.004+02:00

Food: Bistro, Fusion.

Wine: Extensive list but pricey.

Service: Less than Average.

Ambiance: Modern, lacks Coziness and Vibe.

In a Nutshell: Highly overrated. The restaurant is OK, but the food and service do not come close to meeting the expectations one would have of a restaurant rated the top 5 in South Africa and to which an outing can turn out pretty pricey.

City: Johannesburg, South Africa

Address: Dunkeld Shopping Centre, Cnr Jan Smuts Ave and Bompas St. Dunkeld, Sandton.

Tel: 011 341 0663

The minute I read my Eat Out Magazine 1000 top restaurants in SA 2010 and realised that 2 Restaurants in the Johannesburg area had made it to the Top 10, I naturally became curious and eager to try them. On our second attempt to make a booking we landed a table at DW eleven 13 (DW 11-13) and thought we were heading for the stars. Being such food lovers as we are, we looked forward to trying the Chef's, Marthinus Ferreira, expertise, deriving from his experience at kitchens like that of The Fat Duck and the Boxwood Cafe, both in the UK.

The restaurant is very centrally located in the back alley of a small and old shopping centre in the Dunkeld area, but don't get me wrong, they have done the facade nicely and so it takes on a bit of a secretive and retro feel. we ordered some water and looked at the Menu for our food choices first, so we could then choose just the perfect wine to go with. As I tend to do, when I go to a restaurant of this nature I figure the Chef must have wine pairing recommendations, so I enquired about the suggestion of wine for our meals but was answered with an empty smile. I tried by taking on another approach and explaining to the waiter that we were having the Lamb and Pork for mains and we weren't sure which wine would go best, so I even asked which varietal was a safer choice, again the waiter smiled and completely dodged the question. I gave up on his understanding of the subject and went on to order a Paradyskloof Pinot Noir, which I thought would be soft enough for our starter, yet with enough body to take on our mains.

We were greeted with a small appetizer compliments of the house, a crostini topped with a nice dullop of Duck Liver Pate, which to me seemed like a great start to our food experience at DW eleven 13. Hence we begun our journey choices, for Starter we chose to share the scallops, since I'm a fan and hadn't had them for such a long time. Also, the waiter mentioned that it was a signature dish of the restaurant. I also ordered one of the signature dishes for main, the Duo of Lamb, and my husband went for the Marinated Pork. The Menu is not extensive, but a short menu in a restaurant with a fame to live up to, usually means that everything in the menu is a specialty, hence we were comfortable with our choices, thinking we couldn't go wrong.

While waiting for our order, we were offered a choice of bread between Olive, Halloumi and Plain. We went for the Halloumi and the Olive respectively, but when we gave each other a try I was so blown away by the Olive loaf I had to ask for a piece for myself! Then our wine came, and upon tasting it, I realized it would probably do well with the starter, but might then be crashed by the mains as it was very young and lacked body and complexity in flavor. I regretted the waiter's lack of advise and hoped for the best.

The Scallops were beautifully presented, and came with a complex mix of flavors, served with Horseradish cream, Porcini mushrooms and some other concoctions. The Scallops themselves were cooked to perfection with a tender fleshy centre, but then we found the sauce completely overpowered the delicate texture and taste of the Scallops. So much for the first Signature dish!

Time passed a bit slowly as our mains took a while to come out, but the excitement, now slightly reduced but still persistent, kept us eager to try some more. Finally the mains arrived, looking rather dashing. However once we started digging in, the strength of the mix of flavors hit us with full force. My Duo of Lamb consisted of extremely tender braised lamb shoulder and Lamb rack on a bed of mashed minted peas, cubed potatoes and drizzled with gravy. Both lamb preparations were cooked beautifully, but each carried a strong flavor of its own, which matched with the minty bite of the peas and the saltiness of the gravy, built with each bite a bit of palate resistance. The dish as a whole, however, was good enough, but did not blow me away for being a signature dish.

My husband, as you may recall, ordered the Marinated Pork, but to his huge regret, it was nothing like what he expected. He carries the belief that Pork meat is underrated and hence, tries to prove his point by giving it a chance from time to time, usually bearing positive outcomes. He also often ends up ordering the nicer meal of the two of us, since my adventurous palate chooses to go for risky options time and time again. This time around though, it wasn't his lucky night. The pork's marinade was certainly overbearing, killing any chance of giving the pork's meat a chance to shine by itself. Full of lemon and salt, the marinade tasted more like salad dressing. Additionally, The pork chop was topped by a huge pile of Borlotti Beans which took full control of the meal, making it excessively earthy flavored. My husband usually does not complain much about his food, but this time, he disliked it so much he stopped eating, and since I wasn't completely unhappy about the flavor, we switched meals. Normally, when we're not happy simply return it, but in an effort to keep our cool, we opted to let it go. We really cannot recall the last time we had to switch meals because one of us hated the food we were served so much! I mean, my husband even said something like "just because they're trying to pull off an earthy flavor, does not mean the meal should literally taste like earth!" The funniest part of it all is that the waiter asked how our meals were, I told him we weren't happy and he just smiled and turned away! More importantly though, we were determined not let the restaurant's performance ruin our evening and still had a good time.

