Sedgefield Wild Oats Farmers' Market - We have a winner

You should know by now how excited I get at food markets. I've written about a couple before and what I love about them is that while they might all look the same, they are definitely not. Each market has a personality and each market has slight variations on what they are selling. The people behind the stalls make the biggest difference though. And of course, the actual quality of food. Let me say this out loud (you can read it and then say it out loud too): The Sedgefield Wild Oats Farmers' Market is the best I have ever seen. Let's skip past the fact that it's in Sedgefield. Everything else about it is awesome. 

We arrived there at 08h15 on Saturday morning. After getting up ridiculously early for a little trot I was pretty sure we had beaten the rush. I was horribly wrong. The place was already crawling with Sedgies (do you like that word? Sedgies? I quite like it. You can use it if you want). We took a stroll through the place and I was blown away. More than once I had to check that the prices were in fact correct. I bought a tub of beautifully thick sugar-and-fat-free yoghurt for five rand. Five rand?!! That's normally what I tip the car-guard OUTSIDE the market. I couldn't believe it. Nevermind the fact that it was delicious, organic and topped with sweet strawberries that almost made me cry they were so good. Another stall was selling organic duck portions and free-range chickens bigger than some Japanese cars. There were oysters, mushrooms, cured hams and meats, biltong, vegetables, breads, blocks of cheese like I have never ever seen, fresh fish, chocolate and a lot more. The amazing this was the standard of food. Basically every stall was the best of it's kind. The people were friendly, authentic farmers. And the pride they had in their produce was almost as obvious as the hunger I had for it. 

I left with bags full of stuff. I could have stayed there for hours. Luckily we had other things to do or I probably would have. If ever you are passing by on a Saturday trust me, pull in. You will be amazed. They are open from 08h00 - 11h30.

Cheers,

Jamie Who 

Serendipity - Almost, almost there.

So close. So damn close. That's how I would sum up my experience at Serendipity when I pulled in for dinner on Friday night. I was in Wilderness on a much-needed break and stopped by. I had heard LOADS about this place and was super-excited to check it out. Did it live up to expectations? Well...it's hard to say. At times I was left disappointed, while other parts of the night were unforgettable. Let's break it down.

Firstly, the setting. Driving past the other restaurants in the thriving metropolis of Wilderness I was feeling more than a bit sceptical. Bongo's pizzeria. A place called "The Girls".  The Blue Olive. Monk's. Mmmm...I see. We drove on and found the place. Well, fu*k me. That will teach me to judge a book by it's cover. The setting for Serendipity was probably the most beautiful I have seen anywhere in the country...

A beautiful boutique hotel on the banks of The Touw River is where you'll find it. We were shown to the balcony and while taking in the views of the river, over a beautifully manicured garden and lawns, we ordered drinks. The host then took whoever had arrived (about 8 people) through the menu. He did it with an amazing passion and sincerity and made the whole thing quite theatrical. When he was done we were shown to our table and wasted no time in getting stuck into the 5-course tasting menu. I will take you through some highs and lows. 

Highs:

1. A starter of Blaauwkranz cheese and preserved fig brulee. A nomination for best starter of the year?
2. The trio of kudu. (Bobotie, tartar, carpaccio.) A nice celebration of game. Unusual to see it in a bobotie but surprisingly moist. 
3. A cape brandy pudding. The description of this dish really doesn't do it any justice. The dish was apparently doused in brandy after cooking and therefore sucked up some extra flavours. Phenomenal. Simple, classic but tasted like no brandy pudding I have ever come across. 
4. A chocolate tart with rooibos ice cream and rosewater jellies. Brilliant use of textures. The subtlety of the cubes of jelly was an inspirational touch.
5. An amouse bouche in the form of a tempura mussel with chilli. 

Lows:

1. A cauliflower soup. Wow. Where did this come from? It was the wrong consistency, an uninspiring colour and way too bland. 
2. A palette cleanser called a slurpie. When I saw this on the menu I thought it was quite funky and quirky and was quite looking forward to it. I didn't enjoy the texture at all though. The presentation was clumsy and the brain freeze that I ended up with brought back slush-puppy memories but not in a good way. That said, the combination of flavours (buchu and honeybush) had the potential to be amazing. 

You'll see the highs beat the lows and there's no doubt that all things considered I had an amazing night. I guess I was just frustrated because with a bit of tweaking I really believe this place could be one of South Africa's finest. That's what separates places like Bizerca Bistro and La Columbe from the rest. You just know every dish is going to be world-class. Serendipity isn't quite in that league but is still worth a visit. 

It's worth mentioning that in a place that seats 26 there were only two empty seats. That's not bad for the first week of November. Most of the tables (all of them except ours and one other) were foreigners and it was obvious that they were digging their night out. Listening to them going on about the food, the staff and the views made me realise (again) what a special country we live in. Maybe I was being a bit harsh? Maybe the slurpie wasn't so bad after all? Maybe...

