Credit Crunch Culinary Innovation
• I am not for a moment suggesting that life isn’t very hard for many people in the current economic climate.
• However, in a recession the brave take chances and there are enormous opportunities for the creative to flourish.
• A rising tide lifts all boats. In a recession the average won’t rise but there are opportunities for wonderful to rise and flourish. In a recession you need to be special.
• Far from being down on its luck, Jo’burg is full of special new restaurants doing super creative, super brave work in troubled times.
• People don’t stop eating out in a recession. Rather they have higher standards because they do it less often and they want each experience to be super special.
• What follows are a few new, dynamic, inspiring and special 702 land foodie outings that deserve our support:
Super Simple: Abyssinia Restaurant, Queen’s Street Kensington (opposite the Shell garage), Tel: 072 9188824
• While last year’s xenophobic violence is a disgrace that will stay with us all, there are also a range of more positive African immigrant stories.
• There are numerous thriving African epicurean entrepreneurs.
• The problem to date has been that the authentic African restaurants have been in places that a lot of foodie types are uncomfortable visiting.
• For many people being told that there is a great restaurant in Commissioner Street is the same as telling them that it is on the moon. They are never, ever going to visit it however curious they are.
• But there is suddenly a wave of authentic African restaurants moving into more salubrious suburbs. My current favourite is Abyssinia in Kensington.
• Chef Amsale Debela literally walked to South Africa from Ethiopia to escape political persecution. She is super speedy – it took her 1 month.
• She first ran a restaurant in Jeppe Street and has now moved to Kensington in the hopes of attracting a broader clientele. She has been open for 2 weeks in her new spot.
• She does all the Ethiopian classics (injera flat bread, berbere spiced stews, kitfko steak tartar, coffee ceremonies with incense).
• NB. Since Ethiopian Coptic Christianity has multiple fast days (non meat eating days) there is a very strong vegetarian tradition so it is an ideal restaurant for those who don’t eat meat.
• Ridiculously cheep (less than R50 per person). Fully licensed.
Middle price range meals:
Strafella’s Falstaff Hotel, 223 Rivonia Road,
Morningside; Tel: 011 784 5738
• Stefano Strafella was the Executive Chef of both the Saxon and the Westcliff Hotels.
• He has now put his considerable talents and experience into the tiny truffle and tortellini laden bistro that bears his name.
• It is the kind of food that Stefano does better than anyone else – simple, unfussed with Italian. He treats the flavours and ingredients with respect.
• There are parmesan infused grissini bread sticks, porcini risotto, zesty lemon tart, de-boned quail stuffed with lobster.
• The décor is not hugely inspiring but it allows you to concentrate on the food and the company.
Super Smart:
Monarch Hotel, 167 Oxford Road,
Rosebank Tel: 011 341 2000
• Even though it has been surrounded in scaffolding for an eternity everyone knows the beautiful neo-classical Old Post Office building on Oxford Road.
• The scaffolding is finally off and inside you will find a boutique hotel with a dining room for super special, blow the budget occasion eating.
• Décor is fab - Johannesburg’s existing high-end hotel destinations have started to look dated (the décor at the Saxon, which seemed so Afro-chic in the immediate post-apartheid era, is now looking a bit curio shop around the edges) but at the Monarch there are Corné Joubert sculptures on the way to the lavatory to the David Koloane oil painting hanging in the private dining room).
• The front of house service is fab – Concierge Isidora Pavicevic wears her Belgrade war refugee past with aplomb. Her presence gives the establishment a deliciously Fall of Saigon-have-another-drink-because-tomorrow-may-never-come vibe which matches the disposition of modern Johannesburg to a T.
• The food is pricy but good (120R for a salmon starter)- All items can be ordered in starter, main or dégustation sized portions. There is a nice brevity of the menu descriptions - there is a delicious lack of ‘drizzled withs’ and ‘on a bed ofs’ here. The fish course offering reads ‘Salmon/ rocket/capsicum/ lentils R120/ R220. Chef Keith Frisley has a respect for quality ingredients and a clarity of culinary vision that makes for a coherent, thoughtful and appetizing evening. My highlights were the meltingly soft springbok teriyaki and the vegetable ravioli with coconut and pumpkin seed sauce. An honourable mention goes to the Black forest cake which sees the traditional chocolate and cherries interleaved with Black Forest ham. This might sound nasty but the sweetness of the ham worked well with the dessert classic.
• Wine list is not great - very short, very few by the glass offerings.
Eating well at home:
Fresh Earth Food Store, 103 Komatie Road,
Emmarentia; Tel: 011 646 4404
www.freshearth.co.za
• The best way to save money in a recession is to stay healthy.
• The Fresh Earth health food shop in Emmarentia counteracts negative stereotypes regarding healthy eating. Far from socks with sandals, preachy poncho people Chef Matthew Ballenden and his staff are chic, trained chefs who never sacrifice flavour on the alter of political correctness.
• They have started a web site (www.freshearth.co.za) which went live this week. Where ever you are, you can go on line see an organic/ health food product from Fresh Earth and have it shipped to you over night. They have experts you can consult on line. There are recipes and helpful tips (e.g. which fruits are most affected by pesticides etc).
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