We were there celebrating my husband's birthday and it was really quite disappointing that the DW eleven 13 restaurant, together with its food and its staff, did not live up to its fame, nor to it's prices, and left us feeling like we should not even risk dessert!

Please feel free to share your experience at this restaurant, comments are welcome!

Love, iSa

Mozambique Holiday: The restaurant that saved the day!

2011-05-27T00:21:00.013+02:00

I have to say I greatly missed writing lately, I've been focusing on quite a few, also very important matters, but unfortunately to the misfortune of this blog. I can't promise it won't happen again, but I will certainly make a scheduling effort to avoid it from happening often.

So one of the things that has kept me from writing lately, was that my husband and I took a very "looked-forward-to" holiday to Mozambique! And yes, we ate prawns and chicken peri peri and I'd like to share that here with you.

We went to a small village called Praia do Tofo, famous mainly for its Scuba diving and great records of Whale Shark and Manta viewing. We're very fond of Scuba diving, activity which we hadn't done for a while and hence the main priority around this trip became to dive. However, food lovers as we are, and after all the Mozambican-Portuguese-Ascendance great food that is common to find in South Africa, we were expecting to indulge in some very tasty Mozambican specialties.

We stayed in Bamboozi Lodge, a rustic lodge with a certain charm and a very privileged location, on top of the dunes and with a beautiful view of the bay but very badly managed. The bad management was felt all across, but specially in the restaurant, where almost everything was fried and very expensive, at least for Mozambican and based on its quality standards, that is. We were eager to head into the village for some real Mozambican food experience, and a good chance to practice my evolving portuguese, but since it was a good 25-minute walking distance, well paced, we were derailed from our plan to do so various times, until, on the 4th day, we succeeded.

And what a success it was! After asking around we came to the conclusion that the restaurant Tofo Tofo was the place to go, good, unpretentious, yet tasty food and what's even better at very good prices! We arrived in between meals, at say, 4:00 pm. Hence the kitchen was of and it took them a while to get going, but it was certainly worth the wait. I was very happy to see "Mandioca Frita" on the menu, which means Fried Cassava (yam). It's a very typical side dish or snack in my country, but I have never been lucky enough to find Cassava in South Africa. I got excited with the Peri Peri, which did not smell to be very hot, but we found out it really was soon enough, after I soaked the Mandioca "chips" in peri peri and the chili started to come out through our sweat and tears. For mains we had what the waiter recommended "Peixe com alho e Manteiga com Arroz de coco" and "Frango Assado com batatas fritas". The first was White Fish Steak with Garlic Butter sauce and Coconut Rice and the second Grilled Chicken with potato chips, and they were both DELICIOUS. I have to admit that the effect of these tasty dishes on us, may have been heightened by how tired we were of the dreadful oil-drenched food at the Lodge, but they were, nonetheless, nicely prepared and tasty as can be.

The next day was certain to be one of much exercise as we budged not to allow the long walk to deter us from having a nice meal again, even after swimming a good couple of hours in the ocean, and now, in the company of two other couples we befriended, we headed for the local food gem we had been at the previous day: Tofo Tofo. This time around, having learnt my lesson the previous day, we ordered the "Mandioca Frita" again and used the Peri Peri indeed, but sparingly. Although we really enjoyed our meals from the previous day, we decided it made sense to try something new, and we went for the "Camarao com alho e Manteiga com arroz de coco" and the "Caril de Caranguejo". The food was once again phenomenal, taking a bit less time this time around. My husband's meal, the Prawns in garlic butter sauce with Coconut rice was tasty and cooked just right and mine, the Crab Curry was delicious and rich, but also very different from any Curry we had ever tried as the used a great amount of Almonds to make it.

As part of our Mozambican exploratory experience, we poured down our meals with 2M and Laurentina Beers and finished it off with our fair amount of Tipo Tinto (a local Vanilla Tasting Rum) and Coke.

We thank the staff at Liquid Adventures, the diving centre at Bamboozi Lodge, for recommending Tofo Tofo, the local authentic culinary adventure that saved the day!

Love, iSa

Co.fi Bar & Restaurant Review

2011-05-08T18:40:00.003+02:00

Food: Cafe variety, mostly light meals.
In a Nutshell: I don't know if you can even call that food! Went in for a light meal and had to return my dish not only once, but twice! I can't say much for their drinks as I went for lunch and only had juice, the service wasn't too bad though. Please if you come this way, never ever, ever, order food.
Where: The Firs Shopping Centre (Hyatt), above Piza e Vino. Rosebank,Johannesburg. South Africa.

