Bucket Scene: Pop-Up Society

A few weeks ago we were invited to the new visual menu launch of Pop-Up Society in Glenwood. For those who are unfamiliar with the restaurant, you clearly don't have social media, as their milkshakes were the most instagrammed milkshake in South Africa! Having been open for just under 2 years now, head chef and co-owner Rev Batohi decided it was time to change things up and hence the new menu. I don't really venture out to Glenwood much and once I got to Helen Joseph Road, I wondered why? The place was buzzing! It took me quite a while to find parking. Most of the eateries were quite full with patrons, the area had a great vibe and a nice mixture of eateries and bars for everyone.  

Pop-Up Society has this "cool kid on the block" vibe going for it though, with it's funky colours and contemporary style, it does stand out from the rest. It has a lovely large outside deck as well as place inside the renovated house for seating, in total it can sit 120 patrons. It also has a full serviced bar if you just want to pop in for a drink. 

The theme for the evening was a visual menu and the setup for the media was just that, a visual feast with menu's put up to see just exactly what we were munching on, Chef Rev made the meals in bite sized servings so we could taste a bit of everything, and get a sense of what he had in mind with this new menu. So many times we go to restaurants, read the menu but don't really have an idea what we getting on the plate, with Pop-Up Society you won't have that problem. They try to keep most ingredients as fresh and organic as possible, and that transcends into the flavours you get from their food. 

Some of my favourites from the night were the chicken wings and the asian style riblets, full of flavour and have me licking my fingers. As you can tell I am a big fan of finger foods to this menu was right up my alley. The burger menu looked great and while I'm not a beef eater, I was very glad to see a lamb burger on there. I tried the lamb kofta which was given as a taster, and it was also great, tender, spiced well and can only imagine how good it would be in a bun. Guess I have to come back to see for myself. 

While the new menu is great, fan favourites from the old menu still remained, like the death by chocolate milkshake, another must have from Pop-Up Society I'm told by many. It probably was the reason their Freakshakes were made so famous, Chef Rev makes his own chocolate ganache which he adds to the "craze shake". Apart from just meals for one, Pop-Up Society also offer platters to share, which needs a pre-order but the variety offered is great. Overall, this place really stands out with its food, giving it a gourmet take on fast food. We will be back to try more from the menu, especially that milkshake!

Details:

Pop-Up Society

Address: 132 Helen Jospeh Road, Glenwood

Reservations: 031 201 5566

Facebook: durbanpopupsociety

Instagram: popupsociety

Bucket Scene: Robsons Brewery

Coming from a home that has a family business, there was a lot that I could relate to during my visit to one of Durban's latest hot spots. It's been open for just over a month now and already Robsons Brewery is fast becoming one of the places to go to in the city. Originally based in Shongweni, Robsons Brewery produces some of the finest craft beers in the land, with some winning major honors in overseas contests. Owned and run by a father, sons trio, their methods of producing the perfect brew is what keeps the originality to their beers. Using only the finest ingredients of which are sourced world wide, natural processes and zero artificial additives, bottled and hand labelled on site is what makes their handcrafted beer so special.

Craft beer became quite a hit in South Africa a few years ago, with many preferring the variants and tastes that came with them. Also there was this certain aspect of getting a brew that was not mass produced and artificially altered that made many take to it. Brian and his two sons Donn and Gary decided to take on this challenge of making their own beer up at their mothers Duck Farm in Shongweni. Brain, who is the master brewer will share many stories of how many times he tried and failed during his first attempts but once he got his winning formula there was no looking back. Because Robsons prides themselves on keeping their brewing process as natural as possible, with the various processes, thereafter allowing the beer to ferment and create it's own carbonate fizz, similar to the process used in the making of Champagne, it does take them longer to meet their ordered with many of the batches when are ready get sold and delivered in a matter of hours.

While their brewery was based a bit far up from Durban, the family decided it was time to move closer to the big city. Being a family that loves the water with Brian being a former National swimming captain, Donn, a National Water polo player for the past 17 years and Gary a skipper of the well known yacht, 'Spirit of Elan', it would make sense for them to set up shop near the ocean, at Durban's Point Waterfront. The Point district is notorious for a lot of things but with the recent upliftment and developments in the area, it's set to be transformed into one of the most sort after land in Durban. With major plans for upgrades to the area as well as investment from overseas investors, the landscape is about to be transformed for the better. Knowing this, the guys at Robsons saw this as the perfect opportunity to set up shop there.

