We’ve all heard about the expression that says the best way to man’s heart is through his stomach. For the most part this is true, with guys around the world forgetting all about the annoying stuff once they taste, said mooiness’ pecan pie. I have an argument that the exact same is true for guys wishing to win over the interests of a mooiness who is clearly out their league.

If you can perform wonders in the kitchen, chances are that you’ll be rewarded with equally impressive feats behind closed doors in the bedroom. To help all the guys (and mooiness) out there I am going to share my special Butter Chicken recipe with you. I’m fairly proud of it and I can guarantee that you’ll impress everyone with its very authentic taste.  It’s very easy to make and also not the most expensive meal to put together.

Ingredients:

500g Chicken Fillets (cubed is best, but you can get away with strips as well if you’re too lazy)

100g Salted Butter

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 Large Onion (finely chopped)

1 Tablespoon Garlic & Ginger paste

2 Heaped Tablespoons of Butter Chicken Spice (Any pre-mix spice box should be good)

250ml Bulgarian Yoghurt

125 ml Fresh cream

1 Teaspoon Tomato Paste

1 heaped teaspoon Peri Peri powder (leave this out if you don’t like the heat at all- I find it gives the butter chicken the extra goodness that it needs)

Preparation:

1. Pop the butter into a pot along with the chicken pieces and stir fry them until they start to change colour (to a whitish vibe). Remove the chicken and butter from the pot and set aside- you’ll be adding them again later to cook through properly.

2. Add the chopped onion and olive oil to the pot and braise it until it goes golden brown (they still need to have a little bit of crunch to them).

3. Next up add the garlic and ginger paste, Peri Peri spice and Butter Chicken Spice mix. Braise the mixture for 2-3 minutes to get the flavours going.

4. Add the yoghurt, cream and tomato paste and cook it until the sauce thickens (around 5 minutes).

5. Add the chicken pieces and simmer on a low heat for around 15 minutes

6. Serve with freshly chopped coriander and basmati rice or my personal fave roti.

When you need to impress this is a sure fire way to get things going your way.

It is time for all of the foodies to unite once again to celebrate and acknowledge outstanding, independent South African producers, food markets and outlets for their innovation, passion, integrity and care for the environment. They’re the people making sure that you can just take a quick stroll down to the local markets for fresh and delicious food and produce to nurse your hangover on the weekend.

The 2012 Eat In DStv Food Network Produce Awards will be announced at a food market on Saturday 24 March 2012. Visitors will be able to enjoy some of the best fresh produce, baked goods and prepared food the country has to offer, and buy the new issue of the annual Eat In magazine for later reference. The market is taking place at The Stellenbosch Slowmarket (Oude Libertas Estate, Oude Libertas Road, Stellenbosch) and starts at 9am. Entrance is free of charge and everyone is welcome – the more the merrier!

For more information, visit www.eat-in.co.za.

One of the managers over at Slainte, one of the latest additions to Cape Town’s global food menu, got hold of me on Twitter the other day to ask whether I would be keen to come and check it out. Slainte has been open for the past two months and had been on my list of places to check out over Summer, given that I had driven past it about a million times, wondering what the hell it was.

Having occupied the space previously held by Café Sofia, I assumed that Slainte would follow in a similar vein, offering a food service of some sort. I was right- but really, I could not have been more wrong about my expectations around exactly what the place was all about. When I arrived I noticed that the space had been remodeled to seem more open with the addition of a bar, seating and a few big screens to catch up on all of the sport you fancy. Yes, it is essentially a sports bar/pub that converts to allow for a small dj booth and dancefloor to help you shake off all of the 2012 work blues. Slainte has just launched their brand new cocktail menu, which is the driving force behind their Wednesday night parties. From what I experienced on the night, you can pretty much come to expect models, some good house tunes in the background, sport, cocktails and also really good food.

It’s Irish pub food and when I say pub food- I really don’t mean that it is at all greasy. In no way does the food at Slainte leave you feeling like you’ve given birth to a Mexican through your asshole the next day. It’s quite the opposite actually- every single thing I tasted was amazingly prepared and better than anything I’ve ever had in an establishment that claims to be at all related to a pub.

They’re brand new and situated on the trendy Somerset Road in Greenpoint- with the only problem being the lack of parking. I’m making it my mission to try all of the cocktails on their menu before the end of Summer- maybe by then, it’ll be like that place where everyone knows my name. You can catch up with up with them on Twitter or pop around anytime (especially on Wednesday nights) to have a quality munch and a beer or for the mooiness- a cocktail

The fan-tash-tic month of November might be over, but you can still be rewarded for sporting a hairy upper lip, with the no.1 selling tequila, el Jimador. We are giving away a complimentary dinner for two at one of Cape Town’s hottest Mexican restaurants for those who stuck it out!

el Jimador embraces the recognisable national symbol throughout the whole year and encourages men to Flash their Tash in honour of the true Mexican macho man.

What do you have to do to WIN!?

Send us your best pic of your itchy, prickly, flavour-saver to  crew@mycitybynight.co.za or

Upload your creative “Flash your Tash” pic on Twitter addressed to @mycitybynight and include the hashtag #eljimador.

The winning 3 pics will be selected by the crew from MyCityByNight and announced on the 7th of December 2011.