Full Review Coming Soon!

Isa's Food Addiction: Bar One Chocolate Cake - Moist, Rich and Decadent ...

2011-05-08T14:39:00.000+02:00

Isa's Food Addiction: Bar One Chocolate Cake - Moist, Rich and Decadent ...: HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! Make her happy on her day with this indulgent cake!

Arequipe

2011-05-08T14:33:00.001+02:00

Desserts by iSa

Cooking Time: 3 Hours

Very easy!! It just takes some time though.

Place one sealed can of Nestle Condensed Milk (I have tried other brands and it doesn't come out as good), in a pot lying on its side and cover fully with water. Boil in medium heat for 2.5 - 3 hours, adding water to maintain always fully covered and turn the can from time to time. If you leave it the 3 hours you're bound to get a very rich and nice treat with a nicer color and deeper flavor.

Open can and place content into a container with lid. Place in the fridge for at least 1 hour and enjoy! If you don't use it all, make sure to store the remainder in the sealed container in the fridge, keeps well for up to 1 month.

What to do with Arequipe:

Eat a Spoonful
Spread on Bread or Crackers
Use as a filling for Cakes
Stir into vanilla Ice Cream and serve
Dilute slightly with milk for a thinner sauce to pour over cakes, ice cream, etc.

Be creative!!! But watch out, it can be addictive!

Love, iSa

Bar One Chocolate Cake - Moist, Rich and Decadent Chocolate Cake

2011-05-08T14:18:00.001+02:00

Desserts by iSa

Type: Cake, Bake at home

Prep Time: 30 min

Cooking Time: 50 - 60 Min
Servings: 10 Slices (depending on portion size)
Ingredients:

400 g Dark or Milk Chocolate (I prefer dark)
75 ml water
175 g soft butter
250 g light brown sugar
4 Large eggs
100 g self raising flour
50 g cocoa powder
150 - 200 g Arequipe, Dulce de leche or "Caramel Treat" (from Nestle)
2 Bar One Chocolates chopped (MilkyWay can also be used)
6 tbsp milk

How to make the best Chocolate Cake ever: First of all I have to say, I'm not bragging, I have to admit that I based this cake on 2 different recipes that were extremely helpful, as I'm very much an amateur when it comes to baking and don't really know my proportions very well. However, given the bases I proceeded to add my own twists to make it more appealing to our taste buds.

Start by pre-heating your oven to about 160 degrees C, then butter the inside of your Cake tin and lightly dust it with some flour (will prevent your cake from sticking).Chop 300g of the Chocolate and add it to the water, just after it has reached boiling point and as soon as you move it away from the heat. Stir nicely and patiently until melted (make sure you have moved away from the stove, you don't want to burn your chocolate!)

In a separate bowl, beat the sugar and butter until pale and creamy (electric beater allowed). I have to make a pause here and insist, please make sure that the butter is nice and soft, otherwise is going to take you much longer than expected to arrive at the desired state. Add the eggs 1 at a time and beat them into the mixture.

Note 1: If you notice the mixture is curdling, beat in one or two tablespoons of the flour.

Take the previously melted chocolate (which should now be cool enough) and stir into the mixture (by hand). Sift the flour and the cocoa in and the ingredients together gently. Do not mix with full arm strength, just fold it into an even batter!

Pour this rich Chocolate Cake Batter (yes, you could it off the bowl!) in the Cake Tin and place into the pre-heated oven for between 50 to 60 min. The length of time will depend on how fudgy you want your cake; although it should not be wobbly to the touch, stick in a skewer or knife gently and it should come out slightly wet, but not doughy. Turn off the oven and open the door, but don't take it out immediately, allow it to rest for about 5-10 min and then let it cool outside the oven on a heat resistant surface.

Allow it to cool for at least 20 or 30 min before even attempting to remove the tin. Then let it cool for at least another 30-60 min prior to slicing into halves. The slicing part has never been easy for me as I tend to go skewed or the cake tends to break on me while attempting to separate the halves and place back together, so please be gentle and don't be discouraged if it doesn't come out perfect. Sandwich the two halves with Arequipe, Dulce de leche, Caramel Treat or some sort of Milk Caramel/Butterscotch spread; although it takes much more preparation and time, I would suggest to make your own Arequipe ahead of time and use it for this an many other treats! Please click here for the recipe.

How to make the Bar One Chocolate Topping and final touches: This is a piece of cake! Just chop the Bar One or MilkyWay chocolates an place in a small pot with the remainder of the dark chocolate and the milk. Melt in medium heat while stirring, as soon as is melted, take away from heat and pour all over your cake. Then decorate with some nuts (if you like them) and here you could get creative, although with such a rich cake I'm thinking, please don't go too wild. I also diluted about two teaspoons of Arequipe in about 1 shot of Amarula, to make a nice sauce and poured it here and there all over the cake, it was easy, it looked nice and it tasted even better!

