Viva Cafe… viva!

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Karisa

My friend Darryn totally gets the credit for this discovery.

He stumbled upon Viva Cafe (situated behind the Tafelberg Furnishers in Green Point) a few weeks back and had been raving about it non-stop since.

So last weekend I was like, right, show me this place. I’m hungry & ready to be blown away… #nopressure

It’s a little bit hidden. Basically there’s a whole business complex behind Tafelberg which I had no idea was even there. You have to walk in a little and then take the stairs up to the level above the parking to see it. But to help you out, you’ll be looking for this:

A ha!

I instantly loved the look & feel of the place. It’s fun and quirky with a bit of a warehouse feel. Lots of interesting things to catch your eye and a biiiig communal table for everyone to come together for the love of good food. There’s also a little outdoor area to soak up some rays during those freak winter days we Capetonians all look forward to…

The menu is broken down into: all day breakfast options (hell yeah!), some haute couture sandwiches and then some really creative sounding deconstructed salads & tapas.

They also have the option for you to build your own sandwich or your own salad, if you happen to be in more of a DYI mood.

On the drinks side, they serve: Deluxe Coffee, freshly squeezed juices, some craft beers and other regulars (that bar seemed pretty well stocked in fact).

To give you a more detailed idea of the menu, this is what we opted for:

To share, the Risotto Truffles (R35) - crisp, white truffle infused risotto balls with Parmesan shavings.
Then the boyfriend went for the Duck Stack breakfast (R40) which is a fried duck egg with bacon strips, haloumi & a tangy sweet chilli and ginger dressing.
I went for the Dirty Mozart designer sandwich (R55) which is pulled pork, sauerkraut and caramelised granny smith apples with wholegrain mustard on rye bread.
And Darryn went for the Karoo Lamb designer sandwich (R55) which is made up of lamb shoulder confit, crumbed feta, sun dried tomatoes, basil & chive pesto on ciabatta.

Clockwise from top left: Risotto Truffles, Duck Stack, Karoo Lamb, Dirty Mozart.

Then I just also had to share this photo Darryn took of his Tuna sashimi dish (R55) – marinated tuna sashimi with prawn toasties, sesame vinaigrette, pickled cucumber & radish shavings – which he had on his previous visit:

Photo credit: Darryn van der Walt http://www.darrynvanderwalt.co.za

As you can see, they put A LOT of effort & attention to detail into their dishes. I wanted to be blown away, and I certainly was. The food is great. The service is friendly. The place is welcoming & laid back. And the prices are damn good. For all those reasons, I’m going to give Viva Cafe an all round Miss K Kiss-o-Meter rating of:

Do yourselves a favour and go pay them a visit. Their physical address is:

Studio 30, Somerset Square, Highfield Road

They are usually open from 8am to 8pm Mon – Sat. Unless there’s some live music happening for example, in which case they stay open until the party’s over. And for more info, you can contact them on 021 418 2619 or info@vivacafe.co.za.

High 5 to Darryn for this awesome find.

xxx

Twitterati party vibes with the fine folks at La Mouette

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Karisa

Last Fri eve I visited one of my Cape Town favourites, La Mouette (over in Sea Point) for their bi-annual Twitterati party.

Having followed the action of previous Twitterati parties on Twitter and suffering from serious FOMO, I had decided that this time round I would beg, borrow and steal (if I had to), to secure one of the sought after spots for their latest bash… Did I have to? Well my lips are sealed… All I’m sayin’ is, I made it there, OK.

Basically the idea behind these events is to get some of their Twitter fans together for a night of mingling, eating, drinking and general awesomeness. A usual highlight is trying to consume your own body weight of their legendary truffle and cheese croquettes – something which I can tell you, once you’ve tasted, will haunt your soul continuously until you get your next fix. It’s that #amazing.

Armed with my name tag reflecting my Twitter handle – @CTmylove – I was ready to roll. I must say, it was really cool to put real faces to those Twitter handles I’ve seen many a times, maybe interacted with, befriended even, but had never actually met. Our social interactions are getting crazier and crazier, that’s for sure…

Very important to note is that this Twitterati party also coincided with La Mouette’s 3rd birthday party. That meant we had an extra special reason to celebrate. It also meant we had the perfect opportunity to indulge in extra special birthday red velvet cupcakes (another favourite of mine) amongst the other tasty canapes on the lineup for the evening. Here’s just a little sample of what we had:

Top left: those famous crocquettes; Top right: some yummy butternut soup; Bottom left: salt & pepper prawns; Bottom right: Happy birthday!

