CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Every Christmas I post some pictures of Christmas and festive themed cupcakes, but this year I have decided to feature some holiday cookies..

Of course I have not baked or decorated any of these...simply because...I am not blessed with the ability to do such patient and delicate artwork, but that doesn't stop me from admiring them.

Enjoy!

Source

PLAT DU JOUR

To those that read my blog regularly you will be fully aware of how much I love my food and there is no mistaking that to eat out in France is expensive,

 but affordable dining can be found. 

As with any country in the world the best places to eat are where the locals frequent and whilst they may not be fancy restaurants, they do have the authenticity and character that is often more charming and often cheaper. 

French eateries are renowned for their Plat du Jour, which literally 

translated means a "plate of the day". 

This special "menu" for the day usually consists of a two or three course meal and often uses the freshest, local, seasonal produce available. 

In France the main meal of the day is taken at lunchtime and most rural towns and villages will close between 12-2pm and the restaurants take centre stage and are often a hive of activity, whilst the rest of the town hibernates for those two hours.

On previous visits to France I have tried several Plat du Jours and generally have never been dissapointed and today was no exception. The Como Bistrot in St Junien had been recommended to us by a local and as we approached, the car park was full and we knew we were onto a winner.

The large Bistrot was already busy with locals and we were seated quickly. 

The starter or entree, was a help yourself salad and cold meat buffet, which had a great selection of saucissons and salamis and was a meal on its own,

 but much more was to come.

The main course was sautéed Veal with carrots and even though it didn't look appetising it was delicious, the veal was so tender and the garlic tossed carrots were a great accompaniment.The lack of a starch really wasn't missed and made for lighter eating.

The dessert was Choux Chantilly, which was a huge Choux pastry bun filled with a perfectly sweetened Chantilly cream and again was delicious.

By this time we were way beyond full, but we had take nearly two hours to eat our meal and yet more was to come. A platter of local cheeses were placed on our table to round off our humongous lunch and of course we had to try the varieties of soft, hard and goats cheeses as we didn't want to offend. 

Prices do vary, but this Plat du Jour was €13 (Approx. R188) and the coffee was an extra €1 (approx.R14.50) and was excellent value!

FYI...

I did feel very sleepy after, even without wine...and yes I did have an afternoon siesta.....and I didn't eat dinner!

Here are some tips:

Normally the menu is displayed on a chalk board outside the restaurant along with the all inclusive price. I advise that you read or ask for a translation before deciding on whether to eat there or not, as you don't have a choice, as what is on the menu is what you get and if you don't enjoy Duck or veal for example, then move on.

If the restaurant is not busy, then also move on.

The portions are generally "Man" size, as these Plat du Jours are generally eaten by business men and workers alike.

Remember this is not fast food, so take the two hours to enjoy your meal and soak in the vibey local atmosphere.

Free carafes of water and baskets of French bread are always on the table and filled up frequently, but beware that the carafes of the local wine on the table may be charged for.

Be warned, that even though it's far healthier to eat a large meal at midday, it can leave you feeling sleepy, especially if you have had a couple of glasses of the local vino.

Expect the unexpected, as some combinations of food are not maybe what we are used to, but go with the flow...after all you are in France!

Typical chalk board menu

Entree 

Sauteed veal with carrots

Choux Chantilly

Cheese Platter

Strong French coffee

Carafes of water and wine 

FRIDAY FIND {KENTISH BRAMLEY APPLE & BLACKBERRY PIE}

This weeks Friday Find is a "foodie" one.

 I have been buying these imported Marks & Spencers Kentish Bramley Apple and Blackberry Pies from Woolworths, for sometime now and they are delicious!

 Not being much of a baker it's far easier to leave any fruit pie baking to the professionals.

 You will find this product in the frozen food section of the larger Woolworths and they are available online.It couldn't be any simpler to bake, just take straight from the freezer and you literally pop it into a 180 degree preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes and you will have yourself a fruit pie that is packed with chunks of Bramley Apple and whole blackberries in a shortcrust all butter pastry lattice.

 Just add custard, cream or ice cream and you have a "hit" dessert that all the family will love....

and it gets even better, as they retail for only R49.95...

serves 4 and is suitable for vegetarians.

Let me know your thoughts.

Enjoy!