You can eat the cake freshly made or to eat over various days, store it in the fridge cover very well with cling wrap and cut out slices as you wish, sticking them 15 to 20 sec in the microwave to warm up the cake and make all of its flavors come to life once again.

Enjoy for a special occasion or a celebration with the best company, a nice coffee or a glass of milk!

Special Thanks for their helpful recipes to:

Graham at Cookbook.co.za

CII Broadcasting

Love, iSa

boy interrupted: New kid on the blog: Isa's Food Addiction

2011-05-02T19:36:00.001+02:00

boy interrupted: New kid on the blog: Isa's Food Addiction: "Have you ever sat at home frustrated and needed some guidance on the newest places to see, and be seen…. Got some nice compliments, thank you Pieter! Love, iSa

Isa's Food Addiction: Oliva Bar & Restaurant Review

2011-04-26T11:53:00.000+02:00

Isa's Food Addiction: Oliva Bar & Restaurant Review: "Food: Spanish and Italian Tapas, Mediterranean. Wine: Almost non-existent (2 wines). Not licensed (at the time of visit). Service: ..."

Oliva Bar & Restaurant Review

2011-04-26T10:49:00.002+02:00

Food: Spanish and Italian Tapas, Mediterranean.

Wine: Almost non-existent (2 wines). Not licensed (at the time of visit).
Service: Average.
Ambiance: Classic but relaxed.
In a Nutshell: Very limited Food Menu and only 2 choices of wine (both non South African). No card payment facilities. Nothing dazzling about it, except for the Wednesday Soprano Shows. Too little choice and too much trouble for a dinner out in my opinion, so I didn't even stay to try it.

City: Johannesburg, South Africa
Address: 178 Oxford Road (Cnr Corlett Dr). Illovo, Sandton.
Tel: 011 025 5225

As you may already know my husband and I are avid food enthusiasts, so when we see a new restaurant opening we seek the opportunity to give it a taste. We live nearby Oliva Bar & Restaurant on Oxford Rd, so when we saw it open we were eager to go and try it. So, one good day came when we took a break to go out for a nice meal and hastily made our way to Oliva, who was to say though that we were in for a disappointment. As we were coming in we were told there were no card payment facilities (strictly cash), eager to give the restaurant a chance, we tried to make a plan and my husband went to draw money. I sat down to look at the menu only to find an extremely limited food selection out of which 3 dishes were cold meats and some of the others were pickles. Trying to keep our spirits up and convincing ourselves that they must have put the best of their repertoire up on the menu, we decided to continue on. We then asked for the Wine List and were told by an insecure waitress that they only had one red and one white, as they had no license yet. I trust the readers may excuse my criticism, but this was it for me, I mean, I'm sorry but you don't call your place "Bar & Restaurant" and then open without a license, it's a completely deceiving sign hanging above the entrance!

When I go to a restaurant I want to be dazzled by the food and wine options, but found nothing dazzling there! Apparently they do have a nice and surprising performance on Wednesdays, but the place didn't cut it for me. With all such de-motivation, we just walked out of the place feeling disappointed and headed once again for our neighborhood favorite! To be fair, we didn't even get to try the food and see whether it was worth the trouble, but I honestly didn't feel like letting trouble be part of our Friday dinner out was worthwhile in the first place. If you do try it, please let me know how it went!

Love, iSa

Are Gastrocrats Bad News for True Food Lovers?

2011-04-21T11:52:00.001+02:00

Wow! This Article is really something. I would also save for months just to have a taste of the world's most heavenly delicacies, but $3000 sounds like a bit much, specially for those of us who really love the food but can't really afford to compete with the bottomless pockets of some others. But I guess there aren't enough (at least not advertised enough) places with exceptionally outstanding gastronomy for all of us to visit, hence the demand is so high that they can pretty much set the price they feel like, they'll still be packed! Love, iSa Are Gastrocrats Bad News for True Food Lovers?

Isa's Food Addiction: Chicken Bredie Curry - Cape Malay Curry

2011-04-16T19:36:00.000+02:00

Isa's Food Addiction: Chicken Bredie Curry - Cape Malay Curry: "Signature Dish by iSa Type: Malay, Indian, South African. Excellent in Winter, dazzling guests and eating in!