To wash down all that goodness, we had flowing Graham Beck wines to enjoy, making it a little tougher as the evening progressed to ensure that those tweets of yours still made sense…

There was also a lucky draw with some great prizes up for grabs. Things like a pro Tax Return, a dinner for two at La Mouette, a Graham Beck Brut NV Magnum, Ernst Gouws & Co wines, and more.

Now I was sitting next to my friend Darryn, who we refer to as a “Professional Winner”. Seriously, this guy wins e-ve-ry-thing. So I had made peace with the fact that I’d have to put on a fake happy face as he went up to snatch up whatever incredible prize the universe had in store for him. BUT THEN… just like that… I won that Magnum! (oh and Darryn won a standard size bottle of bubbly, but it was hard to notice that next to my MAGNUM)

That is the face of victory folks…

Now just to really emphasise how big my magnum is, here it is compare to a regular bottle:

The perfect single serving, don’t you think? Shame, I kinda feel bad for that other bottle…

And things didn’t stop there folks. Oh no. We all left with goodie bags… not the type filled with pamphlets, lanyards & other stuff I’m never ever gonna care about, but the kind that is true to the term “goodie”, filled with things I’d actually use & love.

Each bag contained an infinity scarf from August1983.com (which is launching online sometime in May just so you know) as well a mini bottle of Graham Beck bubbly:

I’m embarrased to admit that I’ve pretty much worn that scarf every day since. It’s just so soft dammit… and my mini bottle of bubbly is going to make for an awesome updated version of the traditional hip flask. Hell yeah.

Want to be part of the next Twitterati party? Of course you do. Just make sure you follow La Mouette on Twitter @teamlamouette and keep those eyes peeled. The next one should be happening closer to summer, which means chillin’ in their beautiful courtyard as well, so you won’t want to miss out. Expect to pay around R200 pp, but as you can see, it’s totally worth every cent. Oh and spots are limited, so you’ll have to act fast.

A HUGE thanks to Chef Henry, Mari and Gerrit for yet another memorable evening at their beautiful restaurant. They have a life long fan in this lady…

You can check out the La Mouette Facebook page over here for all the official pics from the party.

xxx

La Mouette’s Autumn tasting menu – get it while you still can

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Karisa

Regular readers will know that I’m a huge La Mouette fan (78 Regent Road,
Sea Point) – especially when it comes to their amazing 6 course tasting menus.

On Sunday eve I popped in again to try their Autumn menu before it gets replaced by a new Winter menu early in May… Let’s have a look at what’s on this baby:

# 1: Sweet potato soup tomato harissa, yoghurt, truffle and cheese croquettes
# 2: Butternut and fontina raviolis butternut purée, pickled apple, sage noisette
# 3: Pan fried line fish fricassee of gnocchi, carrot emulsion, capers, aubergine puree, braised beef
Or
Beetroot tartare smoked goats cheese, hazelnuts, toast
# 4: Roasted chicken caramelised onions, wilted spinach, mash potato, thyme jus
Or
Mushroom risotto parmesan foam, mushroom ‘caviar’ and crispy mushrooms
# 5: Waldorf salad gorgonzola, celeriac puree, green apple jelly, candied walnuts, grapes
# 6: Chocolate orange chocolate ganache, orange sorbet, almond finaciers, orange puree

Sounds good right? Damn straight it does. And this is what it looks like:

Top: butternut soup; Bottom left: ravioli; Bottom right: I had opted for the line fish

Top left: I went for the mushroom risotto; Top right: waldorf salad; Bottom: chocolate orange dessert

My absolute favourite dishes were the butternut and fontina raviolis, those truffle and cheese croquettes that comes paired with the soup (these are a La Mouette signature & they are soooooo good) and then that dessert. But in true La Mouette style, everything’s really carefully prepared, beautifully displayed and packed with interesting flavours.

This menu comes at only R185 per person (R295 if you opt for wine pairing) and if you still want to catch it, get your butts over there before we hit May.

La Mouette is open 7 days a week:

Lunch: Sun 12:00 – 3:00 pm
Dinner: Mon – Sun 6:00 – 10:00 pm

And to make a reservation, call them on 021 433 0856 or drop them an email at reservations@lamouette.co.za

xxx

Get your braai on at The Backyard Grill & Lounge

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Karisa

Vegetarians might want to look away now.