M&S Kentish Bramley Apple and Blackberry Pie

WOOLWORTHS

BIRTHDAY CAKES IDEAS FOR HIM

I just love cupcakes, in fact I love any type of cake and I really do admire these creative bakers who can ice and decorate.

Here are some wonderful cake ideas for the men in our lives...check out the attention to detail.

My "faves" have to be the Rolex watch and the Stella Artois,which are yours?

Enjoy!

Source

BELLEVUE CAFE {REVIEW}

An impromptu meeting for coffee and cake with Nicola from
  www.runoncoffee.blogspot.com
led us to the Bellevue Cafe in Kloof (situated next to Delcairn Centre).
It was my first visit, but it sounded like Nicola frequents this delightful place often and it's easy to see why! 

Chris Black of Aubergine Hillcrest fame is at the helm of this little "arty" gem. 

As soon as I walked through the tallest door I have ever seen, I got that feeling that I was going to enjoy this casual, relaxed eatery. Whilst waiting for Nicola I had chance to look through their varied, albeit small  menu, but nonetheless I spotted several dishes that I have to go back and try.
It caters for the "early bird" breakfast lover through to the mid morning coffee and cake crowd.
 Its also perfect for a casual lunch or drop in for afternoon tea and even a sundowner cocktail, followed by dinner. I must say that all the food being presented to the tables around me just looked more than "yummy" and the smells coming from the kitchen were just as pleasing.

Nicola and I fell into the coffee and cake crowd visiting mid morning, but there was a slight problem.....they had no water and being a rainy "mizz" day I was looking forward to trying a Hot Choc, but alas no hot drinks, so freshly squeezed on the premises orange juice it would have to be.

Lavender and Double Choc Tart R30

There was a "delish" assortment of pastries and it was hard to make a choice.

The Chocolate tart above won me over simply because that's what "chocoholics" always opt for, but I was also intrigued by the addition of the Lavender and let me tell you... it was to "die for", as the hint of Lavender just complimented and brought out the taste of the rich chocolate even more.

Definitely I will return purely for more of the same.

Nicola chose the Lemon Tart which tasted like a sophisticated lemon curd and was nearly as good as my choc overload.

Lemon Tart R30

I'm hopefully taking my hubby for a Sunday breakfast in the near future and as "pour moi",

 I will have to persuade Nicole to come with me again and we can slowly sample some of their other pastries, sarmies and salads and I honestly can't wait.

So Au Revoir Lavender and Double Choc Tart until we meet again....

Opening Times:

Mon-Fri 7am-9pm

Sat 8.30-9pm

Sunday 9am-3pm

5 Bellevue Road, Kloof, Durban

Call 031 717 2780

BELUGA GATEWAY {REVIEW}

Some of you may have read my previous reviews on various restaurants, cafes etc.and I know I am a harsh critic, but being a "mature" diner you need to understand that I have eaten many meals out in all types of restaurants over the years and lets face it, eating out is not a cheap past time,
so to put it simply and bluntly....
I work hard to earn my money and I don't settle for crap.....

Obviously my reviews are based purely on my personal taste,opinions and experiences at the time of the review, all this being said I very rarely give a mediocre or average restaurant a second chance, 
as I really don't want to waste more of my good money. 

So how did I Beluga rate?
My son turned 20 years old a couple of weeks ago, so we decided to eat at Beluga in Gateway, even though I have eaten a couple of times at Beluga in Cape Town this was my first time trying this offshoot, which opened a year ago.
 Beluga in Cape Town has always pleased me and I was expecting great things from my "local" Beluga. 

If I am not mistaken this 350 seater eatery is housed in the 
old Pop Art Cafe Club premises, 
which is a double volume cavernous space. 

We opted to sit outside on the sidewalk terrace and unfortunately that's where things started to go somewhat "pear shaped". 
The outside area is dark, as there is very little lighting and we all had the same problem...we couldn't read the menu even the "Kiddiewinks" with their young eyes complained. 
After voicing our concerns, the waiter brought us a candle to light our way! 
The candle happened to be an electric flickering flame to resemble a candle, 
hence it shed no light whatsoever....reading between these lines....can you sense my frustration already?

We proceeded to move to a table along side the windows hoping the light issue would be resolved and guess what, it wasn't, so after table move number 3 
we ended up inside the restaurant. 
At this point I started to have a sense of humour loss, as the lighting inside the main restaurant was really no better.Regardless, we all battled to read the extensive menu and it all sounded "delish". 

