Bucket Scene: Senhor Peri Peri

This past week I was invited to sample something new to KZN, but has been around in Johannesburg and Cape Town for some time now, Senhor Peri Peri. The franchise just recently opened the doors to it's first branch in the province, located in the food court at the brand new Cornubia Mall. Having been sent some of their delicious sauces to sample a few weeks ago, I still went to the store with a thought in my mind, wondering how much better would this be to the other popular Peri Peri chicken franchise in the country. I suppose it's only natural for one to compare but after sampling the food, soaking in the experience and chatting to the store manager, it was evident that although what you see on the menu might be similar, it was quite different and unique in its own way. 

First up, the decor, seriously love what they done with the space, it's a nice mixture of the Portuguese and Kasi cultures, with art reminiscent of both. Giving you that feeling that this is a true South African franchise. The lantern style light fittings are quite a nice feature over the dinning and ordering area. The Menu is extensive, offering more than what you would normally get at a similar type of eatery with grilled prawns, prego beef strips, macon(mutton) and vegetarian options if chicken isn't your first fancy but trust me, as I will explain later, you're going to want to try the chicken!

Studying the menu made myself and my mate quite hungry and rather confused as to what to order. As we really found quite a few items that tickled our fancy but there's only so much one could eat. So we turned to the manger, and made it his problem as to what we should order. After getting to know what our preferences were, he suggested we go for their current "WTF" (Where's The Food) promotion, which consists of a full chicken, basted in a sauce of your choice, 12 prawns served on spicy rice and a large Portuguese salad, all for just R249! Quite a bit for the two of us but it sounded pretty good and had both chicken and prawns which I wanted to try, so it was decided. 

The store has quite a few specials, another which caught my eye was a chicken pita and side for just R49,90. Other popular menu items include burgers, which you have a choice of grilled or crumbed, as mentioned their grilled prawns and beef prego, and on the sides list they even offer grilled mealies as well as pap and gravy. With the cooking station being right behind the till point, you can get the delicious aroma's in the air while awaiting your food, which made the wait all more worth it so when the food arrived we were ready to attack!

The presentation of the food was spot on with each item having it's own platter. We opted to have the chicken cut into 8 pieces which didn't make us look like gluttons with our plates over flowing. First up I tried the prawns, which were grilled in garlic butter, full of flavour, cooked just right as each were tender, juicy and complimented well with the spicy rice. A splash of lime over it just brought out that flavour. Grilled prawns is not something I would order at a take-out in a hurry but Senhor Peri Peri have just changed my perception on them. Next up was the chicken, it was evident that that chicken was cooked well with the char on the skin, making it crispy on the outside, but juicy on the inside. The sauce was the show stopper though, it just blew my mind, it's creamy and silky texture matched the chicken to perfection. For something similar, you would have to pay a fortune for at a  restaurant, and with a quarter chicken costing just R38,90 at Senhor Peri Peri, it is a steal! The sauce was flowing in the platter so you could dunk in for more flavour. 

Before we knew it, we finished off our meal! Well, there was some salad leftover. not that it was bad but simply because we didn't have anymore space left in us.  I've already been telling people about my experience since and it is definitely worth a visit, as mentioned there is something to suit everyone's fancy and with the added convenience of it being well located at Cornubia Mall which offers free parking for up to 6 hours, why wouldn't you want to bring your family to dine here? I'll certainly be heading back for me soon! Also if you like me, just can't get enough their amazing sauces, it is available for purchase. 

Details:

Name: Senhor Peri Peri

Location: Shop U45, Cornubia Mall, Cornubia Drive, Mount Edgecombe

Tel: 031 537 3828

Website: www.senhorperiperi.co.za

Twitter: @SenhorPeriPeri

Instagram: senhor_periperi

Facebook: SenhorPeriPeriSA

Cafe Vigor - Suncoast

Cafe's have become popular spots over the last decade, people come there to hangout with friends, catch up over a cup of coffee, some come to make use of the WiFi and get some work done, I've even seen some play as a venue for business meetings. With Cafe's its always a relaxed atmosphere offering a small select variety of food and drink. Suncoast Casino in Durban has Cafe Vigor, you cannot miss it as it is situated right outside the main entrance to the Casino and on the main walk way through the complex, I've always enjoyed the food offered there but yesterday I was invited to sample some of the new items they've added to their menu. It definitely was a taste sensation and one that is authentic to Durban.

