The Big Bad Wolf at The Wolfpack

I have to say that The Wolfpack makes a mean burger, big bad wolf mean. Having only a few moments in my day to grab lunch and a monster craving for a burger I decided to try The Wolfpack. I called and ordered from my car and told them "Give me your signature burger, grilled to perfection!". I reached The Wolfpack, immediately seated and had the big bad wolf placed in front of me, Oh yeah!

The burger patty was super juicy and tasty, like good quality beef topped with a slice of cheese, garlic aioli, crispy wasabi onion rings, jalapenos, pineapple and pancetta. Everything but the kitchen sink and it's super tasty! You would think that it has too much going on but it turned out to be just enough. The patty to bun ratio is perfect every bite had a piece of patty, that as I have found out is no small thing. I would definitely go back for that bun and those damn good almost curly french fries!

Now for a little burger porn a subsidiary of food porn (lol)

The Wolfpack

See details on Zomato here

One Liner - Nice on 4th

I had Sunday brunch with Donovan at Nice on 4th a couple of weeks ago and he has a serious jones for their egg baskets.

"There are definitely drugs in the egg baskets at Nice. I'm a junkie for those things"

Nice on 4th
37 4th Avenue, cnr 14th Street, Parkhurst
011 447 7287
Best for: Egg Baskets, OJ and brunch

What He Said - If you can't make it to Milan, Café Del Sol hits the spot.

Situated at the Olivedale Corner Shopping Centre,  serving scrumptious contemporary Italian the food at Café Del Sol is “a reflection of a new age Italian family” and  I can attest that the love can be seen, smelt, tasted and felt in every plate.

To judge by the amount of glowing feedback from my family and friends, who joined me for a Sunday lunch; it seems that Café de Sol can do no wrong. The compliments come thick and fast (‘incredible food', ‘perfect service') and it's clear this is a restaurant at the top of its game, with a strikingly beautiful, modern dining area with white walls  decorated with the most superb quotes about life, love and food.
The diverse menu delivers cracking flavours and as it declares, “seasonally fresh ingredients with swirls of love and just with a pinch of true Italian laughter” are served with a smile and executed perfectly.
Highlights include stunning starters, gorgeous mains and dishes of flawless technique and deep flavours accompanied and delivered with excellent service.

Beetroot Carpaccio

It is not your average Italian place with dishes like Beetroot Carpaccio – thinly sliced beetroot with Dolce Latte gorgonzola, strawberries and orange segments and spouts all drizzled with a balsamic reduction or the Calamari Limoncello with a wow inducing secret Limoncello sauce served with a Grana Padano parmesan salad.

Pastas are especially good. They have bite and a comforting, starchy, slipperiness, which makes the sauce cling to them, like baby koalas to their mothers.  They do numerous raviolis. The ravioli of the day is inspired and I absolutely loved the baby spinach and ricotta ravioli with a creamy parmesan and truffle sauce.

Baby spinach & ricotta ravioli

The risottos are also incredible, so good in fact, we ordered two – The Seafood Risotto with Prawns, Falklands calamari, smoked salmon, red pepper, mushroom & baby tomatoes sautéed with garlic & onion in white wine & finished off with a dash of fresh cream & parsley is delightful.
For all the mushroom lovers! Earthy Porcini mushrooms risotto, with green peas & a drizzle of truffle oil is a decadent treat!

The star dish of the day for me was the Porcini roasted chicken – Two tantalizing roasted free-range chicken breasts with a crispy skin, which was moist, served on a bed of tasty Porcini mushrooms, green peas & a delicate truffle oil risotto, with a Porcini mushroom cream sauce. The dish was cooked to perfection, well balanced and had my taste buds doing cartwheels.

The food was amazing the service sublime and the drinks list is peppered with appetizing Italian names. Ask for Alessandro Khojane whose infectious personality and good humored jokes added to our dining experience  – he and Café Del Sol are definitely setting the benchmark for Italian cuisine in Gauteng!

Grazie!

On Liner - Stanley Beer Yard

Touched base with Donovan at Stanley Beer Yard, for a beer (yes you guessed it) and a chat. This is his take on Stanley Beer Hall.

"A warm, cosy joint with delicious, ice cold craft beer and an abundance of young hipsters in undersized jeans and vintage glasses. This is their Meccah"

It must be nice having a beer with your name on it!

Stanley Beer Yard
44 Stanley Avenue, Milpark
011 4825791
Best for: Selection of craft beers of course, I'm partial to the Brewers & Union Steph Weiss draft.

