Joburg Staycation: The Quarters at White Light in Lanseria

March 23, 2017 by Jess 2 Comments

Joburg is all about the WORK WORK WORK vibe, and to find a few moments to get away from it all can be a bit difficult. Enter the Joburg Staycation, a trip you can take within an hour of Joburg to just chill for a night or two.

We were fortunate enough to be invited on one such trip recently to the newly renovated The Quarters at White Light in Lanseria. This 5-bedroomed place nestled among the trees, was just a 20-minute drive for us from Randburg.

The Quarters has 5 spacious bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms, a small kitchenette, a lounge with a fireplace, a giant balcony and a fire pit….

Introducing: The #2017ChowList

January 26, 2017 by Jess 4 Comments

I’ve put a list together of all the Joburg restaurants I want to visit in 2017. There is a lot of them, ranging from the fanciest (also read most expensive) to the hole in the wall serving food that you don’t particularly want to Instagram.

This list just seems to grow every time I read a review online, so maybe take this as #2017ChowList – Part 1.

Being a bit uninspired by this whole blogging thing, I post most of my reviews on Instagram at the moment (which auto-posts to my facebook page) so give me a follow if you are interested in seeing the progress on the list, or simply look for the #2017ChowList hashtag if following me sounds like a big nope.

And just in case you want to stick the list on your fridge too, you can download it here:

Download the #2017ChowList

Simply fill in the for below, verify your email address and you'll be sent a link to download the #2017ChowList of restaurants to try in Joburg in 2017.

*Your email will be used to send future updates on #2017ChowList. It will not be used for spam or other horrendous activities.

You’re welcome.
K Bye.

UberEATS vs Mr D Food in Johannesburg

December 14, 2016 by Jess 5 Comments

I’m not going to deny it. I’m lazy AF. The thought of getting in the car to go and buy lunch fills me with dread. You see, we don’t have a canteen at work, so if you were too lazy to make yourself lunch, you have to hop in the car and scout the neighbourhood for something tasty.

Enter in the life changing food delivery services: UberEATS and Mr D Food. Since UberEATS has FINALLY launched in an area relevant to me (hello Fourways), I could try out their service.
At the same time, I thought it only fair to compare UberEATS vs Mr D Food, since both essentially offer the same thing.

Want R100 off your first UberEATS order? Use the code eats-uberjesska under the promotions tab in the app. This Uber EATS promo code will work in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and future cities in South Africa*

How it works

Whether you are using UberEATS or Mr D Food, you need to download the app from your App Store to your phone. The Apps for both services are pretty much identical. …

Golden Oreo and Pomegranate Tiramisu {Recipe}

November 13, 2016 by Jess 2 Comments

This Golden Oreo and Pomegranate Tiramisu with white chocolate chunks is the perfect dessert to make for Christmas Lunch this year. An excellent way to end a Summer meal, and pretty much the only thing I’m going to be dreaming of eating again for the next few weeks.

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La Rosa Mexican Grill and Tequileria {Restaurant Review}

November 11, 2016 by Jess Leave a Comment

I would never have guessed that you would need to make a booking for a restaurant in Weltevreden Park on a Wednesday night, but newcomer to the area, La Rosa Mexican Grill and Tequileria, is so popular, that they are fully booked almost every night.

We were lucky enough to be squeezed in without a booking on the condition that we were done before 7, so we quickly set about ordering from their gigantic menu. Our first attempt at visiting this restaurant was thwarted by a power failure in the area, so we were quite eager to try the food.

The house shaken margarita I had on my first visit was sublime (hello generous tequila portion) but it was served in a rather boring glass in comparison to the Tropical margaritas. So on our second visit, I ordered a frozen mango margarita. This came in the coolest skull shaped glass. It wasn’t as nice as the original margarita as it was a lot sweeter, but it was still a pretty good cocktail.

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Banana Bread Doughnuts

November 6, 2016 by Jess Leave a Comment

When life hands you bananas, what evil crime are you being punished for? Let’s just say I’m not a fan of the yellow monsters. I am however, a big advocate for banana bread. So when the Food Network sent me a press drop that had some of the devils fingers lingering among some other interesting ingredients, challenging me to make a banana and peanut butter sandwich, I was having none of that.

Instead, I whipped out my new doughnut pan (I used it to make malva pudding doughnuts a while ago – recipe here) and set about making the only thing I ever use bananas for.

Banana Bread Doughnuts, topped with peanut butter and decorated with caramel corn and peanut brittle. Ridiculously simple, and the best way to use up any vrot bananas that you have lurking at the bottom of your fruit bowl.