First off I ordered my compulsory Strawberry Daiquiri, as Beluga pride themselves on their cocktails, 
so I waited with anticipation and what arrived was a glass full of sweet slush puppy syrup with no garnish!

Strawberry Daiquiri R58

I am not even going to comment further on my SD other than     

to offer some advice to the management of Beluga... send your barman down to the Oyster Box Hotel in Umhlanga to learn how to make a good SD.

Lets move onto the food.....

We all opted for Belugas set 3 course menu selection at 

R165, 

as it covered lots of our family "likes". 

We all chose the pan fried Calamari with Ginger and Chilli and what arrived was a large portion of perfectly cooked calamari with a tasty plate drizzle of 
Chilli and Ginger, 

a big thumbs up all round!

Ginger & Chilli Calamari

For our mains we all ordered different dishes, which I like as I get to taste

 everyone's food.

"Kiddiewink 1" 

Decided on the Sticky Beef ribs

 which he enjoyed.

 "Kiddiewink 2" 

Chose the Angry Chicken Curry, 

named after the angry chef that totally ruined the dish by overdosing with salt.

"Hubby" 

Unfortunately picked the Slow-Braised Lamb Shank,

 which he was assured was a good portion for a hungry man, I could see his face drop when a minute shank appeared before him and to add insult to injury he declared it tasteless! 

"et Moi" 

I ordered the Kingklip with buttered mash and beurre blanc, 

which didn't look very appetising but the taste was good.

Kingklip

After mixed reviews on the mains it was onto the 3rd and final course and 

my "fave" part...the puds. 

No contest here, as we had all heard so much about the

 White Chocolate Beignets.

Lindt White Chocolate Beignets

 Lindt white chocolate,vanilla bean ice cream and butterscotch sauce and for me being a "chocoholic" this was promising to be a great end to our otherwise disappointing meal. 

One bite into the white chocolate fried ball revealed a hot melted chocolate centre, which was very rich, in fact so much so, I could only eat the one and add to that the butterscotch dipping sauce and the whole dessert was just too rich and too sweet. 

If you follow my blog, you will know from many of my reviews and posts that I loooove chocolate, but this dessert must go down on record, as being the richest "pud" that I have ever eaten. 

Even "kiddiewink 1 & 2" couldn't help me out, so sadly my plate went back to the kitchen minus just the one ball, a little butterscotch and some ice cream, again for me this is unheard of!

To finish off this rather long review

the atmosphere is lacking, the service was average, but the food was to say the least disappointing on many counts. 

I feel that to try and roll out an award winning fine dining restaurant formula to another province is a challenge for the owners and can often fall short and in my opinion sadly this is what has happened to Beluga. 

The final bill came to R940 inc. a tip. There was no wine only beers, cool drinks and my Strawberry Daiquiri!

Would I return? 

Unfortunately not, but I would most definitely visit the tried, tested and established Cape Town branch.

Just a final note....kindly ditch those unhygienic large open jars of brightly coloured jelly beans, its a nice idea, but I witnessed both the waitrons and customers stuffing their,no doubt dirty,grubby, germ ridden hands in, to grab handfuls.
It brought to mind the "bowl of peanuts on the bar" story that did 
its rounds years ago!
Yuk!

To read previous post on Beluga

BELUGA (GATEWAY)

Call 031 584 7430

www.beluga.co.za

Physical address: 

Shop G347 

Gateway Theatre of Shopping

 Umhlanga

Durban

Opening times:

 Sunday to Thursday 12 noon - 10pm. 

Friday to Saturday 12 noon - 11pm. 

A STRAWBERRY TART FINALLY

For those that follow my blog regularly you will know that I love all things Strawberry and especially a good Strawberry Tart.Unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to write about these red fruity tarts, basically because I haven't really found any in South Africa worth writing about.

No one can beat the Europeans when it comes to "Patisseries" and for those that have been to France, 

you will know exactly what I am talking about...

I just love to gaze into those Patisserie windows filled with the most beautiful Gateaux, pastries and macaroons. I am salivating just thinking about it....

This leads me to tell you about my Strawberry tart from Vovo Telo, 
which recently opened in Umhlanga Rocks.

To read Vovo Telo review

Each time I pay a visit to Vovo Telo I keep missing the Strawberry tarts, they even posted a "piccy" on Twitter last week to announce that these illusive yummy's were available and selling fast....
I finally got to try one on Friday evening after we had eaten dinner there with friends, who by the way also loved the place.