Butternut & Feta Salad

To start things off yesterday, we were greeted by Sous Chef Lyndon who was going to take us through each new item on the menu. First up was a butternut and feta salad. For me salad's have always been a side dish, never a starter or a main and many a time I would give a skip. I was pleasantry surprised by this one though. I expected the butternut to be soft and mushy but it was blanched and still maintained that crisp, along with crumbled feta, some leafy green and all brought together in a tangy balsamic vinaigrette.

Creamy chicken and mushroom fettucinne

Next up was a favourite of mine, creamy mushroom and chicken fettuccine. This warm pasta is perfect for a cold day with all wholesome flavours that make it the ultimate comfort food. The sauce was creamy but not rich, also another aspect I liked about it, the mushrooms were left rather big and chunky, many places dice the mushrooms to a smaller sauce and they shrink in the sauce. The chicken, tender and moist, encapsulating all the flavours, I could honestly eat that the entire day. 

Lamb kebab Korma

They spoke about the new items wanting to display the authentic tastes of Durban and for the next item, this did exactly that. Many are used to the Lamb Korma dish that is served at many of the traditional Indian restaurants, Cafe Vigor has taken this dish and given it their own twist. Lamb Kebab chutney is a popular Durban dish and this is an interesting take on it but the chutney is substituted for a creamy cashew nut gravy synonymous to the Korma but with a Cape Malay flavour. This dish was out standing and I'll definitely be back for more!

Hake & Calamari

I'm a massive fan of seafood and I was glad to see that the next course involved that, after all we are at the sea so how can their not be some seafood? Cafe Vigor has take your standard fish and chips and zhuzhed it up by adding some spice to the batter and accompanying the hake with some calamari rings, served with a tasty, tangy tartar sauce. It was fresh, light and crispy, everything you would want from a dish like this. 

Spicy Chicken Livers

Durban, much like it's weather, likes things hot and one of the popular starter on many menu's in the city would be Peri-Peri chicken livers, if you're a fan, you would be pleased to know that Cafe Vigor has it and made some adjustments to the flavours, as it's not Peri-Peri but rather Durban curry. With a mixed blend of curry powder and Garam Masala, it lifts this dish to a new level. It's warm, hearty and hits the spot. 

Butter Chicken Wrap

There's no such thing as too much curry, especially if you're from Durban, so in saying that the next item was definitely very welcomed. It was created by our host, Sous Chef Lyndon, it is a Butter Chicken Wrap.  Tender morsels of chicken, cooked in a creamy butter gravy, using local sourced spices from a popular Durban spiceworks, gives the curry a different dimension, it's quite a thick consistency so you don't have to worry about gravy dripping all over the place.. All this goodness is wrapped in a soft, butter naan. 

Vegetable Fettuccine

Now if you're a vegetarian, you must have been reading this post and wondering, "well what about us?" , not to worry, Cafe Vigor has some items that are perfect for you. We were brought a vegetable fettuccine. Now I've eaten many bland veg pastas before, I can honestly say this was nothing close to bland! The creamy napolitano sauce had a great kick to it, and I amongst the crunchy veg, I spotted a green chili, adding that fresh bite to this great pasta dish.

Chakalaka Soup

To end off, we were served a starter, I know it may seem odd but I felt this was a nice wrap of this culinary journey we had taken earlier. Traditionally, tomato soup is served with a toast on the side to add that crunch and cut the acidity from it all, Cafe Vigor took this traditional starter item and added a nice spin to it, the soup is now a thick rich Chakalaka, full of local flavours and it is served with a toasted cheese sandwich to dip in. It really ties the whole dish together beautifully. 

Chocco-chino

We had the option to end off our experience with waffles and ice cream but after being so stuffed from all the previous courses, I could only manage a chocco-chino. These are some wonderful additions to the Cafe Vigor menu and I enjoyed all of them thoroughly, you'll find me there back soon for most of them, starting off with that Lamb Korma!