My friend Joe has been raving about this spot in Sea Point where you pick your meat and then they braai it for you…

Being a big fan of a good braai and loving that straight off the fire taste, I was like right Joe, take me to The Backyard Grill & Lounge and let’s do this.

It’s a small spot towards the end of Regent Rd (that’s the main road that runs through Sea Point), closer to the Bantry Bay side. You’ll find it to your right if you’re heading away from town.

From the outside I didn’t expect too much. Joe had described it to me beforehand as “rustic”, so in my head I was expecting plastic lawn furniture and paper plates. But it’s certainly not like that in any way. Yes there’s a small rustic element, but I’d call this rustic elegance…

So lovely & fresh…

They also have an outside area if you wish to sit a little closer to the braai. I can imagine it’s also a popular spot for some drinks on a hot day. There’s also a cosy little bar in the back which looked like a great place for have some birthday drinks and such.

Food wise the idea is that you pick your meat, then you pick how much of it you want and lastly you pick your sides. So you pretty much design your own meal from scratch. And you have the bonus of not actually having to stand anywhere near the fire yourself, you you leave there still smelling a fresh as a daisy.

Before you commit to anything though, you can also go have a look at what’s on offer to make sure it’s up to your quality standards (it will be, I have no doubt):

Damn, it all looks good to me…

For starters you can choose between some mussels in a creamy white wine sauce (R48), grilled calamari in lemon & butter (R45), a chicken wing skewer basted either in lemon & herb or hot peri-peri (R43), some grilled aubergine (R45) for the veggie lovers (see there’s at least something there for you guys) or a chicken sosatie with some onions & peppers (R55).

Then for the main course, just bring the meat! (or seafood if you wish) These are some price guides:

Rump or rib eye – R36 per 100g
Fillet – R55 per 100g
Lamb chops – R35 per 100g
Boerewors – R22 per 100g
Ribs – R150 pkg
Burger – R60 (add some cheesiness for R10)
10 Large queen black tiger prawns – R110
Line fish – R100
Grilled calamari tubes – R90
Mussels – R96

Pretty standard prices for Cape Town I thought…

Then you can add a garden salad, a mexican bean salad, roasted baby potatoes, savoury rice, roasted veggies, a big braai mushroom, mielies or a garlic roll. Mmmmm, doesn’t that all sound just too good?

Just a note (something I wasn’t quite anticipating, but didn’t think it was a train smash), they can’t always give you exactly 100g, if depends on the meat they have in stock and what’s already been cut, etc to avoid wastage and such. So for example I asked for 100g rump and a 100g fillet and I got 110g rump & 120g fillet. So that will affect the price slightly.

Now just look how juicy everything looks:

Top left to right: calamari starter, my main (rump, fillet & a green side salad). Bottom left to right: Joe’s main (lamb chops, and some more lamb chops – he didn’t want any sides to detract from his meat plate haha), and then we ended off by sharing a chocolate fondant (R45) for dessert.

Everything was amazing. From the starters, right through to dessert. I wanted to lick the plate (but resisted, cause I’m a lady, well… I try to be at least). And oh my goodness, that steak of mine was some of the best I’ve had in ages. Their basting is so finger-licking-good, you just can’t get enough and the quality of the meat was also really great.

I willl give The Backyard Grill & Lounge the following Miss K Kiss-o-Meter ratings:

Price:
Service & Vibe:
Food:

Oh and local doggy & “bouncer”, Mosley (he’s named after a famous boxer just so you know) has to get a special mention for totally melting my heart:

How gorgeous is this boy? I just wanted to take him home with me… and hug him and love him and cuddle him forever…

Ladies, I think the next time your man feels like a braai, but you feel like a night out, this is definitely the best of both worlds. Keen to go check it out? Here are some things you need to know:

Address: 72 Regent Rd, Sea Point
Contact them on: 021 433 1296 or Backyard.seapoint@gmail.com
Opening Hours: Mon – Sun: 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

xxx

Win a dinner for two @ La Mouette

Posted on August 3, 2012 by Karisa

If you’re a regular reader, you should know that La Mouette in Sea Point is one of my most loved Cape Town dining spots. My favourite thing of theirs is the 6 course tasting menu they do for R165 which changes on a monthly basis. It is always the most amazing food journey you can imagine and it’s one thing that keeps me going back again and again to see what suprises the next menu will hold.

