Mid morning snack: kid's favourite nutella banana flapjacks

I've been snacking on a super easy sweet treat, thanks to Woolworths' ready made flapjacks. Cue toaster to warm the flapjacks, nutella and banana.

Before

After

A Buitengeluk afternoon

Summer Sunday afternoons were made to be spent in a garden with a plate of oxtails in front of you. Ok well perhaps not made but that's how I spent my Sunday lunching at Buitengeluk.

Buitengeluk is old cape dutch style house with ample gardens, p.s. it is a wedding venue too. A few friends and I spent the afternoon overlooking a duck pond in the beautiful gardens. It's wonderful for kids as there is ample space to run around and ideal for kiddie winks to do some duck watching. I'm not an advocate of duck petting because I'm not one who likes duck pecking back.

Our table shared Vie's calamari starter and four of the five of us order the oxtail. The beautiful pics are thanks to Vie Arem of Vie Myself & I

The calamari in chimmichurrie dressing with fried rice was perfectly cooked. I have to say the chimmichurri dry rub, was bbq spice laced and very meaty.

The oxtail was tasty in a tomato based sauce, lovely and moorish though I needed to add a touch of seasoning. It's served with mash and seasonal vegetables, the mash was a nit too stodgy for me, I prefer the light fluffy variety. The portion is well sized, with men in mind I'm sure.

Vie had the beef fillet medallions which were melt in your mouth tender. The rosti it was served on left a lot to be desired.

Overall it's a great Saturday or Sunday lunch venue, particularly for families with young children.

Buitengeluk

Broadacres Lifestyle centre, Corner Cedar and Valley Roads, Broadacres

011 540 1556

Best For:
A drive that isn't too far out and child friendly restaurant.

Photography: Vie Arem

Today's Craving - Jamie Oliver's chicken soup

I can feel the summer flu coming on and I happen to have lost my voice over this weekend. All I want, as I sit at my desk at work with a Jozi storm slowly gaining momentum outside, is a bowl of Jamie Oliver's poached chicken and vegetable soup.

Courtesy: Google & JamieOliver.com

It's a great soup, tasty, healthy and easy to make if I were in mood. It does take a little bit of work pulling the chicken meat off the bones and cavity.  All I want is to get home and for a bowl of it to magically appear. Ok I'm even willing to blink for it.

What do the French call French Toast?

PAIN PERDU of course!

My friend Amy (of LittleMissConception) made light and asked me "What do French people call french toast?" she also inserted a *hides*.

Pain Perdu, lost bread, in fact lost or wasted bread. So stale bread that is reformed, with a egg mixture, into a dish which is now a popular brunch item. What started as a way of making the most of every crust and crumb is now a decadent item made often of brioche and even croissants.

This is Raymond Blanc's, my go to Frenchman, Pain Perdu 

Courtesy: www.raymondblanc.com

Takeaway Chronicles: Kung Fu Kitchen

This is technically not a take away chronicle but more of a lunch time quickie. Had a sushi craving and a limited amount of time so popped out of the office to Kung Fu Kitchen Grayston for a spot of sushi on the go. I called ahead and went for the salmon combo, a colleague orders that at least once a week for lunch -take away.

I have to say that it was fine, perfectly fine. Although I would note that the fashion sandwiches are true to South African style, HUGE and not bite sized. I popped one, ok ok squeezed, into my mouth and had a fear I would choke. If you find me blue in the face lying on the floor know I choked on a fashion sandwich.

Kung Fu Kitchen (Grayston)
Grayston Shopping Centre
Corner Grayston Drive and Helen Road
011 884 5204
Best for: A fairly priced, typical Chinese take away & perfectly fine sushi takeaway.

One night at El Burro

El Burro is a Mexican joint that offers authentic cusine, the best I've tried in South Africa, and a tequila bar. Have I mentioned that tequila is one of my favourite alcoholic beverages. ElBurro is warm welcoming, and we happened to have a model-esque, nonchalant waitress which adds to the charm.

I love a good margarita and El Burro served up a great salt rimmed margarita. I could've stayed and drank margaritas all nigh, but we had work to do in the morning.

I was accompanied by fellow foodie Nomi (of Nom Nom Nomi) and we had two starters and two mains to share.

Starters
Chilli Rellenos, queso fresco stuffed smoked Jalapenos. What is queso fresco? It's a mild white cheese that melts oh so well and balances the spicy jalapeno. These are spicy! so not for the fainthearted but they sure are tasty.  A picture would not do the rellenos justice.

The Ceviche of diced line fish marinated in lime juice, serrano chillies, red onion, ginger and coriander.It was tasty but was a tad heavy on the red onion for my liking.

Ceviche

Mains
Based on the waitress recommendation and popular dishes we went for the Chilorio Pork Tacos and the chicken enchilada verde. The enchilada verde is rich and man sized, don't say you weren't warned.

The Chilorio Pork tacos with guac, salsa, assortment of chillies including a roast tomato salsa and pickles is a winner!

Alas we didn't have space for dessert, but I was told by Fritz of real men can cook that the churros are seriously good, sometimes one serving isn't enough kind of good!

I will be back every time I go to Cape Town, I heart Mexican!

El Burro
81 Main Road, Green Point, Cape Town
021 433 2364
Best for: Mexican dinners with friends and tequila lovers. Oh they also have weekday lunchtime specials.

Follow El Burro on twitter for details @_El_Burro