Bucket Scene: Cattle Baron - Pearls Mall

There was a time in Durban where there were not that many grill houses around and one had to resort to the basic chain restaurants which while are okay, doesn't give you that same satisfaction that one of the more premium ones give when having a meal. Fortunately times have changed and grill houses are abundant with us spoiled for choice to be honest. The recent opening of the Pearls Mall in Umhlanga has seen one of the big names in Steak Houses occupying a prime location on the malls roadside front. Cattle Baron has a great heritage in the Cape and it's nice to see it opening on the East Coast of SA. I've never eaten at one before so my first experience was at the new store in Umhlanga. 

With the Pearls Mall being marketed as a high end lifestyle center, the introduction of this restaurant is quite welcomed, the decor is modern and the store is spacious but still has the warmth to it that you expect from a grill house. It can accommodate large groups of patrons and also has intimate couch seating for couples and small families. Being on the sea facing end of the mall, there is also an out door balcony seating area which I tried when I first visited, unfortunately with Durban's temperamental weather, it began raining soon after we were seated so we had to move indoors. 

So far I've visited the Cattle Baron at Pearls Mall twice so far, once just after it opened and the second visit was a month ago. While there were slight issues on my first visit in terms of service, I did understand the place was fairly new and long as the food was great, that was all that mattered. Apart from the great wine selection as one would expect at a grill house, they also have a good collection of whisky's which I was quite happy to see. Other drinks on the menu do include beers, ciders, cool drinks and hot drinks. 

While I do frequently visit Steak Houses, I do not eat steak due to religiously reasons but the Cattle Baron does have a variety of cuts and options to chose from. On my first visit I opted for a poultry dish, the chicken parmesan which reads of the menu as "deep-fried chicken breasts layered with bacon, smothered in cheese sauce, sprinkled with Parmesan shavings and topped with toasted onions" enough to make ones mouth salivate. The dish was awesome, chicken was succulent, the cheese sauce was not too over pouring, the onions were light and sweet and the salty, crispy bacon brought all the elements on the plate together beautifully. 

On my second visit I went with my stock standard order at a grill house, Lam Loin Chops. For me the make or break to a good lamb chops is its basting sauce and how it's prepared. I asked for it to be done medium to well which they got right to the t. The meat soft and tender which just melts in your mouth and the basting sauce was superb which found me licking my fingers. It's nice to see that apart from the regular starch that's always offered to a meal, the Cattle Baron also provides a complimentary hot veg for the table as I found myself going for a few helpings of the cream spinach. 

Also compared to other steak houses, the Cattle Baron has quite a few vegetarian options which I found great. 

The dessert menu is also quite extensive and features many of SA's favorites including malva pudding and cheese cake. I settled for a creme brullee and coffee. The sugar top was just the right thickness, I find some places over do it with the sugar and you spend more time try to get shards of sugar out of your teeth than enjoying the custard. Overall both dinning experiences at Cattle Baron Umhlanga were great and satisfactory, with the place having a welcoming atmosphere and keen prices, the staff and owner who made a point of coming to greet each patron added a nice touch and even offered a free dessert to one in our group because her mains arrived late.

*all pictures from the website: www.cattlebaron.co.za

Carver's Weiss Sunday Lunching

Craft Beer has been around in SA for a few years now and has start to make it's way into the mainstream market. As much as micro brewers hate for this to happen, it's good for business. While the majority of the beer drank in the country is still very much controlled by the major brands, it's good to note that the countries largest brewer, SAB have taken note of the Craft Beer sector and decided to launch a specialty variety to the market, namely Carver's Weiss. 

This past Sunday I was invited to an exclusive launch of the new Carver's Weiss beer, for "an afternoon of Easy" as the email said. The venue, the laid back, open air garden patio of the Market Cafe in Morningside, Durban. The event kicked off with an ice cold bottle Carver's Weiss upon arrival, the venue was decked out by the Carver's Weiss team in the colours and logo's of the beer. The host of the afternoon was none other than SA funny man Dave Livensohn who had the guests in stitches with his witty comments and chirps. 

When looking at the bottle, one of the aspects that grabs your attention first is the label at the back is upside down, reason for this is, they say the best way to enjoy the beer is if you tilt it upside down for a few seconds to allow the sediments to float back up and mix with the rest of the liquid, and hence reading the label would allow sufficient time for this. They had wooden boards for us to tilt the bottles on which were quite cool but took some time to master.