Now get this: One lucky My Love Affair with Cape Town reader will win the following:

2 x R165 August tasting menus
A bottle of wine (selected by the La Mouette team for you on the night)

How amazing is that!? But wait, you don’t even know what the August tasting menu looks like:

Truffle and cheese croquettes roasted garlic aioli
Caramelized onion soup thyme beurre noisette and grilled garlic croute
Herb crusted line fish Waldorf salad, grapes, radish, apple jelly, celery puree
** Vegetarian option: Winter vegetable salad citrus jelly, walnuts, beetroot and goats cheese ‘ravioli’
Confit lamb shoulder butternut squash risotto, brioche croutons and smoked onion foam
** Vegetarian option: Butternut squash risotto brioche croutons and smoked onion foam
Coffee crème caramel caramel jelly, praline and hazelnut foam
White chocolate and macha green tea macaroon passion fruit gel, coconut sorbet, lime leaf cream

Sounds sooooooo good right?

All you have to do is send a tweet on Twitter, make sure you include both myself (@ctmylove) and La Mouette (@teamlamouette) and tell us which dish from the August menu you’re most looking forward to trying. Entries will close at 9am next Friday, 10 Aug after which I will do a draw to select the winner. The winner will be announced by 12pm on that Friday here on my blog and on Twitter.

*** Sorry forgot to add earlier: Also use the following hashtag #AugustMenuComp. If you’ve already entered, don’t worry – still counts! This just makes it easier for me to identify them. ***

To get an idea of what you’re in for, go check out my review of their June tasting menu here. I also went back to try their July tasting menu which was absolutely excellent and you can bet your ass I’m going in for the August one too.

Good luck guys!

xxx

PS. Obviously you’ve gotta be based in Cape Town or at least plan on being in Cape Town during August to claim this prize. And only one entry per person will count.

Another 6 courses at La Mouette

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Karisa

La Mouette in Sea Point is truly one of my favourite Cape Town dining spots. It’s beautiful, the service is always good and then they do this amazing 6 course tasting menu for only R165 (R330 if you opt for a wine pairing) which changes pretty much on a monthly basis.

These tasting menus are carefully planned to make sure you go on a taste journey you won’t forget. And it’s something that ensures that I keep going back again and again because I fear that I will miss out on some new creation that’s gonna rock my world once more.

Last Monday I popped in to sample their June Winter menu before it’s run ended. So let me show you guys what we got to ‘pack in’.

Course # 1 was sweet potato soup with tomato harissa, spiced yogurt and lavoche:

I had to google what “lavoche” is. Turns out that’s the crispbread you see on top of the cup. You learn something new every day…

Course # 2 was a winter vegetable salad with citrus jelly, walnuts, beetroot and goats cheese ‘raviolis’:

This salad really popped with flavour. And loved the presentation as well.

Course # 3 was roasted line fish with braised lentils, crispy gnocchi, butternut puree, cauliflower and truffle foam:

Gawd I love truffle anything… foam, oil, freakin’ flakes… whatever… I would bathe in the stuff!

Course # 4 was braised shoulder of beef with glazed carrots, sage, mash, parsnip puree and mushroom powder:

Ah now you just can’t go wrong with a good piece of red meat…

Course # 5 was a modern take on an old classic. Their version of apple crumble with green apple foam, custard panacotta and Muscadel raisins:

OK, I had to pick out the raisins, cause I hate raisins in desserts, hot meals or baked goods. Can only stomach it in chocolate and with peanuts. That’s just cause I’m weird like that. But the rest of it was fantastical.

And last but not least, course # 6 was a hazelnut latte with coffee ice cream and salted caramel macarons:

I think this was my favourite out of all 6 courses. Especially that salted caramel macaron. Absolute perfection.

The June menu scores on the Miss K Kiss-o-Meter. Now unfortunately this menu is only running until tonight. But if you hurry, you can still make it! If you don’t however, not to worry, cause their July Winter menu kicks off tomorrow eve and it sounds totally drool-worthy:

Salt and pepper hake pea puree, roasted garlic aioli, pickled onions
Artichoke and potato soup Béarnaise relish, mushroom brioche
Pan-fried line fish shellfish foam , fricassee of gnocchi, ginger, baby gem
Beef sirloin mash, smoked onion puree, mushroom crumble, red wine ‘caviar’
‘Fried egg’ and coconut doughnuts passion fruit curd, lime leaf cream
Carrot cake walnut ice cream, carrot puree, cream cheese frosting

Something tells me I’ll be back soon to try this one too.