One Liner - Daleah's

I met Donovan for a lunch meeting at Daleah's in Braamfontein (see my thoughts here) a couple of weeks ago and these were his thoughts on Daleah's

"Simple delicious food, really great space and a name that sounds like a coloured girl!" Drops mic!

Take a look at more of Donovan's one liners here

Daleah's
6 De Beer Street, Braamfontein
0713930542
Daleahseatery@gmail.com

She said - The Dining Room

I was lucky enough to get an invitation to join a couple of bloggers for a dinner at The Dining Room in the Union Bar about a month ago. I have to say I was excited to go because Jozi is in desperate need of pop up culinary experiences. Just the thought of food and cocktail pairings has a thumbs up from me.

We started off with the trio of savoury macarons, absolutely divine. The expectation of something sweet paired with a depth of savoury flavour, it's the best mind & taste bud f*ck ever!

The next course was a combination of scallop and prawns, once again this was a winner. The scallop was perfectly seared and the prawns faultless. The first two courses were my favourite of the night.

It was followed by the hot rock salmon which conceptually is a great dish, but I am a seared salmon girl so by the time the hot rock hit the table my piece of salmon was over cooked. With that said my friends loved it!

The final savoury course was the prime beef fillet, unfortunately I wasn't asked how I like my steak which is medium rare. The fillet was medium to well done so two bites was all I could do. I do wish they would have focused on the little touches that I would expect from Vicky Crease, such as asking how I'd like my salmon and fillet done.

The portions are man sized which is great for a mixed group, code for the men will not complain after. The concept and meal progression was well worth it.

TM

The Dining Room

At Union Bar, Shop HL 63, Melrose Arch Piazza

Best for: Pop Up experience between16 May - 13 July and the trio of macarons

He said - The Dining Room

I am just an explorer of food and my exploration took me on one of the more recent trends in dining – the “pop-up” restaurant a couple of weeks ago. Showcasing new foods, culinary talent and limited in availability pop-up restaurants have been popular overseas for a while and the concept has now captured the imagination of South Africa’s foodies. See Thando's post on Pop Up phenom here.

The Dining Room, collaboration between the Union Bar pop up and the glamorous Vicky Crease, of Vicky Crease Catering & Events, and who was gracious enough to personally pop in on our taste experience.

Nestled at the back of the Union’s Bar in Melrose Arch the Dining room is unassuming, quaint, intimate room hidden from the main bar area and we were pleasantly surprised at the warm candle lit, sophisticated retro décor of the room adorned with art and sculptures from up and coming South African artists.  And so our 6 course private dinner with no more than 16 fine guests wining and dining at one time.

We were warmly ushered into the room, graciously welcomed, and joined in some enjoyable “ice-breakers” as we met the other fine diners and nibbled on petit knotted rolls, focaccia and flatbreads served with a trio of unique flavoured butters: Satin thyme, truffle and volcanic salt and crushed chilli. Although the breads were uninteresting, the truffle and volcanic salt butter was the groups’ favorite with the crunch from the salt and the deeper, earthier undertone from the truffle shining through.

Next was the winner of the evening – again a trio, this time of macaroons with a basil infused macaroon topped with Springbok Carpaccio, basil aioli and parmesan shards, being the highlight. The “soft and crunchy” at the same time, textures and flavour profiles built to a perfect crescendo and offered an impeccable bite which was was well supported by an a butternut scented, creamy gorgonzola cheese and crushed pistachio nuts and a black pepper with curried crocodile, shallot marmalade and fresh baby herb macaroon. The dish was executed perfectly, with each of the colourful ingredients peeking through and packed with flavour.

While I felt the poached herb infused prawns was slightly overcooked, it was saved by the perfectly cooked scallops which were delicious, accompanied by a faultless zesty citrus crème and fresh roasted baby corn. All this rested on a poor, soft crostini which seemed an after-thought and failed to add any texture or enhance the dish.

Course number 4: The Hot Rock Salmon - which looked better than it tasted and while a novel way of cooking and presenting a meal – the seriously hot stone dried out not only the fish but the Beetroot infusion as well. The salad was delightfully refreshing and fresh berries provided an extra dimension.

Perfectly cooked, chargrilled prime beef fillet was served next, drizzled with a rich red wine jus, the dish failed to deliver on flavour and was not helped by a flat leek mashed potato. The only redeeming feature of the dish was a beautiful crisp parmesan shard that enveloped the fillet.