The team flew in a chef to prepare a meals for the guest that best matches the brew and brings out the variants and notes of the beer. It was quite evident from starters to the mains, the many distinct flavours that is present in Carver's Weiss. From citrus, notes to vanilla and caramel, the afternoon of food and beer took ones palate on a journey of taste. 

To complete the afternoon of easy, Carver's team provided entertainment in the form of SA musician extraordinaire, Nhlanhla Majozi who is a real one man band! Playing all his own instruments and treated the crowd to a musical feast of his popular tracks. Also to keep us busy, we had Jenga blocks on each table to see who can survive the longest. 

Carver'sWeiss is smooth drinking beer that is an inbetween-er of a light and heavy brew but one that's an easy drinking one. Perfect for a summer's afternoon. 

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: The Hussar Grill

When I first heard that The Hussar Grill was opening a branch in Durban I was over the moon, I've heard a lot of this legendary grill from my mates in Cape Town but whenever I find myself in Mountain-land, I never got a chance to experience dinning at one of their many branches. Like most men, I love my meat, and whilst there's many grill houses already in Durban, not many keep that consistancy. One can easily cock-up a steak and it's never a pleasant experience especially if you're paying top dollar for it. 

This is where establishments like The Hussar Grill come in, with over 50 years of experience, they're regarded as one of South Africa's Premier Grill Rooms and with good reason too. They have a loyal following and the reason they keep coming back is for their award-winning speciality steaks and wine selection, along with their superb service an warm ambience. 

This week myself a few mates decided to go give The Hussar Grill a try, with a booking made, it was time to see what all the fuss was about. Upon arrival I was warmly greeted by their gorgeous hostess at the entrance and then escorted to my table. The decor of the place is great, the low lighting sets the tone for a relaxed lounge feel and the restaurants theme sort of an old school library / wine cellar vibe. They're known for their great selection of wines but I'm not a wine person as I prefer my whisky, our waiter for the night was quick to go through their extensive range of single malts and mixed blends with me, I was quite surprised with the selction they have as many restaurants just cater with the popular ones.

Once I had my drink it was time to study the food menu, I'll be honest I already had in mind what I was going to order as I had a good look at the menu from their website prior to arriving. While doing so, our waiter brought some sweet potato crisps and marinated olives to snack on, both of which got snapped up in a matter of minutes. For starters, everything on the menu looks great and you really want to order more than one but when you flip over to have a look at the mains, you want to keep space for that. I eventually settled for calamari as its a personal favourite starter of mine, it was light and tender, crispy on the outside and with the right about of lemon on it. The accompanying tartar sauce was just as exquisite. Even though it is a starter, it was quite a generous portion and could well easily be shared with someone. 

While taking a break with some more good quality whisky, it was time to decide on the mains, the Hussar does have specilas on the day so be sure to check with your waiter when you do visit. Otherwise their menu has enough for to cater for anyones taste buds, whether it be beef, lamb, seafood, poultry or even game, depending on the hunt. Our waiter brought through their meat board to show us the various cuts and explain to us how it is prepared and what is the best way to order it. The menu also offers guidlines to your selection of how you would like your meal grilled. I opted for something off the menu, as the waitor informed me they had lamb steaks, not often you would find this around, lamb is best done medium and it was basted with their rib marinade, served with a side of chips, creamed spinach and a cheese sauce. 

It was quite a decent portion of meat, 250g of lamb with just a sliver of fat, crispened nicely. It was full of flavour and most importantly, tender and melted in my mouth. I also opt for a cheese sauce and I enjoy the taste of it with the lamb. They say you know a meal is good when everyone at the table is quiet and enjoying their meal but its not always the case as with us, each of my mates were raving about their meal, insisting what they ordered was better than the next. There was only one way to settle this, as we all tasted a little bit from each others plates. I honestly couldn't fault any dish I tasted, as everything was prepared perfectly and tasted great. In the end we all agreed that there was no dish better than the other as all were pretty darn good. 

