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. …

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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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)….

Luce Hyde Park {Restaurant Review}

May 28, 2016 by Jess 1 Comment

Hyde Park is one of those places that I drive past to get to Rosebank. I never really considered to stop there and have a meal. I mean sure, I’ve been to the shopping centre a few times, but to be honest with you, that was only ever to visit the Exclusive Books.

The Sushi Bar – Pic from Southern Sun website

Cue date night, an invite from Southern Sun and two very hungry people, and you get Luce, an Italian/Japanese restaurant located at the Southern Sun Hotel in Hyde Park. Luce can really be considered to be two restaurants, as the Italian and Japanese cuisines they have on offer are not fused together – which is great. I don’t think I could handle a sushi pasta dish. The amuse bouche we were given was the only hint of east meets west. A slightly spicy soup served as a “Macchiato”, with foam in an espresso cup. The accompanying biscuit was a fantastic blend of savoury and sweet. I could have eaten an entire box of them.

Restaurants who serve bread as part of the meal always rate higher in my books, and the focaccia and breadsticks served at Luce made my carbohydrate loving face happy.

The restaurant has the biggest glass windows overlooking Craighall and the tables are spaced far enough apart that you don’t have to scream at each other to have a conversation (although one patron was so accustomed to screaming in cramped restaurants in South Africa, that we heard his entire dinner conversation from 20m away). The soft, warm lighting, white tablecloths and comfy chairs create a great romantic atmosphere….

Restaurant Mosaic at the Orient {Review}

April 24, 2016 by Jess 1 Comment

Get out your bucket list and put “Eat a meal at Restaurant Mosaic at the Orient” at the top of it. This multi award winning restaurant is somewhere you need to dine at before you die. The chef, Chantel Dartnall, is so passionate about the dishes she creates , which is evident in her eloquent descriptions of the different courses before your meal.

We booked a table at Mosaic for lunch for Restaurant Week. This included 3 courses for R400 pp (the bigger menus cost R750 or R1200 pp), and we got way more than we bargained for. What a spectacular experience. The Orient hotel is located just outside of Hartbeespoort (everyone claims it’s Pretoria, but it’s right next to Pelindaba, which to me is in Harties).

Nestled in the trees with a couple of resident zebras, impalas and other buck, the setting of the Orient hotel is gorgeous. Driving along the winding road, through the huge wooden gates to the pinkish-orange hued buildings makes you feel like you are on holiday. It reminded me slightly of the Palace at Sun City.

The only word that can sufficiently describe the hotel in detail is Opulent. The furnishings and decor make you feel like you are in a rich sheiks home. The meal, well that is next level opulence. Definitely one of the best meals I have ever eaten.

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Bidon Bistro in Muldersdrift {Restaurant Review}

February 21, 2016 by Jess Leave a Comment

I have a bit of a soft spot for weekend breakfasts, which probably stems from my childhood. Every Saturday or Sunday growing up, my mom would make something delicious for breakfast, from crumpets to scones, freshly baked muffins and even a good ol’ fry up, it was always something to look forward to.

Now that I no longer live at home, and hate doing dishes, finding places to enjoy a good breakfast on the weekend is at the top of my priority list. I’m happy to say, my latest discovery, Bidon Bistro in Muldersdrift, ticks all the right boxes.

Located right next door to Kloofzicht, (Travel down Beyers Naude until you feel like you are in a different province, then turn left onto the R374) this newly opened, rustic little restaurant is hidden among the trees. It’s very well signposted and they boast a big parking area for cyclists, complete with a bike-wash service.

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Lunch at Roots at Forum Homini {Restaurant Review}

January 26, 2016 by Jess Leave a Comment

Public holidays are always better when they involve 6 course lunches. Last year on Reconciliation day, we visited Roots Restaurant at Forum Homini for lunch. I have visited this gorgeous restaurant out in the Cradle of Humankind before for breakfast, and my second visit left me equally impressed.

I could talk about the breath-taking natural surroundings, but let’s rather focus on the food. Our meal consisted of a carefully orchestrated menu of 6 beautifully presented courses as well as an additional amuse bouche, complete with a huge basket of bread as well as some sweet treats to end off the meal. The food was freshly prepared and the various dietary restrictions our table had were taken into consideration when preparing each dish.

The service was pretty good, the waiter didn’t ask us about more drinks very often, which was a bit annoying, but otherwise it was fine.

Onto the food:…

Panteli’s Italian Kitchen {Restaurant Review}

January 14, 2016 by Jess 1 Comment

New restaurants don’t open often in my neighbourhood, so I’m always eager to try them out when they do open. Panteli’s Italian Restaurant in Boskruin opened a few weeks ago at Summerfields shopping centre at the same time the revamped Pick ‘n Pay opened. There have been a few different pizza restaurants in this spot since I have lived in the area, but I think Panteli’s is the best one so far.

I ordered pizzas as take aways from a very enthusiastic waitress. After about 15 minutes they were ready, and I was also informed that they offer free delivery in the area….

Clay Oven {Restaurant Review}

January 7, 2016 by Jess 2 Comments

I drive past the Clay Oven everyday on my way to and from work. This tiny restaurant is located in a bit of a dead shopping centre in Jukskei Park, with a charity shop and a crossfit gym to keep it company. I’ve always thought “We should try this place” and eventually we did.

The Clay Oven describes itself as a Portugreek restaurant, but I would liken it more to a mish- mash, bit of everything, Mediterranean inspired restaurant as it serves Breakfasts, Burgers, Portuguese, Greek and Italian food.

I judge a Portuguese restaurant by it’s trinchado. It’s one of my favourite dishes, and if you can’t get that right then I can’t be your restaurant’s friend. So on a very, very warm Summer’s day, sitting on their covered patio with the spray misters running at full blast, I ordered Trinchado and was presented with…