Dessert was a sad affair. An unexciting almond encrusted dry mousse which was far too stodgy and lacked sweetness.  Flambéed in Stroh rum did not complement the dish. Our host was humble enough to ensure the chef heard of our discontent and disappointment and promised an improvement.

The “pop up” restaurant has slowly been gaining a reputation not only as being trendy but a great night out and I must say it's quite an experience. But for a foodie like myself I have to say this about the Dining Room apart from the macaroon dish the food was average and lacked lustre at a price point that I think missed the mark.

They change the menu every two weeks – let’s hope they get it right the next time!

NR

The Dining Room
At Union Bar, Shop HL 63, Melrose Arch Piazza
Best for: Pop Up experience between16 May - 13 July and the trio of macarons

One Liner - District Six Eatery

You been to District 6 in Emmarentia?

"It's very quaint but soulful place, simple and small. I like it. Classic Cape Malay food that tastes like your moms made it. Hearty and delicious... They have a tripe curry here that takes me back home to Mthatha. MOER."

This was Donovan's two cents (yes I literally copied & pasted our convo) on District Six Eatery as he was bout to smash a carrot, pea, potato and beef stew in his face.

District Six Eatery
42B Greenhill Road, Emmarentia
011 486 7226
Best For: Cape Malay tripe curry (I can testify for this)

Lunch at La Cucina Di Ciro

A friend hosted her birthday lunch at La Cucina Di Ciro in Parktown North a little while ago. It was the perfect place to spend a Saturday afternoon. Sitting under the trees with a cool breeze blowing through (Yes this was before the cold front hit Jozi). The service is friendly, knowledgeable and attentive. The chef comes out to tell each table what the specials are, this is a great typically Italian touch. We arrived a little late for lunch, so we took our waiter's suggestion and ordered mains and dessert at once.

I had the deboned confit duck with black cherry reduction, absolutely sublime! Crispy skin and tender flesh. The slightly sweet sour cherry sauce created a great balance to the crispy savoury, perfectly seasoned duck. It is one of the best lunch items I've had this year.

For everything the confit duck was, the dessert wasn't.  I opted to have the taster of desserts. The brownie was rich and chocolatey, the cardamom pannacotta was fragrant and spicy. Now the macaroon on the other hand was an absolute disgrace, it required a good banging of the spoon to cut through it and after all that work I didn't even have the will to taste it.

Friends had the apple cake and loved it! So next time I'm going for a clear choice and not this I want everything taster.

La Cucina Di Ciro

43 7th Avenue, Parktown North

0114425187

Best for:  Date night, it's quiet and intimate. Perfect for a romantic dinner, I recommend it to friends for date night all the time.

Not sold on: The dessert taster trio

Will come back for: The deboned duck served with a black cherry sauce

If you're in Braamfontein: Father Coffee

There's a new kid on the Juta str block, Father Coffee. Yes you guessed it, it's a coffee shop. I popped in on Monday and sipped on a flat white, the blend of the day was South American & African beans. I couldn't resist the blood orange juice, which is deep in colour and flavour along with a slice of good ol' apple pie.

Father Coffee is easy going, light and airy with light wood and white tones. The boys, oh yeah the boys behind the counter are super friendly and whip up a good cuppa. 

Oh yeah that's me

Do I dig it? So far so good, but I will give them some time to settle in before passing full judgement.

Father Coffee

73 Juta Str, Braamfontein (right next door to the Neighbourgoods Market alley way)

0825134258

Best for: Blood Orange juice and a cuppa coffee of course

Calling all food lovers SecretEATS is coming to Jozi book now!

SecretEATS is an underground dining experience and it's hitting the big city next Saturday 8 June 2013. The concept behind SecretEATS is simple - they bring together adventurous food lovers and talented chefs for exclusive, underground dinner parties in secret locations around South Africa.

I've got my tickets, because I love to experience something out of the ordinary and of course I'm intrigued by all the mystery. Now let me tempt you to get your tickets.
"We’re (SecretEATS) not only going to serve you the most unique, scrumptious and food-coma inducing menu, we like to throw in a few extras too. Three distinct and matchless gourmet courses and one of a kind wine pairings eagerly await you in a completely unique, incredibly unexpected and decidedly exclusive venue."

How can you get in on this you ask? All you need to do is request an invitation here and you will receive an email that allows you to purchase tickets, simple!

If you're in Braamfontein - Daleah's

The new kid on the Braamfontein De Beer street block is Daleah's. 

It's situated opposite Post, my Braamfontein breakie favourite, see full Post review here. Daleah's is a casual chic eatery with a combination of wood tables,  a face brick wall, black and white accents and vintages touches. The service is friendly and very attentive with Daleah on hand spreading her enthusiasm.