If you're interested, Serendipity has won bucketloads of awards. If you're feeling the vibe, and you're in the area check it for yourselves by calling 044 877 0433 and booking a spot. 

Cheers,

Jamie Who

Pan-roasted salmon with anchovy and rosemary sauce.

Those of you who know me will be able to vouch I'm not the most modest cook in the world. If something turns out really nicely, well...I let everyone know about it. But that's the point isn't it? That's why I called this blog Jamie Who. To celebrate the fact that anyone can cook these dishes. So I'll tell you what; this dish was one that I made and was actually giving myself compliments as I ate! Make it yourself and you'll see what all the fuss is about. 

Okay, stuff you'll need to feed 4:

• 4 x 200g salmon fillets, skin on
• A handful of fresh rosemary, as finely chopped as possible
• 10 anchovies in oil, drained and roughly chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Extra virgin olive oil 
• Two handfuls of asparagus, washed

What to do:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius. 

2. In a pestle and mortar pound your rosemary until it is a paste. Add the anchovies and pound some more. Add the lemon juice and a few glugs of olive oil. Season generously with black pepper and mix it all up. (If you don't have a pestle and mortar just chop the stuff up as finely as possible and mix it in a bowl)

3. Place a non-stick frying pan on the stove and heat it until it is smoking hot. Rub the salmon fillets in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Score the skin of the salmon and cook in the pan - skin side down - for 2 minutes. Turn them over and remove pan. Place pan in the oven for 3 more minutes and remove. 

4. As the salmon goes into the oven cook the asparagus in salted boiling water for 3 - 4 minutes. Drain. Mix some of the anchovy sauce into the asparagus and toss to coat. 

5. To serve, place a handful of the asparagus in the middle of a plate. Carefully place a salmon fillet skin side up on the asparagus. Spoon more sauce over the fish and drizzle around the plate. 

Yeah, as I said, this dish is one of the best I have made. Like...ever. It's a strange combination for salmon which is normally associated with Asian flavours. Sometimes it gets the Mediterranean treatment but I have never tried such strong flavours. A few points: DON'T BE SCARED OF ANCHOVIES HERE. All they do is provide a saltiness and depth of flavour that will blow your mind. DO NOT OVERCOOK THE SALMON. Cooking it this way will leave the middle moist and pink and the outside will be crispy. 

Did I mention the entire process takes less than 10 minutes? How great? Try it peeps. It's a good thing. 

Cheers,

Jamie Who

Lazari - That's it? Really?

This review is basically one of those where I hang my balls out and wait for someone to kick them. Because...I really didn't see what the big deal was when I had lunch at Lazari with Squeeze and The Princess. 

Let's start with the new Cape Quarter extension generally. It's f-ing huge! I really wasn't expecting that. The piazza area screams of Joburg and reminds me of something like Melrose Arch or Sandton Square. There are a whole bunch of funky eating options including The Cru Cafe, Viola, Vanilla, Andiamo and more. Let's just say it's impressive. 

But back to Lazari. The decor was pretty cool - bold colours and industrial finishes offset by bright white. The menu itself was good but not overly-inspiring. I went for the Moroccan chicken on couscous. Well...the couscous was Moroccan but that was about it. The rest was more Mediterranean than anything and consisted of tomatoes, feta and rocket. It was good but hardly memorable. Squeeze ordered the Haloumi and avo salad. Fine, except they forgot the avo. The Princess had a Thai Chicken wrap that was tasty but heavy on cumin. Green curry wrap would've been a better description. The garnish (afterthought) on all three plates was a handful of rocket that had been sloppily thrown on. 

We were in and out for a quick lunch and maybe it was the horsesh*t morning I had to endure, but I left really disappointed. As I say, loads of people love the store in Gardens but I can think of plenty of places I would rather go. 

Cheers,

Jamie Who

Cafe Dijon - I'll have some of that

So I was Stellies (you said it was fine if I called it that) the other day doing some work with The Pom. When we were done I was pretty hot - it was 33 degrees that day - and generally a bit pissed off so we thought we would ease into a lunch to calm down. We walked past a place called Cafe Dijon which I remembered a reader recommending. I think his name was Michael. Well, Michael...bravo. You did well. I think I'll call you Mikey from now on. Or M-Tits. Annnnnyway, let's see what all the fuss was about.

As the brighter of you might have already guessed Cafe Dijon is French. I've never been to France but I've eaten French toast and... well...that's basically the same thing. Seriously though, this place is exactly what I would imagine little bistro on a Paris street to look like: leather banquettes, marble-topped bar, black and white vintage prints, a checked mosaic floor, dark wood, chalkboards etc. We sat outside on the pavement which added to the European vibe.