As we were running out of time we bought the last two and took them home to eat.

I have to be fair to Vovo Telo, as these Strawberry tarts were bought at 9pm, were the last two and were looking a little tired. However it didn't affect the taste whatsoever and a huge thumbs up, as they were really "delish". The pastry was firm and not soggy, the custard or Creme Patissiere tasted great and my only complaint would be that the tart could have had a couple more strawberries on, especially as they had used only half Strawbs and not whole.
At R22 per tart another 2 halves = 1 more whole strawberry, wouldn't have been too much to ask! 

Was it worth waiting for? Yes and I will be back for more and hopefully it will have that extra strawberry on.

www.vovotelo.co.za

BREAKFAST AT THE BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL UMHLANGA ROCKS

The 5* Beverley Hills Hotel seems to have been a fixture on the Umhlanga horizon forever. My family first stayed in the hotel back in 1974, on our first visit to South Africa and even back then it was "the" hotel in Durban to stay at. Although many years have passed it still holds fond memories of Christmas's spent swimming and tanning by the pool. (Even at fourteen I was desperate to go back to the cold UK winter with the best tan possible...there was nothing better than having your bronzed skin highlight the pale white skin of your classmates)

Considering the hotel is on my doorstep, I haven't been inside to eat or drink for a couple of years, that was until yesterday, when I was invited to my friends 50th Birthday Breakfast. We sat on the terrace which has five star views across the sparkling pool, past the Umhlanga Rocks Lighthouse and out across the Indian Ocean.

The semi buffet style breakfast is laid out in the Sugar Club dining room and you can choose between Continental at R175 or the full cooked breakfast option for R210. Whilst the buffet comprised of all the usual cereal, fruit and fresh juice and pastry assortment, I was impressed with the continental cold meats, salami and the cheese selection, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Fresh honey anyone?

Hot breakfasts are ordered and served at the table from the breakfast menu,which includes the normal egg options, bacon, sausage etc etc, but smoked salmon scrambled eggs, various omelettes, minute steak and Scottish kippers are also on offer. The hotels signature breakfast dish is the popular Eggs Benedict, which I must say looked absolutely "delish", as did the smoked salmon scrambled eggs.

The hotel setting, facilities and the food at the Beverly Hills is what you would expect from a hotel that has been awarded five stars year after year, but the staff are the true stars, several of which I am sure have been around since my days of holidaying there. Nothing was too much trouble or effort and what I like is when a waitron anticipates or reads from your body language, what you are needing next.The GM even came to wish the "birthday girl" a Happy Birthday, to me these little touches make all the difference.

I have to admit I love the 5* Oyster Box Hotel next door, but strangely enough I felt a little guilty yesterday as I was sitting overlooking the pool. I have far more memories of my time spent at the Beverly Hills  than at the Oyster Box, yet I have neglected to rekindle those happy memories in favour of making new ones next door. 

As a result, I will be back to visit the Beverly Hills soon and I will take time to "chillax" and reminisce...and try a Strawberry Daiquiri or two. 

Just a thought...could you imagine, if the Beverly Hills SD was to topple the Oyster Boxes SD from its number 1 spot on my Strawberry Daiquiri charts! Now there's a thought....

I will definitely give you feedback as to how it rates..

Beverly Hills Hotel

REMO'S VILLAGGIO {REVIEW}

Remo’s was born in May 2007 in memory of the late Remo Giuseppe Scribante. His brothers, “Fratelli”, Franco and Renzo Scribante opened their first café in Mount Edgecombe, Durban.

Renzo had a passion for food and cafes his whole life. He spent time from an early age cooking with his mother in the kitchen and cleaning the tables at Sunday lunches. What started out as a small café with a limited menu has now turned into an established company fuelled by passion. 

The Remo’s Originale (Mount Edgecombe Store) is now a bustling restaurant and bar very well known for its quality of food. 

In 2012 Remo’s expanded and the much anticipated Villaggio store was opened in Umhlanga Village.
 This charming,upmarket and exciting venue is open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

. 
I must make mention here of the Italian Panetteria (bakery) which is adjoining the restaurant and is very cute little shop, but I will blog about this on another occasion.