Chicken Bredie Curry - Cape Malay Curry

2011-04-16T19:16:00.001+02:00

Signature Dish by iSa
Type: Malay, Indian, South African
Prep Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Servings: 2-4 (depending on portion size)
Ingredients:

Picture by smh.com.au

4 Chicken thighs
3-4 peeled and chopped ripe tomatoes (depending on size)
1 green or brown onion
1 garlic clove (mid size)
1 tsp grated ginger
1 finely chopped Cayene chili or 1 tsp Powder Cayenne pepper (this can be adjusted to heat taste)
1 tsp Cumin (Jeera) Seeds + 1 tsp Coriander (Dhania) seeds crushed in a mortar
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Curry powder
2 heaped tbsp of Apricot Jam
2 tbsp BBQ sauce (optional)
1 cup chicken stock (or half a chicken stock cube)
Fresh Coriander
Chopped Mixed Vegetables (your choice! I usually use a combination of some of these: courgettes, red, green and yellow peppers, red onion, butternut...)
2 cups couscous
400 ml Water approx.
1 tbsp Butter
Vegetable oil
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Note 1: Please don't be overwhelmed by the amount of ingredients, once you've got all these basic Indian spices you can do plenty of different meals with them.

Note 2: Fresh tomatoes and onion and can be replaced for this dish with 1 can of tomato & onion mix.

This recipe, as you can see, is a bit of a mix, I basically took in my very basic knowledge of Indian Curry with what I learnt during a leisurely South African Cooking class on Cape Malay Bredie and threw in a few flavor twisters in between. The choice of couscous came because this mix reminded me a bit of North african flavors and simply because my husband loves couscous, I hope you will enjoy it as much as we did!

How to make Chicken Bredie Curry: Heat a heavy bottom pan at low to medium heat. Drizzle with Vegetable oil (about 2 tbsp) and toss in the Cumin and Coriander seeds (stir and fry for 1 min), then the rest of the Curry spices (Chili, Turmeric, Curry) and stir for another min, then add the garlic, ginger and onion. Stir for about 2 min and then keep in medium heat, add the chicken pieces and fry a bit until slightly browned (add more oil if needed). Put in the chicken stock, apricot jam and BBQ sauce, stir and allow to cook for a few minutes , then put in the tomatoes with some water, salt and pepper to taste and allow to cook for at least 30 min (so that the chicken comes out juicy and tender). Finish off with some coriander leaves and serve on top of the couscous in a deep plate. Make sure to be generous with the Curry jus.

How to make Vegetable Couscous: Place the two cups of dry couscous in a bowl with a bit of salt. Pour enough boiling water to just about cover the couscous and allow to sit for 5 min. In the meantime heat a sauté pan to medium heat and add a drizzle of Olive Oil and the Butter, toss in the chopped veggies and sautee according to their cooking time, 3-5 min approx (some vegetables may need to be pre-cooked), season with salt and pepper. Stir the couscous with a fork until the grains have aired and separated, then stir in the veggies and serve with the Chicken Bredie Curry or any Curry of your choice on top.

Love, iSa

Ajiaco Santafereño - Colombian Recipe

2011-04-11T23:28:00.001+02:00

Colombian Typical Meals

Type: Colombian food (adapted for overseas cooking)

Prep Time: 30 min

Cooking Time: 2.5 - 3 hours

Servings: 7

Ingredients:

Picture by CBU

3 Yellow or White Corn on the cob
4 Chicken Breasts (bone and skin removed)
4 Large Potatoes (white, red and yellow or a combination depending on the ones available)
4 thick Spring onions or a full bunch (depending on the thickness)
3/4 of a bunch of Coriander
3 cup of chicken stock or 1-2 chicken stock cube (please use the best possible stock at hand)
1 Knorr or Maggi Ajiaco Soup packet (only available in Colombia - I buy as much as I can every time I travel to Colombia)
Single or Double Cream
Capers (chopped coarsely)
Avocado
Salted White Rice

Place the chicken stock and enough water to complete 1 liter of liquid to boil in a large cooking pot and put it on high heat while you prep the potatoes and the corn. Peel the potatoes, cut two of them in half and then chopped coarsely, then thickly grate the other two. Place all the potatoes, once prepared, in the pot. Now peel the leaves and strings out of the corn and cut in 2 or 3 pieces, depending on the portion sizes you prefer, and place in the pot (bear in mind you have to be careful when doing this as you can easily get hurt by a sliding knife. I cut them by placing the cob at the tip of the knife and then pressing the knife down while rolling the cob under, by the time the cob reaches the knife handle it's usually split in 2!). Chop the coriander and the Spring onion finely and proceed to place 3/4 of the total into the pot, the rest you can reserve for adding to the pot shortly before serving.