The menu itself celebrates authentic French dishes with things like Sole Meuniere, Coq au Vin and Blanquette de Veau. But the important thing is they do it in a chilled, unpretentious way. We were there for a light unch so I went with the salad of the day which was seared tuna, butter-beans and green beans. It was perfection. Simple, fresh and prepared exactly the way I wanted it. The Pom ordered a baguette stuffed with brie and caramelised onions, which also looked amazing.

Service, you ask? Well...our waiter was surprisingly good for a stoner. The guy definitely knew his food and had just the right amount of personality. I was impressed.

I'm happy with this one guys. Another one to add to Nook in terms of places to eat when in the area. I would have enjoyed a dinner there with a few bottles of wine. Aaah well, next time.

Find them at 35 Plein Street, or call them on (021) 886-7023.

Cheers,

Jamie Who

Roast beetroot, orange and mozzarella salad

Things are a bit hectic here at work today so apologies if this seems quick. I was checking out my photo library this morning and found some shots of the salad I knocked up when The Greeks came round last week.  Now, let's make one thing clear: Posting about this salad is not a cop out. This salad deserves its own blog entry. It's that good. Let's take a look...

Stuff you'll need to feed 4:

• 6 - 8 baby beets
• A handful of rocket
• A ball of buffalo milk mozzarella
• 2 - 3 oranges
• Juice of 3 extra oranges
• A tablespoon or two of wholegrain mustard

Okay, what to do:

1. Rub the beets in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in an oven at 200 degrees celsius for about 5o minutes to an hour, or until done. You want these guys to be cooked but still have a bit of texture. Don't let them get "mushy". Allow to cool, and then cut into wedges.

2. Meanwhile, bring the orange juice to the boil. Add the mustard and a few peppercorns. Reduce the heat and let the juice reduce slowly until it becomes a thick syrup. Strain the peppercorns. 

3. Peel the oranges and carefully cut them into segments. 

4. To serve, scatter the rocket on a large platter. Tear up the mozzarella and throw it on. Add the orange slices but don't make it look too staged. Chuck them on, don't place them all carefully. Same with the beets. Finally, take a spoon and drizzle over the beautiful dressing. 

Another dish that a ritard (I did that on purpose. Watch The Hangover please) could make. It's a killer salad that ticks all the right boxes ; Healthy, seasonal, easy, delicious, beautiful. 

Enjoy. 

Cheers,

Jamie Who

The Roundhouse breakfast/lunch menu - A huge hit

I know I've written about The Roundhouse before but my visit on Saturday was basically like going to a different restaurant so I don't feel bad about throwing in a second review. Last time I went with Long Distance and Mouse and enjoyed a beautiful dinner. Coincidentally it was the same two who joined me for breakfast this time round.

Every now and then I have one of those "I'm so lucky to be living in Cape Town" moments. Sometimes the moment comes when I'm running on a dirt-track way above Kirstenbosch and I look down at the world's most beautiful city. Sometimes it comes when I drive over Kloof Neck and get the first glimpse of Camps Bay. The moment can come walking Elvis through the leafy southern suburbs, or it can come driving past the winefarms in Stellenbosch. On Saturday, when I sat down at a table on The Roundhouse's terrace, I had one of those moments.

The view is ridiculous.

Let's get into the food quickly before I get a bit carried away with how amazing the setting is. The vibe here is that they bring you a "checklist" as a menu. You then just tick the box next to what you want and write down how many of that item you fancy. Cutlery and crockery are in a picnic basket next to you for when you need them. I spoke to the host and he explained the idea was that he didn't want waitors and waitresses bothering people every few seconds. He just wanted guests to relax. That said, the service was incredible. I wrote last time I was here that I thought it was the best in the country and I'm sticking with that. If you need anything, you just wave your hand and someone comes immediately.

To eat, I had scrambled eggs with smoked trout. Delicious. Others had french toast with a berry compote (real, fresh berries) and the eggs benedict. After a morning of exercise we weren't quite done, so we shared a sticky bun and a walnut-and-banana muffin from the table of baked goods. I rounded things off wih a virgin mary that was perfectly seasoned and balanced. Teas and coffees are from Origin, which is also worth mentioning.

I've got to say, this meal was one of my best of the year. Super-chilled vibe, incredible food and something a bit different. I will be back very soon I reckon.

And get this, they also have breakfast and picninc hampers for R500. They serve 4 people and include a bottle of bubbly. I promise you, next time it's a nice day you should get involved. Either sit on the teraace like we did or enjoy a little boozy picnic. It could be worse. In fact, I'm willing to bet you'll have one of those Cape Town moments.

Cheers,

Jamie Who