And we back

I cant believe the last time I was on my food blog was  September 2013. Time really flies when you procrastinate  But I am back and so reffed up to  share all the great food and restaurant experiences with you  and this time around I am not alone.  My boyfriend Leo and I have decided that this  will be the year where we start a slew of new adventures, gain new experiences and take our passion for food to a new level.  I love cooking, but Leo is the better cook, so he will be sharing all his recipes with you, whilst I will enjoy meal after meal, glass after glass and share that with y'all.

So we kicked off our pursuit of great food in Pretoria last Friday night (Oops I know delayed blog) and went to Harrisa Bistro, located at The Club center in Waterkloof Pretoria. Harissa is fusion food at its best, with an exciting menu packed with delectable food.   The restaurant was packed but Leo made reservations, so we did not have to wait to be seated. We got this great table with a view of the bar and restaurant. I got to see how they mixed the drinks, which was very interesting. I amd definitely going to mix  some of the cocktails at home. And the food oh my gosh the food, lets start talking about that.

A wet chilly Friday evening so we decided to warm up with a few glasses of red wine.  There are no wine menus.  The restaurant have this eye catching  glass walk in cellar where you go in and make your own choice of the wines on display. Leo selected the 2011 Mochavino Coffee Merlot for us. A soft, smooth chocolate flavored wine. Perfect!

For our entree Leo had the  Goats cheese Bouche with beetroot chutney, caramel onions and a cinnamon dukkah. Guys this was SO good.  The cheese was so warm and soft and the pastry was soft and crumbly and the beetroot chutney was different, but oh so YUM. I will for sure order this when we return.

I had the Chilli salt Squid with cardamon mayo, tomato atchar and micro greens.  The squid was soft and tender and the cardamon mayo and tomato actchar was just a great combination.

For his main Leo had Deboned Baby Chicken slow roasted with coriander seeds, cumin and orange, served with sweet potato puree and deep-fried basil. I loved everything about this dish, but the real standout for me was the sweet potato puree. Absolutely gorgous. In the end we swapped plates, because I enjoyed his food more than mine.

I had the Grass fed Beef Fillet with Kalahari truffles, vanilla scented spinach, duck live parfait and chocolate sauce. The fillet was perfect, and the truffles and chocolate sauce was just a very creative combination.  Definitely a must have. 

To finish things off we enjoyed a little dessert,  I must confess I don't really have a sweet 
tooth , but I just had to try one of the delectable desserts. Leo had the Coffee and Milk chocolate Fondant with white chocolate sauce and condensed milk ice cream. The ice cream was  smooth and oh so heavenly.

My choice was the Nashi Pears poached with Sparkling wine, vanilla & cinnamon served with flaky pastry, vodka & green peppercorn ice cream. The poached pears was really good, but the ice creams was my favorites by far. The unusual flavors was so fresh and I craved for more.

I'm definitely looking forward to heading to Harissa again and try some of the other selections on the menu. It was a great night, with delicious  food and the presentation and the execution was immaculate.   

Heritage Day and National Braai Day

Yesterday we celebrated heritage day in South Africa.  It was also our National Braai day.  South Africans love their Braais, known in other counties as a Barbecue.  After being cooped up indoors for three days I decided that I will venture out and just see how South Africans are spending the day.  I was welcomed on my short walk with the flavours of Braai meat everywhere. My craving for sushi took me to KOI in Pretoria East.  A great ambiance with friendly staff, excellent food makes Koi one of the popular spots in Pretoria.  Definitely one of my favourite restaurants.  I tell you more about the food later, but here is sneak peek at the wine I had.  A very chilled glass of Haute Cabrierre Chardonnay Pinot Noir 2013.  Devine!

My choice of sushi for the day was the Rainbow Reloaded.  Its a Prawn California roll wrapped with spring onion and caviar, topped with a spicy mayo.  A must have if ever you go to KOI.  Absolutely deelishus! J  Can’t wait to return and try the other dishes. 

Although i did not celebrate my heritage with braai, my tastebuds had a sushi celebration that was  just amazing.  Till next time.

Here we go

I always loved good food, ever since i was a little girl. And the funny part is I always was the skinniest one around. LOL. I used to stuff myself with food and still could not pack on the pounds.  Growing up in the 80’s weekly menus were pretty much set.  We already knew what was for dinner on each specific night.  But yet, it was still one of the greatest times for me.

 Coming home from school and smelling my grandma's cooking always brought in me the sense of belonging, security and love. One of my earliest memories of food was all of us sitting around the table, talking, laughing and sharing. After that meal, I felt so happy, and I knew then, for me Food is Love. 

As I grew older I always had a love for cooking, but never really pursued it. I had my first try in the kitchen at the age of 11, when I made fudge to sell at school.  Oh what a mess, but in the end it came out pretty good and I made R30 selling it.  I have such a great appreciation, for the smell, the taste, the look and the texture of different foods.  I was always challenged to try and expand my culinary taste buds. So this blog will be about my experiences with food, restaurants I frequent and new one's I’d love to try and just all the beautiful experiences with food, sharing recipes and my cooking experiences. Hopefully together we can make this a memorable journey into the culinary world.  

Nols.