Allow the pot to boil for about 30 min, and then place into the pot the chicken breasts whole. Lower the heat to medium and continue to boil, stirring occasionally (every few minutes) until the soup starts to take consistency and the chicken is tender, this should take from 1.5 to 2 hours. Take out the chicken from the boiling soup and it should be so tender that you hardly need to slice it to get slim strips, slice and place back in the pot. Add the remainder of the onion and coriander. At this stage, open the Ajiaco Soup packet (brought from Colombia) and mix into 1 cup of cold water), once dissolved stir into the soup and allow to simmer for about 10 min, stirring frequently. Your Ajiaco style soup is ready!!! Serve on a nice soup dish or bowl with a dollop of cream and a sprinkle of capers, accompanied by a serving of white rice and a nice big slice of ripe Avocado just sprinkled with Salt. Alternatively, place the capers and cream on the table so your guests can help themselves to their liking.

Note: Please note that this is a Colombian Soup and the original recipe has been heavily adapted so that you can manage to pull it off while living in another country as this soup is originally made with several varieties of potato and a herb called "guasca" which are difficult to find even in neighboring countries. Hence, I buy the packet soup to give the base soup that unmistakable Ajiaco flavor. You'll be able to find these soup packets depending on where you live, if in the US, Spain or Latin American countries, you're almost sure to have a "Colombian" grocery store around; if in South Africa, I don't buy other than for my own use, but could make sure to include some extra ones for you in my next trip!

Love, iSa

Salmon, Avo and Creme Fraiche Pizza

2011-04-02T12:49:00.001+02:00

Quick and Easy Meals by iSa

Type: Contemporary

Servings: 2 (4 Slices per person)

Ingredients:

100 gr Smoked Salmon Ribbons
1/2 avocado
Creme Fraiche
Fresh Chives
Fresh Italian Seasoning herbs
150 gr Grated Mozzarella Cheese
3 Tbs Napolitano Sauce
1 Quality Pizza Base
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Cayenne Pepper
Freshly ground black pepper

I'm not going to pretend that I know how to make the dough for the pizza base, because I don't. I'll leave that to the experts and rather concentrate in layering with some style and taste some top notch ingredients on top of this base for the most heavenly pizza. We have several preferences in toppings and this is one of our favorites, you can't go wrong with this mix, it's just meant to come together!

Preheat the oven at around 300 degrees F. Prepare the Pizza pan by sprinkling it with some Olive oil, then place the Pizza Base on top. Spoon in the Napolitano sauce, you can make it at home by simmering some onions (or shallots), fresh garlic, fresh Basil, Oregano and Tomatoes and seasoning it with some salt, sugar and pepper. Alternatively, you can do what I do when I'm tired and in search for a quick but good substitute, I go to Woolies and seek out the Herb and Tomato Pasta Sauce - good and effortless. Spread around 3 tbs of the sauce onto the base and sprinkle with some chopped fresh italian herbs (Basil, Oregano and Parsley) and some powdered Cayenne pepper, for a bit of a kick. Layer the cheese on top, followed by he chives and stick into the oven. leave for around 8 min and check if its all melted and has started to bubble, then turn on the grill and allow it to brown the top of the pizza for about 5 min, keep an eye on it though because it can quickly turn a nicely golden pizza, into a charcoal.

Bring out the pizza and cut into 8 slices. After this proceed to place the Salmon ribbons on top of the slices by splitting them as equally as possible in a presentable manner. Then slice the avocado and decorate with one portion for each slice, topping up with a dollop of creme fraiche and a sprinkle of Cayenne Pepper (if you want to make it extra special, you can even top it with some Black caviar). Sprinkle with Parmesan or Pecorino for serving, and enjoy!!!!!!!

PS - 1. Please Excuse the pic, I better stop taking the pic with my BB!

PS - 2. If you do know how to make the pizza base I'd really appreciate your recipe and tips for it! I'll definitely try it some time.

Parea Taverna Restaurant

2011-03-30T23:19:00.001+02:00

Food: Greek, Mediterranean.

Wine: Not long, but some fairly interesting choices.
Service: Average. I don't expect more than in the average Johannesburg restaurant but get good surprises at times.
Ambiance: Relaxed and homey.
In a Nutshell: Good food done right, average wine list and service. Excellent and fresh ingredients with variety of unpretentious choices. Budget is average, but can result quite costly if you go for some of the more fancy items on the Menu. Our neighborhood favorite! Don't miss: Grilled Halloumi, Grilled Whole Fish, Break a Plate!
Where: 3 Corlett Drive, Illovo. Johannesburg, South Africa.
Tel: 011 788 8777

The first time I visited Parea I wasn't impressed by its exteriors, but figured it would probably be the food that would impress me, and it turned out to be exactly the case.

I really came to experience Greek food in South Africa and I think I have really embraced the sharing principle around it, so when in a Greek Restaurant I rarely order a main and prefer to go for the Mezze, so I can try a bit of everything. There are many dishes that I can recall from my first time there, although there are mainly three that really stroke me on my first visit: the Calamari, the Halloumi and the Grilled Whole Fish!