Btw: For some piccies of the restaurant – check out this post of mine from October last year.

xxx

Exploring the Winchester Mansions hotel

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Karisa

Every summer I find myself driving along the Sea Point promenade and past the beautiful Winchester Mansions Hotel… thinking to myself “geeze, I should really check that place out… it looks so damn pretty…”

But for some reason I just never made a plan, until recently that is. It was a nice sunny day, something that’s becoming a rare commodity here in Cape Town as the winter weather is creeping in, and my friend Joe and I decided we should go and check it out for a spot of lunch.

We settled in on the stoep area, I guess cause this is where you always see people chillin’ when you drive by, so seemed to us that this was the main dining area. When we were given menus however the front of the menu said “Bar Menu”. So we asked the waitress whether this was the correct place to have lunch and she said yes. We figured, oh well, let’s just go with it then…

The bar menu has options including burgers, wraps, sandwiches, nachos, tapas style items and then a wide variety of sweet treats. I opted for the Traditional Flammkuchen – crispy thin french pizza with bacon, onions and seasoned sour cream (R32):

And Joe got the Samosa and Springroll Plate served with a coriander creme fraiche (R48):

Both meals were very tasty, but my Flammkuchen definitely won the prize for best choice of the day. Being seated at the front of such a iconic Cape Dutch building, we figured the best way to finish off our meal in style was with the Winchester’s Famous Scones daahlings (R24 for 2 and served with cheese, jam & cream):

Man, doesn't that look just soooooo good?

Scones… so so simple, but boy isn’t it just one of the most soul fulfilling treats around?

In the back of my mind, something kept bugging me though. A few people had told me about the amazing breakfasts that they do at the Mansions, but I had not seen any breakfast options there. So Joe and I decided to go do some exploring after lunch.

First we checked out the impressive bar area. The perfect spot for a few after work drinks, or even a private function I would say.

Loved all the rich fabrics and shiny trimmings...

And then boys, I'm sure the first thing you noticed in this pic was the TV playing sports. hehe

We then sneakily followed some guests into the main hotel area and got to check out the pool (which is very nice btw), the formal lunch/dinner dining room (also pretty sweet) and the formal lounge for their guests (super fancy):

Then, finally, we stumbled upon what seemed like the holy grail of chill spots at this hotel… the garden courtyard!

Seriously, how pretty is that?

This is where you can enjoy those amazing breakfasts I had heard about. They do a la carte breakfast options ranging from R42 to R65. Or you can go for the continental buffet for R95. Or just stop messing about and go all out for the full breakfast buffet at R120 (served between 7:30am and 10:30am). I’m guessing there would be a lot of starving & stretching before that one and your look for the day would definitely involve stretchy pants.

I’m dead keen to go back with a big group of mates to take up that challenge. So for now, I’m going to reserve my Miss K Kiss-o-Meter rating untill I get to go back and get the full chow down experience. Who’s with me?

xxx

The La Mouette 6 course taster menu

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Karisa

On Fri eve I had dinner at La Mouette in Sea Point with some friends. I’ve mentioned this restaurant before because Leigh and I did a dessert tasting there back in October. You can read about that here.

It’s such a beautiful restaurant, I just had to go back to do their 6 course taster menu. And at only R150 pp, it’s an absolute steal.

We were seated in this secluded little dining spot, perfect for a table of 8 – where you could even close the doors and have absolute privacy. I think they saw my loud bunch coming a mile away and figured it would be safer to keep us hidden.

As I was still suffering through my post Deadmau5 hangover from hell, I was strictly on water and Appletizer for the evening. hehe.

Course # 1 was an onion bhaji and potato samosa with yogurt and spiced tomato chutney:

The samosa was beautifully crispy and light and when mixed with the other flavours in that bowl, it just created heaven in your mouth.

Course # 2 was a coconut broth with spring onion, butternut and black sesame seeds:

I really enjoyed this, although the choice of serving plate (or should I say cup) caused some laughter at the table. You see, my friend Grant felt it was taking to long to eat with the little spoon they provided and decided to just drink it like you would a cup of Maggie soup. Nice, real nice.