Located in a converted warehouse, originally built in 1890, although renovated, not much was changed to the main structure of the building, help keeping it's aesthetical look but at the same time being modern and trendy. The venue can seat over a 100 people with seating available for large groups, intimate groups or if you just want a quick drink at the bar. There is also area's that can be cordoned off for private bookings as well as a beer garden to enjoy a cold beverage of you choice which enjoying the weather. 

Apart from the bar which has most of their range on tap, Robsons Brewery also features a restaurant with Chef Lyle Creamer heading up the kitchen. The creations on the menu are both a visual and gastronomical treat, ranging from pub fare with a twist such as panko dusted prawns, beer battered fish and chips, to the mains on the menu, of which include BBQ ribs (who some claim are the best in Durban), Grilled peri peri chicken, pizzas and some of the biggest burgers you've seen! All food on the menu has been specially crafted to suit the beers or are made from the beers that they produce, what you will notice on the menu is a lot of options that feature duck, of which comes from Brian's wife's Duck Farm in Shongweni.

During the media open night I had a chance to sample most of the cuisine and have to say I enjoyed everything! So much so I found myself back there the very next night with a friend. It's a great addition to the Durban scene and in an area that needed something like this to get people back down in that part of Durban. It already has been received well by most as I found the place pretty full when I got down there on Wednesday, despite the bad storm we experience. Their beers speak for themselves and the food is great, prices are keen to suit the Durban market and they got some great specials which you should inquire about from your waitron. Robson's also conduct Brewery Tours on a Saturday from 11am, booking is essential as this is very popular. Brian will give you a thorough experience on the brewing process and what goes into making the perfect brew. 

Details:

Robsons Brewery
72 Mahatma Gandhi Road, Durban Point
Times: Wednesday - Sunday from 11am till late. (Opening on Tuesdays for the festive season)
Telephone: 031 035 0827
Facebook: RobsonsRealBeer
Instagram: robsonsrealbeer
Twitter: @RobsonsRealBeer
Website: www.RobsonsRealBeer.co.za

Bucket Scene: Hudsons Burger Joint - Umhlanga

So my favourite burger joint opened in Durban last week, for me Hudsons was my first taste of a "gourmet burger" if you can call it that. My first experience was at their original store on Kloofnek Street in Cape Town, back then they still had lamb burgers on the menu, I was hooked thereafter, and clearly I wasn't the only one as they then started to expand, opening up more stores around the city and then tried their hands in foreign territory, opening up a branch in Parkhhurst, Johannesburg. When on my travels to either city I would try to go have a meal there at least once during my stay and more often that not I would stick to my favourite burger on the menu, seeing that I only had Hudsons once in a while

Now you can only imagine my joy when I found out that Hudsons were opening in Durban, situated on the corner of Lighthouse Rd and Chartwell Drive, in the building that formerly housed the Dutch, is where you will find them. They've redone most of the interior, making it more of a diner/ dive sort of setting, which is chilled and relaxed. The menu has been slightly tweaked to suit the Durban market and they have a host of burgers to suit any palate and now since they in Durban I can try other burgers on the menu! But being the first time in their new Durban branch I went along and ordered my usual, the Bacon Jam. Some say it is their best burger on the menu but for me it ticks all the right boxes, succulent patty topped with cheddar cheese, lettuce, bacon jam and crispy dusted onion rings, I swop out the beef patty for ostrich since I don't eat beef.

Apart from delicious burgers, they have a host of other items on the menu, like appetisers of which include Chilli Poppers, Chicken Strips and Sliders, if you're looking for something healthy on the menu, there's always the salads if which I've heard the "The Empire" is quite good and they also offer grills and tacos if you looking for something else. All that eating will require something equally good to wash it down with, thankfully they have a great selection of cold brews, with a variety of local craft beers, some of which are served on tap , a full on cocktail menu and extensive wine list for you to choose from. 