My husband is allergic to the Calamari legs, so I don't usually order these, but the other two are a no brainer for us, and every time we get a feel for that taste and can make a escape, we run for the door, cross the street and land up at Alex' door, craving his straightforward, unpretentious, yet incredible meals where it's all about the ingredients!

I can't really give you a single narration about my Parea Experience with head and toes, and it's not because my memory has started to fail, but rather because we have spent so many special and indulging moments at Parea, that it is all in my mind as one big pot of tasty, relaxed and enjoyable memories.

Service is usually good but can lack at times, specially when busy, yet the waitresses (yes they're all girls) are usually friendly and their smiles, together with the owners' attentions, will most likely make up for any mishaps.

On Fridays and Saturdays there's live entertainment including greek dancing with fire on the floor, plate-breaking and belly dancing. This part of it is also quite amusing as many of us end up making our way to the "dance corner" to show-off our moves (not at all impressing after the very challenging precedent of a belly dancer!).

As with everything, restaurant preference is a matter of personal taste, but I have a feeling that if you're reading this, then you probably share my taste for good food, and you'll be sure to find it there. As much as I feel the bad experiences should be shared, so people can be warned on the kind of experience they may expect, I also think it is only fair to give places and people the recognition they deserve, so this is not about praise. As a matter of fact, I did complain once when I found my portion of Halloumi looking much smaller than usual and somewhat cold, nevertheless the matter was attended to spot on and before I could blink I had right in front of me the exact Halloumi I came in the door expecting. Speak up and often you shall be heard!

Note: I never have this problem as I live literally within walking distance of Parea, but parking seems to be a common issue for this neighborhood restaurants, so please book for the first sitting or be prepared to be patient.

The Tastemaker

2011-03-29T14:26:00.001+02:00

The Tastemaker - Check out this article from Time Magazine on Nathan Myhrvold's sensational book Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking. What do you think? would you buy this book? Why? Why not? I'm really pondering asking for it for my Birthday + Anniversary+ Christmas gift!

Hotel Chocolat

2011-03-28T23:32:00.001+02:00

I just thought this might be of interest to some of my fellow Chocolate fans! I don't know this place, nor do I know if it's as tantalizing as it sounds, but it certainly seems a place worth exploring!

Check it out at: http://www.thehotelchocolat.com/

Thomas Maxwell Bistro - 18Mar2011

2011-03-27T18:54:00.001+02:00

Food: Contemporary, french.
Wine: Extensive. Menu not easy to browse.
Service: Good. Still room for improvement.
Ambiance: Smart Casual, relaxed and warm.
In a Nutshell: Good food, good wine and good service. Budget required is a bit above the average dinner out, but fits int with other fine-dining establishments and the tastes and experience are worth it. They just need a bit more planning for awkward and unexpected situations as it all becomes part of the experience (i.e. Do not recommend a wine that you know may refuse to be opened right before the food arrives). Bookings are necessary and corkage is allowed for a fee.
City: Johannesburg, South Africa
Address: 140 11th St, Parkmore (behind Benmore Gardens Mall)
Tel: 011-7841575

So, the very expected evening when I would come back to Thomas Maxwell with my favorite company in the world: my husband, finally came. I booked the very morning of the day we were meant to go out as the reasons for celebration came very suddenly. We were fortunate to get a table right next to the kitchen (Perhaps unlike other people, I don't have a problem with that because it allows me to peak on the dishes coming out and to dwell on the tempting aromas).

With such a nice variety to choose from between the Menu and Specials, It was difficult to make up our minds as to what we would order. Our hosts came around though, offering a word of advice that we welcomed warmly. We finally decided for one of the dishes I had previously tried and that had stayed in my culinary memory since: Mussels Napolitano, for starter. We would then indulge in Duck & Porcini Mushrooms Phyllo Pastries and Rabbit Rissotto.

The taste of those Napolitano Mussels is something unlike anything I've ever experienced elsewhere, and I guess one must taste that napolitano sauce to understand. I could feel the garlic, the sweetness of some italian peeled tomatoes, some onion, a bit of sugar and perhaps some parsley and oregano. However, it was making out the secret in this sauce that I couldn't get around and it is just gloriously fresh too! At this point we were keen on opening the Rose Methode Cap Classique that we brought, but it was still warm so we asked for the wine list and proceeded to order something to go with our next meal.