You can find the recipe I used for the banana bread here. (Thanks mom)

Simply add the mixture to a piping bag, squeeze some into each of the doughnut holes in your magnificent doughnut pan, and bake for about 10 mins until they are golden brown.

Spread generously with peanut butter, or if you are really looking to impress, try making some of this Peanut Butter and Nutella Frosting to smoosh on top.

Decorate the Banana Bread Doughnuts with caramel popcorn or small pieces of peanut brittle and enjoy.

The Food Network is promoting their new show called The Big Eat which airs on DSTV (channel 175) on Thursdays at 8pm. It’s a South African foodies take on comfort food, sweet treats and meaty goodness. If you happen to catch the show, let me know what you think?

I’ll have to wait for it to air on ShowMax (hint hint DSTV, add it to the catalogue pretty please)

Disclaimer:I received a press drop with some ingredients which I used to make these instead of a banana sarmie. Yay for a bit of inspiration and a new blog post after 400 years.

Win R1000 Yuppiechef Voucher with #TUCTime

July 19, 2016 by Jess 63 Comments

*The competition has ended*

Hey there biscuit buddies.

I’ve had a TUC biscuit filled weekend and I can’t wait to share the results with you – I made a video, with a toaster, some TUC biscuits, chocolate, a hammer and a few lego men. Check it out, let me know what you think.

And?? Let’s just take a moment to reflect on the life changing snack discovery I made this weekend. When you have a free moment, rush to the shops and buy yourself a packet of salted TUC biscuits and a slab of Cadbury Caramello. Melt a piece of the chocolate between two biscuits in the microwave and devour. The salty biscuits and sweet chocolate and caramel were specifically designed for this reason, I’m convinced.

The R1000 Yuppiechef voucher… You want it? Great. Let me know when your favourite time to munch some TUC biscuits is, using #TUCTime and you can win. It’s as easy as opening a packet of the salty snacks.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and Conditions

Competition is only open to residents of South Africa.
Competition closes on 30 July.
Winner will be chosen randomly from all valid entries.
To enter, either comment on the blog, or on Twitter (Tag me @jesska_f) or on Facebook.
Remember to use #TUCTime in your entry.

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by TUC biscuits. Yay for awesome prizes!

Malva Pudding Doughnuts Recipe

July 4, 2016 by Jess 8 Comments

Yes, I went there, because let’s face it, the only reason people read this blog is for anything doughnut related. Malva pudding doughnuts are the business. The sweet, sticky, caramelised goodness of malva pudding in perfect hand held doughnut form. It’s the best thing that has hit my thighs this winter.

I’m going to level with you, I’ve made malva pudding the sum total of once in my life. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve consumed kilograms of the stuff (thanks Woolworths) but making it from scratch just seemed like a waste of time. Until now….

Black Horse Brewery {Restaurant Review}

June 22, 2016 by Jess 4 Comments

Black Horse Brewery is one of those restaurants that you always mean to go to, but the sheer distance away from civilisation and the fact that you have to book are not really conducive to a quick meal out. Instead, it requires planning, preferably with a group of mates, and a designated driver (ain’t no Uber in Magalies).

This planning is completely worth it (thanks Suzie). It’s an absolute gem of a restaurant with gorgeous views of nature, huge tables perfect for big groups and decent drinks on tap to keep everyone happy.

Named for the black horses that live on the estate (their stables are next door to the kitchen), it’s a fantastic venue for a lazy weekend lunch. They have a trampoline and jungle gym for the kids, and they used to be dog friendly, but alas, no more….

Urbanologi {Restaurant Review}

June 19, 2016 by Jess 5 Comments

I’m somewhat reluctant to share this epic restaurant with you. It’s the kind of a secret you want the world to know, but at the same time, keep to yourself, because if more people know about it, it will be fully booked forever like every other mouthwatering place in Joburg.

Urbanologi is a brand spanking new tapas style restaurant located at 1 Fox Street in Ferreirasdorp in the Joburg CBD. The middle of the gigantic, beautifully put together space is taken up by the biggest craft brewery I have ever seen. They haven’t started brewing yet, but I’m sure some fantastic beers will be gracing their taps soon (they mentioned July).

The huge open kitchen is headed up by Chef Angelo Scirocco (like the car). He used to work at The Chef’s Warehouse and Canteen on Bree Street in Cape Town (side note, if you are ever in Cape Town, make a plan to stop for their ever changing tapas menu, Liam Tomlin and his team make some amazing, delicious food)….