Course # 3 was tuna tartare with avocado puree, toast and spiced tomato jelly:

Now I’m not a fan of tartare… The vegetarian option for this course was a marinated tomato salad with wild rocket, basil oil and goats cheese. Most people at the table opted for that as they weren’t brave enough to face the tartare. But not me! I figured I should at least give it a bash. And I’m glad I did. Even though it’s not something I’m going to be eating lots of in the future, it was very interesting. The flavours of all the little things they serve with it worked really well and I polished off my plate in the end.

Course # 4 was free-range chicken with spinach, crushed potatoes and sauce vierge:

When I saw chicken on the menu, I must admit I wasn’t too excited. I have this rule about not ordering chicken at restaurants as it’s just so easy to have at home. I prefer to go for a nice piece of red meat or seafood or something. BUT, this chicken was something special. It was really tasty, with lots of different flavour components and I especially liked the mustardy mash it came with. I’m a total sucker for mashed potatoes, it reminds me of home. One thing my mom could totally rock out was a mean bowl of mashed potatoes. Mmmmmmm.

Course # 5 was strawberries and cream, but with a twist. It was actually vanilla panacotta with a strawberry foam/jelly topping:

This was sooooo yum! I kinda wished they had given us a bigger serving. I scoffed down that shot glass in seconds.

Course # 6 was a different take on a classic cappuccino – Coffee ice cream, milk foam and warm doughnuts:

At this stage I was totally stuffed. So I didn’t finish it. But the ice cream was super creamy and those little warm dougnuts were like little soft clouds. I just honestly couldn’t fit anything more into my body, so I just had a small taste of everything. The boys at the table with the man-sized appetites did claim however that they could have gone through this entire menu once more… Doubtful. But I would agree that the boys would have probably preferred one more meaty option than having 2 sweet options.

So, my Miss K Kiss-o-Meter ratings for the La Mouette 6 course tasting would be:

Vibe:
Price:
Food:
Service:

It’s obvious that the chef takes pride in what he puts on your plate. I thought the menu was carefully thought out and well executed. Sadly, this menu finished it’s run on Sunday. But for December they’re doing a Seafood tasting menu for R295 pp. It consists of the following courses:

Petite moules et frites (had to check this on the Yahoo! Babel Fish translater and it seems to mean: Small, fried mussels)
Salt and pepper prawns chorizo popcorn and sweet corn pureé
Open lasagne of crayfish almond crumble cauliflower and truffle foam
Grilled tuna Niçoise confit potatoes, green beans, tomato and sauce vierge
Strawberries and cream strawberry foam, panacotta and warm doughnut
Lemon tart burnt honey cream, honey comb and crème fraiche sorbet

Sounds delicious! Perfect for a hot summer’s night. I might have to plan another return trip now…

xxx

Dessert tasting – it’s a very serious job

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Karisa

So my partner in crime, Leigh, organised a dessert tasting at La Mouette on Sunday afternoon. Because she knows that I’m a major sugar addict, she invited me along for the ride.

For those who haven’t heard of La Mouette, it’s a beautiful restaurant at the end of Regent Road in Sea Point. It has a little open air courtyard with an outside dining area:

And then inside you’ll find lots of interesting different spaces, from formal dining rooms to a cosy bar and and a bright & modern chill area:

Chef and owner, Henry Vigar, keeps things interesting by creating a special 6 course tasting menu each month which you can enjoy for only R120pp. I actually experienced one of these amazing “food journeys” about a year ago and was blown away.

But the challenge this time around was to taste some desserts… so let’s get down to business.

My dessert was their chocolate macaron with homemade hazelnut ice cream:

Beautiful right? This baby is available on their a la carte menu all year round. Lucky for you, because it was deliciously evil. The macarons were bursting with flavour, but I have to say the real star of the show was that ice cream. It was the best ice cream I’ve had in yonks. Made me smile from ear to ear.
My Miss K Kiss-o-Meter score for my dessert would be:

Leila went for the peanut butter macaron with coconut ice cream:

Leila absolutely loved her dessert as well. I am just gonna have to take her word on how awesome it was, because I can’t confirm it… you see (I think I’ve mentioned this before) I hate anything peanut butter flavoured. Just the thought of it has my brain going into an endless loop: “WRONG, WRONG, WRONG…” I really don’t know why, because I actually really like peanut butter on its own. I’m special, I acknowledge that.