The Wine List is very extensive with most wines priced above the R200 line. We asked for advice and one of our hosts in a Chef jacket -I'm assuming his name might have been Tom- suggested the Slaley Shiraz. We ordered it and one a waiter came promptly with the wine ordered, while he was on the process of opening it, our main meals arrived but he was still giving the cork his best try. A couple of minutes passed, our meals getting colder as we waited for the wine to be poured and another Chef jacketed host appeared to try his luck at the difficult cork. His explanation of the matter was that this bottle, being 2003, had problems with the humidity of the cork, getting so dry at times that the cork would break in one out of every 3 attempts at opening one of these bottles. We had already started our meals without the wine and experimented great flavors, complex and rich flavors though and therefore we where in need of the wine more than before. Now, attempting to open another bottle, our kind host was faced with same issue and our patience was simmering into a boil, we then suggested that he gave us some wine by the glass so we could try to continue with our meal, but when this came and we tried to dig in, the food was already cold. I must confess that they did go out of their way to try and make up for the whole mishap with the bottle that refused to be opened, they took our meals to the kitchen and heated them some more while re-arranging them on the plate for us, it was a nice gesture and I guess it showed their inclination to act quickly when presented with an unexpected situation. Those are the times, I find, when you can really gauge the quality of service, when everything does not go according to plan.

Once the wine was opened, we realized that it certainly was worth the wait and the pairing was just flawless, at least to our palate, now taking in all the flavors with intensity. The rabbit was full of flavors, with red peppers coming through and cream notably involved, very good and tasty although quite consistently rich. My husband's meal was even better in its complexity of taste with the earthy and smoky taste of a porcini mushroom and truffle sauce surrounding delicate pieces of Duck. 3 Phyllo pastry bags filled with this marvelous concoction really took the tasting experience to another level, as I find is usually the case when the Truffle Oil is put to good use.

The whole experience with the bottle that wouldn't open and our meals going cold almost ruined the meal, but I guess our patience, enthusiasm and the fact that the wine turned out to be really good, allowed us to keep the experience positive. Full, but with some appetite for something sweet we ordered a Creme Brulee, probably the smallest one I've ever seen, and not very good either (the caramel layer on top wasn't fully caramelized).

It is a good restaurant, very warm and welcoming service as well as good and not-so-common meals but make sure you order your older wines from the beginning!

iSa

Beef and Beetroot Carpaccio with Wasabi Guacamole dip

2011-03-26T23:00:00.002+02:00

Signature Dish by iSa
Type: Mexic-asian

Prep Time: 30 min
Cooking Time: None
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

400 gr Beef fillet cut in very thin slices
1/2 avocado
2 lemons
Wasabi paste
Soy Sauce (sushi quality)
Cooked Beetroot sliced thinly or cut in thin julienne or thick squares
Salt, freshly ground pepper and olive oil to taste
Onion Sprouts and Coriander leaves to garnish and compliment flavors

Yes, this is not your typical carpaccio, and I have indeed never paired the raw meat slices with the typical seasonings, but the dairing mix came out of rare dishes experienced and a need to propose something unique for a special dinner party. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

The most important thing in this dish is the meat, so make sure you get the best one you can get your hands on, specially from a source that you consider clean and reliable, as you'll be eating it raw. So go to the finest butcher and ask for Beef Fillet cut in thin slices for carpaccio (if he's really a fine butcher, he'll know for sure what you're talking about). What you're aiming for is a very clean piece of fillet (very nicely trimmed of all fat), cut very thinly (yet thick enough so you can still handle the meat without it falling apart in your hands while plating). Please request that they place plastic or wax paper in between each slice, otherwise the pieces will be difficult to separate and you'll end up deeming more than half of it not suitable for carpaccio use. As I was saying, this is the most important part and from there the rest just becomes a piece of cake.

Before serving put the plates you're going to use in the freezer to keep the meat fresh and cool for as long as possible. Prepare everything before you actually start plating:

Wasabi Guacamole: 50% guacamole + 50% wasabi. Guacamole = Ripe avocado crashed with fork and mixed with lemon juice + Salt.
Beetroot: If you're and Ace with the knife you can probably try and cut it thinly, otherwise, don't make a fool of yourself and cut it in nice chunky squares or in thin stripes (julienne), like I did.
Onion Sprouts & Coriander: Should come clean and ready for use, if they're not, make sure they're clean and keep them at hand for use.

OK, So it's time to plate! Bring out the plates from the freezer, place some nice slices of raw beef fillet onto the plate avoiding the edges (at least 1 cm), but trying to cover the rest of the area (no white spaces in between). Use your creativity to position the beetroot on top of the meat as best you can and then sprinkle the whole thing with Olive Oil and Freshly ground pepper. Use your favorite container to place some of the wasabi Guacamole and the soy sauce on top (for dipping) and garnish as you wish with the Onion Sprouts and Coriander leaves. Bear in mind everything is eatable! so try to keep an ideal balance between the garnishes and the main attraction: the meat.

To eat, grab a bit of everything with a fork or chopsticks and dip into the soy sauce and then the Wasabi Guacamole. Pour down with a nice Shiraz or Pinot Noir and Enjoy!!!!!!! :)

Same exact recipe can apply to Salmon, haven't tried it, but if you do, please let me know how it went!

Love, iSa