The daily menu is up on a chalkboard along coffees, speciality teas and pastries on pastries. Yesterday's daily menu seemed Tashas inspired with the two mini beef burgers and a texas salad on the menu.
I ordered the beef burger, the mini burgers were made medium. My second patty however was quite rare, I'm a fan of steak tartare so I didn't mind. It was day 2 after all, so I let it slide. The mini burgers were topped with a deliciously creamy mushroom and caramelised onion sauce. It's a get your hands dirty and tuck in kind of burger. Along with that I ordered a strong flat white and two chocolate chip cookies to go totalling R62.

Mini burger lunch for one

Mini beef burgers

Once again the eateries in Braamfontein stay winning with their price point. I will give them some time to get on with it and get comfortable before I do a full review.

Daleah's
6 De Beer Street, Braamfontein
0713930542
Daleahseatery@gmail.com

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If you're in Cyrildene: Gangnam Korean BBQ

My friend Amy (of Littlemissconceptions) invited me to dinner at Gangnam Korean BBQ in Derrick Avenue, Cyrildene. As you expect from Derrick Avenue, don't judge a book by its cover or by it's lumo green sign in Gangnam BBQ's case.

The restaurant is filled with sets of wooden tables and chairs. Each of the tables have a special centre feature, all the better to barbeque with. Amy was designated barbeque lady for the night.
Once seated and orders made, the waitresses brings out hot coals and sets it inside the table centre and then we're ready to barbeque. Next the waitress sets an assortment of pickles on the table along with lettuce leaves. The assortment of pickles includes pickled cucumber, potato pickle and a small serving of kimchi (pickled vegetables).

We ordered three meat items; the marinated beef short ribs, marinated pork rashers and chicken wings. The meat is marinated in a salty, umami, slightly spicy marinade.  The marinated pork is served with two dips; a spicy chilli sauce and a salty poppy seed dip. If you eat pork I recommend it highly. The idea is that once the meat is cooked you take a lettuce leaf and fill it with pickles, meat and the dipping sauces. The lettuce is a wonderful neutral cold element that balances the warm, spicy & salty meat. As our side we ordered beef noodles, these are no ordinary noodles but translucent sweet potato noodles. There are splendid and unexpected.

I enjoyed the evening, it's great for interacting and the restaurant is perfect for a quiet one on one dinner or for a group dinner. My next trip will be with a group, so that I can try a larger variety of dishes. 

Step out of the ordinary and instead of your usual spot try something new this week. I would suggest making a booking if you plan to go over the weekend.

Gangnam Korean BBQ

28 Derrick Avenue, Cyrildene

0791721239

Best for: A group dinner. The fish balls are a MUST try.

Going back for: The outside bbq night, where skewers of chicken wings & skewers of fish balls are barbequed or braaied on site. 

Foodies and Beefcakes

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I received the invitation to join a couple of foodies for dinner at Beefcakes in Illovo. Lucky for me I was having dinner with Hasmita (of Jozilicious blog) and Leila (of Pass the Salt blog) who I happen to know via twitter, so I was keen. I mean it's always wonderful to be able to put faces to the names and seem like less of an interwebs stalker.

My first impression of Beefcakes was kitsch OTT, I think it's that Beefcakes' pink. Appropriate given it was inspired by 50s Miami South Beach. The restaurant has a large bar area, sets of  six seater booths flanking the central table seating of course all facing the stage. Scooched into a booth, we started the evening with cocktails, which are yum! I suggest you go with the scantily clad, muscle baring waiter's recommendations on cocktails.

Courtesy: www.beefcakes.co.za

Beefcakes' original Pink Tea

We then moved onto burgers, the menu filled with suggestively named items allows you to choose the patty you'd like on your bun. Which means you're spoilt for choice whether you're up for foreplay (starters) or a threesome of nibbly bits (starter trio) to share. The burgers come with a choice of patty options are beef, lamb, chicken ostrich and vegetable.

I'm an all beef burger girl done medium, throw in a side of crispy onion rings & I'm happy. I ordered the beach boy which is your patty of choice topped with a spicy salsa, guacamole and sour cream. The patty was medium to perfection and the onion rings were tossed in a sweet slightly spicy coating and deep fried in a light, crispy batter.

Dessert was absolutely decadent, deep fried twinkies and choc banana spring rolls. Sinful!