This is only the second time I have eaten at the Remo's in Umhlanga due to the fact, that they are always fully booked in the evenings,so I highly recommend booking a table in advance.

Be aware that the menu is extensive and it really does take some time to read through it, as always when I am confronted with a huge variety of dishes, I found myself chopping and changing my mind, many times.

I finally ordered a Pear and Gorgonzola Salad,which was absolutely delicious, but the key ingredient for me were the broken pieces of peanut brittle scattered over the salad, which elevated this dish into a new realm of  salad deliciousness. The sweetness of the brittle just complimented the cheese and the pear, so well.

Pear and Gorgonzola Salad R75

My hubby and the "Kiddiewinks" all ordered pizzas, which have recently been voted the best in Durban 2013 by the "I love Durban" Online community and again the family all enjoyed theirs. The pizza menu offers some interesting and different topping options. The thin based pizzas are rectangle in shape and are served on a wooden board and have to be the most expensive Pizzas around Durban ranging from
 R72 for a basic Funghi to R140 for the GiGi seafood pizza.

Carne Pizza R98

We all opted for "puds" and Chocolate Brownies with ice cream were the most popular choice and I ordered a Creme Brûlée. The Choc brownies were rich and a hit, whilst my Creme Brûlée on the other hand, was a disaster. It arrived with a sugar spun creation on top and looked promising....but that's where it ended! The management dealt with my complaint immediately and efficiently. 

Maybe next time I will also opt the the rich Choc "overload" pud below!

Decadantly rich Chocolate Brownie R35

Creme Brulee

Remo's is proud of its wine list and obviously includes several Italian wines, but my fave cocktail a Strawberry Daiquiri was not on the cocktail menu, so sad face....I did venture out of my "cocktail" box and I tried a long cocktail called

 Aperol Spritz R52

 (Aperol, Prosecco and Orange Juice)

 My SD still remains my first and only true cocktail love.

 Taking into account the decor, the vibe, the service and the great Italian food, the whole dinning experience at Remo's is memorable and I cannot wait to return for another Pear and Gorgonzola Salad or maybe one of the many home made pasta dishes, or a pizza or even one of their special dishes...

Oh! see I am already undecided about what to order on my next visit,which means many more visits are on the cards..

For those of you living outside of KZN, the brothers do have plans to expand into Johannesburg and possibly Cape Town.

Shop 2/3, Protea Mall
Cnr Lighthouse and Chartwell Drive(Umhlanga, Durban)

031 561 7143

Remo's Website

DESIGNER CUPCAKES

If you follow my blog regularly you will know that I love beautiful cupcakes

 and I have found some more that I would like to share with you...

Which is your "fave"? 

Mine has to be the Vera Wang creation...

Enjoy!

iwantmycoffee {REVIEW}

Iwantmycoffee opened only 3 months ago and is already causing a "stir" (excuse the pun) in the world of coffee culture cafe's and best of all, its right on my doorstep!

The creators of iwantmycoffee Ard Mathews (songwriter and musician of Just Jinger fame) and his partner Deborah have nurtured their "baby" from conception to birth and should be proud of how this "toddler" is maturing and surely its a positive sign for the birth of some siblings!

You will find this "babygem" on the ground floor of "Mayfair on the Lake" behind the Chris Saunders Park overlooking both the park and the Gateway Theatre of Shopping.

What does this new kid on the block have to offer?

Its one of those inviting, friendly and want to linger longer kinda places.

The menu focuses on the coffee and drink selection, with a few "delish" sweetie and organic sandwich options, rather than focusing on food choice and the coffee being the add on.

Two experienced Baristas work their magic with the local "Bluff Bru" selection.

 They also offer a South African decaf called Racemosa believed to be the only naturally occurring decaffeinated bean in the world.

Add to this a radio station (iwantmyradio) which is located at the back of the cafe and you have a unique,cool place to chill,enjoy good coffee,meet friends or just people watch. 

For those of us that need to work there is free Wifi.

My BFF and I shared a yummy, huge beef roll (R40).I couldn't resist the "dreamy" Belgian Hot Chocolate (R25) and my well travelled friend chose their Frappachino equivalent Coffreezo (R30) which she rated as one of the best she has had.

iwantmycoffee is a "must place" to visit and for those of you that live far,far away, then I hope for your enjoyment the siblings come soon!

Open weekdays and Saturday mornings and on Wonder Market Sundays.

iwantmycoffee