Already stuffed, the waiter brought the menu's again to have a look at the dessert menu and as tempting as it was, I just couldn't eat anything else. But one that did catch my eye was the Hussar Grill Ice Cream, it's described so incredibly on the menu that it almost hypnotises you to order it "This extravagant dessert is a beguiling combination of vanilla ice cream, peanut brittle, marshmallow, nougat, honeycomb and sprinkled nuts. Drizzled with our signature dark chocolate sauce. Sometimes more is better." I mean if that isn't worthy to get your drooling I don't know what is. 

Overall my experience at The Hussar Grill was everything I expected it to be, and a perfect location of a boys night out but equally can be a great place to have a quiet dinner with a loved one, family or even a business luncheon or dinner. Another thing to note as I have mentioned their selction of wines before but if you opt to bring in your own bottle, they do not charge you a corkage free! The prices are very keen when you look at the level of service and quality of food you're getting. I highly reccommend you visit the Hussar Grill to see for yourself why they're one of the best. 

Details:

The Hussar Grill Gateway

Shop G003, Gateway Theatre of Shopping

Tel: 031 566 4047

Facebook: The Hussar Grill Gateway

Twitter: @TheHussarGrill

Instagram: thehussargrill

Bucket Scene: The Dutch - ReImagined

Many a Durban night goer would be familiar with the Dutch in the Umhlanga Village, popular for it's classic 70's style decor, live bands and great bar but the owners of this fine establishment felt that it wasn't what they had envisioned for the place. After a brief shutdown in February, the Dutch reopened it's doors to the public and I was invited to sample what the new look, well rather "re imagined" Dutch is all about. 

I get asked all the time for popular night spots for people to visit and dine at, and also places that offer live entertainment, whilst there are plenty of places in Durban that offer great food, there was a gap in the market for a place that offered both. The Dutch always prided themselves in hosting some of the best local talents on their stage but their food menu was limited to tapas like variety but that has all changed now. The team has been working tirelessly behind the scenes to bring you a menu that takes your taste buds on a gastronomical adventure. 

The Dutch now operates as premium dinning and entertainment venue, with them operating from Tuesday to Saturday with live entertainment scheduled for Friday and Saturday. Unlike before, booking is a must if you want to visit the Dutch as the venue can accommodate 100 seated guest and a few more around the bar. Since the venue is now a restaurant, crowd control is paramount to ensure that diners have the best dinning experience. Whilst still enjoying themselves to the entertainment on offer.

The night of my visit, Durban's very own Gangs of Ballet were performing live. With their performance scheduled for 10pm it gave diners ample time to enjoy dinner before the show started, speaking of dinner, it's definitely not to be skipped, the menu is a mixture of local favourites with a twist only the Dutch could pull off. One does not have to do a full dinner as tapas and cocktails can be had either at your table or at the bar. 

For starters I opted for the Prawn Samoosa, which consist of a generous amount of prawns and yellow potato filling served in 3 golden brown crispy fried samoosa's served on a bed of cucumber raita and paprika oil. It's the perfect balance of hot and cool, with flavours to awaken your sense for the next course. 

For mains they have seven options to chose from, whether you looking for something light like a burger or sliders to a fillet steak served on cheese polenta and red wine jus. They even one of the few restaurants I know of that serve Norwegian Salmon that is specially imported and prepared in miso and honey glaze, accompanied with umami courgette stir fry, sweet confit cherry tomatoes and wasabi spinach mayo.

Whilst the first and second course might be quite a mouthful, be sure to save some space for dessert! With the Dutch being from the same brainchild as Remo's and Old Town Italy who are both renowned for their pastries and desserts, most particularly the ever popular cronut, you know the dessert menu is going to be good. While I opted for the lemon brulee, which was more of a deconstructed lemon meringue, a friend at the table went for the coconut macaroons. Both of which were exceptional and left us wanting more.

With our hunger satisfied, it was time for us to settle in and enjoy the sounds of the guys from Gangs of Ballet who took us away with their wonderful melodies in a great unplugged set whilst enjoying our drinks for the rest of the night. It was truly a great evening out and an experience that was missing in the Durban night. Whether you go for dinner or just for a quiet drink, the Dutch will certainly cater for even the most distinguished taste. 

For  booking inquiries and more information,

Telephone: 060 588 5674

Website: http://thedutch.co.za/

Facebook: Dutchism

Instagram: the.dutch

Address: Cnr of Chartwell Dr & Lighthouse Rd, Umhlanga