On show that Tuesday night was Bitchy Bingo hosted by "No frills, bitchy trolley dolly". I don't remember her name maybe it was Dolly, but she sure does put on a song and dance. It was a hoot, but I still don't know how to play bingo.

BITCHY BINGO
Courtesy: www.beefcakes.co.za

Warning, if you are trying to have a quiet conversation then it's not the night to try Beefcakes. Go for a boisterous girls' night out, it'll be filled with giggles, screeches, drinkies, shots and burgers for the lining lol.

Beefcakes
Illovo Muse, 198 Oxford Road, Illovo
011 447 5266
joburg@beefcakes.co.za
Best for: Boisterous night out or a ladies night out or a cocktail fest
Going back for: Apple pie shooter, it's so yum!

Beijing Opera pops up in Jozi

I was over the moon when I saw this posted up on the Beijing Opera fb page. I'm pretty sure Yang got tired of me asking when The Beijing Opera is coming to Jozi. The dim sum Pop Up Beijing Opera will be on our Parkhurst streets in two weeks.

Trust me this is not to be missed! 

If you're in Braamfontein: Doubleshot

Looking for a caffeine fix, a barista, a quick coffee or loose leaf tea in Braamfontein then Doubleshot Tea and Coffee from Malawi is a good bet. Especially if you're a fan of, yes you guessed it, Malawian beans.

Order and pay at the counter and then find a seat along the window to watch the, mostly student, hustle & bustle go by. We had a latte and a doubleshot double espresso. A strong brew perfect for first thing in the morning and the mid afternoon lull. 

Doubleshot also offers bags of beans for sale along with tea and accessories. By accessories I mean teapots, single plunge brewers, espresso cups and such.

Doubleshot
Corner Juta and Melle streets, Braamfontein
Best For: Your preferred coffee and a spot of people watching

If you're in Braamfontein: Love Food Cafe

I mentioned Love Food Cafe once before on the Jozi Hit List. Well, if you're in Braamfontein I highly recommend you head over to Love Food Cafe for lunch. It's buffet style Ottolenghi inspired cuisine.

R48 gets you a choice of three salads (a spoonful of each) and a protein. It's all fresh, sustainable and tasty. I had the roast butternut and beetroot salad with feta, fresh raw broccoli salad and a mango spinach salad with a tangy dressing, along with a piece of tender spiced chicken.

I said this on twitter and I'll say it again, if you're at Wits and looking for a lunch date spot this is for you. It's a reasonably priced date and the cafe itself is absolutely lovely. has a rustic Parisian feel to it.

Love Food Cafe
4 Amershoff street, Braamfontein
083 602 6511
Best for: Lunch (three salad and protein) I actually haven't been for breakie yet.
Monday - Friday 06:30am - 06:00pm

If you're in Linden: The Whippet

This is the first of my If You're in the Neighbourhood series. This is the beginning of a series of posts that will cover the length and breadth of a specific neighbourhood, foodie find by foodie find.

I thought it an absolute must to start with The Whippet. As it embodies the essence of "supporting local", The Whippet sources from the local butcher and bakers.  It's also shining a spotlight on the peach history of its neighbourhood Linden and reviving the neighbourhood coffee shop culture.  Did you know that Linden was once a great peach exporter? I sure didn't.

How may times can I say neighbourhood?! ALOT!

I have spent two afternoons at The Whippet, at first glance I was taken by the clean lines whites and dark greys against wood tables and tops. Along with the quirky touches.

The staff are super knowledgeable about the history of the neighbourhood, the sources of the ingredients and their sustainability, along with the dishes themselves. Also they are diligent about getting introductions and names of patrons, made me feel like regular on my first time. This is warm service!

The coffee is Malawian and awesome! I recommend a flat white, which is my fave (future bf take note)

To eat we ordered the Whippet burger and the chicken salad. The Whippet burger has a mozarrella cheese centre, great surprise and super tasty. Alas the pic could not do it justice.
Although tasty the chicken salad should be renamed, baby spinach salad with chicken croutons. Please sir may I have some more chicken. The green olives are spectacular, I must remember to ask where they source them from.

I left with a takeaway lemon curd mini cake, a jar of peaches celebrating Linden's peach export heritage and lemon cordial.

The Whippet
Corner of 7th Street and 4th Avenue, Linden, Randburg
011 782 7310
Best for: Cup of coffee on the go, a dessert pick me up milk tart & the Whippet burger
Going back for: The Whippet signature breakie, to try the poached & tempura battered egg
Not sold on: The chicken salad, it's mostly greens with chicken breast croutons