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!

Lunch with Glenmorangie

Last week Friday, I along with Marc Forrest and Kyle Fraser were invited to lunch at the Oyster Box with Glenmorangie Whisky. Some might not have heard of the brand before and I must admit it wasn't until this years Durban July did I discover this single malt Scotch whisky. The tent I was at had stocked up by Jack Daniels and once the stocks of the US bourbon were depleted, I had no option but to try the original Glenmorangie. I was pleasantly surprised by it, being a whisky drinker myself I found the tastes quite different. Yes I mostly drink mix blends but what was evident in this was its fruity nature, something that I haven't picked up in a whisky before.

Karen Fullerton who is the Global brand ambassador for Glenmorangie was in Durban for FNB's Whisky Live exhibition at the Durban ICC, so it was a unique opportunity for us to meet her along with Patrick John Leslie from the Moet - Hennessy group of South Africa, seeing that I didn't get the opportunity to visit the event this year. Learning first hand from Karen about the Glenmorangie was quite an experience, she is so passionate about the brand and their product, it just leaves one fascinated about it.

Here are some facts about what makes Glenmorangie unique to other whisky's:

• They have the tallest stills in Scotland, ensuring that their spirit is the lightest, purest and most elegant in the business.
• They only use the finest ingredients for their whiskys, one of which they pride on is Scottish grown barley. They're one of the few that don't use imported barley.
• The casks are made from hand selected oak trees and are only ever filled twice.
• The whisky making traditions have been passed down from generation to generation, ensuring things are done the same way as when the founder William Matheson did so.

Oysters and Glenmorangie original

We started off the lunch with a shot of the original, Karen took us through the various aroma's and tastes before suggesting a starter to pair it with. Oysters were the winner, the saltiness of the oysters brought out other tastes to the whisky that we didn't pick up on when sipping it before.

1st fill and 2nd fill samples

Before we ordered our mains, Karen brought out some samples of the whiskys taken from the still. One was from the first fill which is right at the top and the 2nd was from the 2nd fill. The contrasts in both the samples was quite evident and surprising seeing that they were taken from the same still, where by not only did the colour vary but also textures and tastes.

The case Signet comes in.

For lunch we were treated to something very special, Karen brought along a bottle of Glenmorangie's signature whiskys, the Signet.  A lot about this whisky is kept a close secret but what they can tell us is that it is a fusion of unique and rare elements and is the richest whisky in their range. The whisky is aged in a made to order cask and made with a chocolate malt barely. The thing that gets your first is the aroma's, there is a rich coffee smell almost that of an espresso and elements of citrus to it. When you take a sip, you notice the rich texture as its almost sherry like then the explosion of tastes take over. From the chocolate, to the orange, hint of peaches and also coconut. It almost sounds like a dessert and too good to have with a meal but as I found out while having prawns as my main, paring it with certain foods accentuates other elements of the whisky.

Karen Fullerton takes us through the tasting of Signet

Seeing that the whisky did have that sweetness to it, Karen suggested that we order something chocolaty for our dessert to enhance the chocolate malt barely. Never have I had whisky  with dessert so this was a new experience for me! Just like the main, the dessert allowed other elements of the whisky to stand out, one could get more of the chocolate taste and it felt almost espresso like. Needless to say I finished glass and my plate with ease.

chocolate fudge brownies with Glenmorangie Signet

Although it was just a few hours, the amount I learned during lunch from Karen about the Glenmorangie Whisky family it feels like I've known about it forever. Their whiskys are really a side step from the norm and I recommend any whisky lover to taste them, the Signet might be out of the price range for some, seeing that it retails for about R2000 a bottle but the original does provide ones palate with a journey of taste. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity as the helped educate me on single malt whisky so I hope this isn't the first and last time I heard from the brand!