For those who are after the sweeter things in life, their dessert menu will have you drooling, the Deep Fried Oreos are certainly one to try. They have a great range of milkshakes as well, with The Cookie Monster being the ultimate, it has Bar One, Cookie Crumb rim topped with whipped cream and chocolate chip cookies. I've yet to try this one out but it's on the list of things I need to try. Overall, my first Hudsons Durban experience was nothing short of great, with the store fairly new,  there were minor hiccups but nothing to be concerned over, the food is great, the beers are cold and everyone has a smile on their face, is there anything else you need? 

For more information you can visit their website: theburgerjoint.co.za

Bucket Scene: Republik

When it comes to guys, there's just two B's you need to keep them happy, Beer and Burgers, well there is one other B but for the sake of keeping things clean I won't mention it. Now you take those two things and enhance it, you get Craft Beer and Gourmet Burgers, open up a place that serves just that and you're onto something special. I'm not sure if that was the thinking behind opening the place but I'd like to think Matt Richardson and Tayne Draper had something similar in mind when they decided to create Republik. 

Their motto is "For The People", their aim is to encourage everyone around to eat responsibly and act responsibly by going back to our roots through means of handcrafted, great tasting, high-quality, natural and free-range produce, while striving to act in a a socially responsible and environmentally sustainable manner. It's a mouthful, I know but so is their burgers! Seriously though, we live in an age where people accept the most unnatural, over processed, food as suitable for consumption and by eating these things on a daily basis, we're only doing more harm to ourselves so it's great to see a place that doesn't stand for that ish. 

I've visited the guys down at Durban North a few times since they opened and never once left disappointed, the staff are friendly and ever willing to help with your choice of burger and they add that family type value to the place, a quick example would be Matt remembering myself and my friends after visiting them for the first time 3 weeks prior, knowing what we ordered and what we preferred. You don't find that genuine client service in a hurry and that was one of the things that blew me away with Republik. 

Enough jibba jabba and onto the main part, the food and drink! They have a wide selection of Craft Beer, mostly local and they have a number of them on tap. In fact they have so many, they even have a separate menu for it! All the local favourites can be found including Darling Brew, Union Brewers and Jack Black. The nice thing about the menu is that it gives you a brief description of each beer so you know exactly what you're ordering as many other places that serve craft just have in the fridge for you to choose. 

The food, I love my meat and since I do not eat beef do to religious purposes, I more than often find myself eating chicken most of the time but I was glad to see Republik do offer a lamb patty option that comes in at an extra price but for me, if its good quality lamb, no price is too much. They also have an ostrich option, if you prefer the big lean bird. The menu is pretty straight forward, you choose your base, you choose your patty and then your toppings. If you're on Tim Noakes, your base can be a no bun base, if you don't want a roll but still don't want just a patty you could go for the hipster option which has portobello mushrooms substituted for the buns. Sides include, shoe string fries, zucchini fries or sweet potato crisps. All of which are served with a honey mustard dipping sauce which is the bomb. 

If you want something different, you could always try their specials of the week which includes a choice of 3, their beef burger, lamb burger or chicken burger. I found myself going for these on all 3 occasions that I have visited for dinner and every time I have been pleasantly surprised. They keep to their word with only the best and freshest produce and no matter what their chef concocts in his kitchen, it always tastes damn good but by far my favourite has to be their "Chips, Cheese and Mutton gravy Lamb Burger Special". Inspired by a Durban favourite, Johnnies Roti, this burger had everything in it that made it local and true to Durban. I have no idea where they got the mutton gravy from but it was authentic curry and work so well with the cheddar cheese and thin, crisp potato fries. Whats also great is that you can pick this burger up with two hands and eat it, many of these other gourmet burger place tend to put so much on the burger, that it becomes a mission just to eat it.

If you're looking for something other than burgers, they do sell salads and rolls, with your choice of toppings. Also other than beer, they also make some damn fine coffees, yes they have a menu for that too! Explaining the various variants. The other day I found myself there to meet a friend for coffee. I ordered the Cotardo which is fairly new on the Durban coffee scene but a great inbetweener from your espresso or cappuccino, now you're going to want something sweet to go with your coffee, thankfully they stock a selection of donut delightness from Wicked Donuts. 

Over the place is another winner in my books and a must visit. While their food range might not be extensive, they concentrate well on the ones they have and make your experience worth while every time. I don't have to say I'll be visiting them often because I already have!

