Category Archives: Talking Restaurants
More on sushi
A few posts ago, the subject of sustainability of sushi was discussed. I today received this information from Jaco Barendse, Technical Advisor and Research at Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative (SASSI) — (thanks for this Jaco, your response quoted in full): “I have spoken to members of the Fresh Tuna Exporters Association in Cape Town who [...]
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Sustainable sushi?
Still on the theme of food sustainability, Dax and I swopped a few thoughts on sushi. Can we really all eat little fillets of only the best parts of a tuna and not skew the world stocks irrevocably?
Posted in Talking Restaurants 13 Comments
Best Italian Restaurants
After my recent positive post about Magica Roma, a few people have begged to differ. One regular commentator, Jurgen Seier, took the trouble to answer my question: “so where do you go for Italian?” at length: Good question, no straight answer. I think the problem is that Italian restaurants have been around for too long [...]
Posted in Talking Restaurants 15 Comments
Cassoulet
Just received a vote from a diner who rates the cassoulet at Savoy Cabbage as excellent. He was responding to the post on one.waterfront where this dish was discussed. Any other places worthy of a cassoulet visit? It’s a pretty rare dish here in SA.
Posted in Talking Restaurants 11 Comments
The three star conundrum
If one star is for good food for its price category (so better than most in category); two is for good food plus a little more (service, wine list, setting) and three is reserved for a really very good all-round experience – which restaurants would you nominate for three?
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A Churrasqueira, Rosettenville
After a week of eating in Jozi, I was beginning to become desperate for one decent-to-good meal. A friend suggested we needed to head south. So Sunday lunch was at this renowned Portuguese spot. It’s idiosyncratically laid out, a triangle at an intersection. The tip of the triangle has been turned into a fenced kid’s [...]
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Pappa’s, Sandton
“The Greek Spur” was the sum of it. Great setting (if you’re a smoker) with a balcony hanging over Mandela Square, the monstrous caricature of him right there. Otherwise the interior is shot with a pretty non-food blue with plain seating. The service is very good, friendly and fast. The food comes out alarmingly fast, [...]
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La Campagnola, Bryanston
Where do I start? This Italian of some repute does have a comfortable bar for pre and post dinner drinks. Dinner, however, is ordinary. From the crockery and cutlery (all well-worn catering quality) to the waistcoated service without too much clue – but worse – to the attitude of the owner/managers. The food is poor, [...]
Posted in Talking Restaurants 15 Comments
Giovanni’s Pane e Vino, Sandton
It is a sad day when I turn from my order (a well-cooked but deeply bland risotto) to eat my wife’s salad. Giovanni’s, for a place with a certain reputation, really let me down. First off, a fabulous wine list, with clever local picks, decent pricing and great foreign wines – but dreck by the [...]
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Consistency