Sadly this option is no longer available. It was part of their September tasting menu and had to make way for a tempting strawberry cheese cake I hear.

So seeing as it’s a new month, I was wondering, what exactly is on offer on their October 6 course taster menu then… Just check this out:

Onion bhaji and potato samoosa

yogurt and spiced tomato chutney

_____________

Butternut squash soup

coriander lavoche, mushroom and pecorino foam

_____________

Roasted line fish Niçoise

confit potatoes, green beans, tomato and sauce verge

______________

Confit lamb shoulder

potato gnocchi, spiced yogurt, aubergine puree, mint and peas

Beef sirloin (R35 supplement)

smoked short ribs, mash, wilted kale and red onion marmelade

_______________

Sunny side up

guava, coconut espuma and chilli

_______________

‘Strawberry cheese cake’

shortbread, marshmallow and crème fraiche sorbet

Sounds amazing right! I definitely think I need to make a plan to come and try it out. And then in November, they will be launcing their Summer tapas menu. Here are some of the yummy things you’ll find on there:

Truffle and cheese croquetas
basil and tomato dressing

Pan-fried calamari
chorizo, tomato and rocket

Duck spring rolls
pickled cucumber, honey and soy dressing

Moroccan spiced lamb and chick pea fritter
tomato harissa and yogurt

Crispy Thai beef salad
noodles and tamarind sauce

Sweet. I really love tapas. There’s just something so cool about being able to taste a whole bunch of things instead of committing to just one big meal. Yes yes, it’s true… I have commitment issues. hehe.

Anyways, this dessert tasting thing was really fun. I would make a habit of it, but then I’d probably end up being the size of a bloody house. Maybe I could be served desserts while running on a treadmill? Hmmm…

xxx

Still in love with La Boheme

Posted on August 16, 2011 by Karisa

I feel like all I did this past weekend was eat! haha. But hey, when the food’s great, how can one say no, right?

On Sat eve I went to La Boheme in Sea Point with a hot dinner date. I’ve been to La Boheme on several occasions, I even had a birthday dinner there once, and I’m never disappointed by the quality of the food or the service. I also like that its a small, cosy spot that’s perfect for a small gathering with close friends or a romantic one-on-one. The environment is also very conducive to easy, flowing conversation – kinda like you’re just chilling in your own dining room at home – comfortable and classy, without being pretentious.

They run two really great deals:

R95 for 2 courses (starter & main)
R120 for 3 courses.

I am definitely a dessert person, so I was a bit bummed that the 2 course special didn’t allow you to have a dessert instead of a starter… what’s up with the dessert lover hating people!?

Anyhoo, we both opted for the 2 course deal and then agreed that we would split a dessert (better for the bum in any case).

For my starter I opted for the chorizo and feta cheese spanakopitas:

Was so delicious, especially with the tzatziki & hummus sides...

Then for my main I had the pulled springbok risotto:

The springbok was super soft and all the flavours just gelled sooo well.

It was quite a big serving – I find risotto very filling – so I had to take a doggy bag home… Actually, come to think of it, I left it in my dinner date’s fridge! Ah man – rookie move! I’m sure that’s been devoured by now…

I snapped a pic of his main meal as well, was like a piece of art:

Rolled & stuffed chicken with seasonal veggies & potatoes...

He polished his plate off with a huge smile, so I’m taking that as meaning it was really really good.

Just have to show you a pic of their menu setup – you don’t get a printed out menu, they simply write the starter, main & dessert options on chalk boards which are then put up near your table so you can choose what you want. How cute is that? The menu changes daily, so this is just an easier option – and more eco friendly too!

Hmmmm, what to choose, what to choose...

Now normally I would indulge in everything chocolate from that dessert menu. But feeling guilty from all the over indulging I’d already done, we went for the Trio of Sorbet…

Litchi, mango & mixed berry - the Litchi rocked my world!

It was the perfect light & fresh way to finish off the evening! But I still had a seriously chocolate craving though. haha.

My Miss K Kiss-o-Meter ratings for La Boheme would be as follows:

Vibe:
Price:
Food:
Service:

You will see me again (and again and again) La Boheme!

xxx

My Love Affair with Cape Town…

Just random fun in my mother city

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