Address: Unit 8 Broadway

               Durban North

               Corner of Adelaide Tambo and Broadway

Twitter: @republikdbn

Instagram: RepublikDBN

Facebook: Republik

Website: www.republik.co.za

Bucket Scene: Lucky Shaker

We're kicking off a brand new segment on the Bucket today, "Bucket Scene" is basically reviews on the coolest, freshest places in Durban. The idea was given to me by a late friend and I've finally decided to go ahead with it. What you can look forward to is me bringing you the low down on places to visit in Durban, seeing that the Summer holidays are upon us and with that brings many a visitor to the East Coast, I might as well get the word out on unique establishments that are in and around the city for them to try instead of visiting the same old places they always do.

Lucky Shaker

Today we're showcasing something new and unique to Durban, as you don't often find places like this in a hurry, its the Lucky Shaker. Situated in Shop 9A, Mayfair on the lake across the road from Chris Saunders Park in Umhlanga, it's a one of a kind cocktail bar/ lounge. At first I thought the location was strange seeing that it was situated away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of Umhlanga but after sitting down with owner Michael Stephenson and listening to what he envisioned for the place, it made a lot of sense. He wants his clientele to come in and basically lose sense of reality while they mesmerise you with their outstanding cocktails and food, which also is why he doesn't have any TV's in the place.

The Bar, with a wide selection of the finest spirits

The set up is great with a sit down area as well as a bar where you can sit and watch Mike and his staff spell bind you in their mixing techniques, which on its own is great entertainment! After taking our spots at the bar we were told of the special s, all of which are written on a chalkboard on the wall and issued with our complimentary high fives as that formed part of the specials.  Apart from cocktails,  they serve a variety of craft beer as well as craft on tap, to which my accompanying mates were very happy with as they love the craft.

Port & Stout 

The place came highly recommended by a friend of mine and with that he told me I had to try the "Port and Stout" cocktail.  He swears it's the best cocktail he's ever had and with him being an expert on the subject, I had to try it. As Mike began whizzing it up, it was interesting to note that instead of using stout out of the can,  they actually make a reduction of it using Guinness. That added with some port and other liqueurs, shaken up with some ice strained into a martini glass made quite an experience to watch.  Now I'm not the biggest beer fan around but I do enjoy a milk stout or Guinness every now and then so I was looking forward to tasting this.  Light, with a lot of flavours but at the same time quite strong, so it's not something you would down but rather enjoy sipping. One thing that stood out the most for me was that they used only the freshest ingredients for their menu, from fruits that go into their juices to the veggies and meat that went into their food, speaking of which...

Chicken, Bacon, Avo, Feta Burger with Fries

The food menu isn't that big with them sticking to just two types of mains if you may call them that,  being burgers and tacos and some bar snacks are bites but as with most of the things in this bar, it's not your typical burger or taco. All burgers are gourmet and made on premises with them using 3 different cuts of beef to get the ideal mince mix, if you don't eat beef you can always substitute it for a chicken fillet. I have asked Mike to experiment with a lamb burger which he said he wouldn't mind trying and I wouldn't mind testing!  The one I went for was the burger special of the week being a bacon avocado and feta burger. It's the best 3 topics you can get on a burger but if one of them is off it can make or break it. All 3 were superb, creamy feta, crispy bacon and the freshest avo I've ever had in the burger, the chicken fillet didn't even have to be there I would still have enjoyed it! Served on a toasted bun with a choice of salad or fries on the side with a home made tomato sauce it hit the spot.

Taco board

For dessert I was tempted to try one of the creamy blended liqueur milkshakes,  one could opt for the Dom Pedro or Marshmallow Fizz but I sampled some of the Grasshopper which is a blend of chocolate and peppermint liqueur with milk and vanilla ice cream. The smell alone will get your senses racing. 

Grasshopper

There's honestly nothing that's on the menu that I wouldn't mind trying so if you're down in Umhlanga and looking to shake things up a bit, why not give these guys a try. You won't regret it!

Website: www.luckyshaker.com
Instagram: luckyshaker / luckshakermenu
Facebook: Lucky Shaker
Address: Shop 9A, Mayfair on the lake
               5 Park Lane, Parkside
               Umhlanga Newtown Centre
               Parking available on the road or in the building.