The dinner will take place on the evening of Monday 12 December 2011!

Please see below the T&C’s for the el Jimador Mexican Dinner competition:

• You must be of legal drinking age to enter
• Deadline for submissions is 7 December 2011
• To enter, email photos of your tash to crew@mycitybynight.co.za or upload them on Twitter addressed to @mycitybynight, including the hashtag #eljimador
• You will need to be available on 12 December 2011
• Entrants need to be Cape Town based
• Inappropriate photos will be rejected. Photos must not:1.feature anyone under the legal drinking age,2.depict violence, drugs, drug culture, or unlawful or anti-social behavior,3.be offensive on grounds of age, gender, race, religion or sexual orientation or likely to cause widespread offence on any other grounds.

Cape Town’s known throughout the country as being relaxed. Laid back. Hey shoo wow, bru. But if there’s one thing we’re serious about, it’s putting as much delicious food in our faces as we can; and as often as possible. We’re home to hundreds of great restaurants, from holes-in-the-wall to molecular gastronomy (you know, those guys who like to make foams out of weird things), and we make the most of it. That’s why every year, we walk away with more awards for our restaurant industry than our president has wives (no easy feat), and this year was no different.
 
I was lucky enough to get a seat at the 2011 Eat Out Awards, held at the Bay Hotel on Sunday the 20th November. Space is limited to about 360 people; because catering for that many is tricky at the best of times, but the Awards level up by providing you with a four-course, five-star meal; cooked, plated and served with military precision.

The evening started off with canapés and bubbly at Sandy B (the Bay Hotel’s members-only bar; because we’re fancy like that) before moving to the Rotunda, where every table was perfectly set, complete with flowers, candles…and a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label. As Charlie Sheen would say: Winning. Riaad Moosa was MCing and managed to keep it (mostly) tidy, and GoodLuck was on stage. I do think it’s a pity that they stuck them on between/during courses – their music is hardly made for background listening, and their vibe seemed wasted. They would have been better used at the afterparty. Other than that, the night was a win – the speeches weren’t overly long or boring, and the food…oh, holy shit you guys, the food.

Spinach, miso, crayfish, truffle oil. Rabbit/gammon ballotine, duck liver purée, red cabbage mousse, Everson’s pear cider jelly. Trompette-dusted beef, cep butter, baby beets and asparagus. Valrhona Ivoire chocolate torte, Valrhona chocolate mousse with orange preserve, crushed raspberries with Valrhona Ivoire chantilly. I can’t even pronounce some of those things, but I know they tasted amazing. Each course was made by a chef from one of the nominated restaurants, and paired with some of Cape Town’s best wines. Given the quality of the food, the results of the awards were hardly surprising. Now, not to hate on our friends up North, but it’s almost laughable just how many awards Cape Town walked away with in comparison to JHB. Out of the 20-odd categories announced, restaurants and chefs from Cape Town and surrounds scooped 18 of them. (Best Steakhouse, Jo’burg? Shame.) Nine out of the Top Ten slots went to Cape Town restaurants, including first place (The Greenhouse), plus Chef of the Year for Luke Dale-Roberts (The Test Kitchen). That’s just how we roll.

 
Once the awards were done, everyone staggered out to the afterparty at Sapphire with full bellies and a huge bag of swag; and I suspect more than a few people “rescued” their unfinished bottles of Johnnie Black. Tough life, hey? Quite honestly, the most difficult part of the night for me was trying to keep a straight face every time I had to use the hashtag. I mean, come on. #eatoutawards? That’s just unfortunate.

 
Eat Out editor Abigail Donnelly made a great point in her opening speech: That you don’t have to be a “foodie” to be someone who enjoys good food. Personally, I think that foodies have become the hipsters of the food world – no one knows exactly how to define them, but we all find them vaguely irritating. So, don’t be that guy (nobody likes that guy). But if you do love good food and the experiences that come with it, do yourself a favour and try make the effort to visit at least a few of the restaurants we’re privileged enough to have here. Your wallet might not thank you that particular month, but your stomach definitely will. I reckon it’s a fair trade.

We’ve never shimmied away from the contraversial here at MyCityByNight and in the spirit of keeping things as they should be we’ve got the tasty ad from Nandos entitled “Last Dictator Standing”. The cheeky ad has been causing quite a fuss online and has gone viral since the brand new campaign launched last week.

The ad features all of our not so favourite dictators enjoying the good times when they could all blow things up and make sand angels in the desert. Yes all of the above happens as a lookalike Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe reminisces about better times with rather nasty despot type leaders like Saddam Hussein, Muammar Gadaffi and former apartheid leader PW Botha.

The ad is promoting the 6 piece meal with the idea that no-one should ever have to eat alone. Credit needs to go to the director Dean Blumberg and the creative team behind the ad. It’s racey but keeps the brand at the forefront of what everyone is thinking but too scared to say. What do you all think? Too much? Is it just the right amount of peri-peri?

El Jimador encourages you to Flash your Tash

el Jimador, one of the tastiest tequilas available in SA, is encouraging South African men to cultivate a little facial hair on their upper lip and Flash their Tash  in order to stand a chance to win a dinner at the “hot” Cafe Mexicho restaurant in Melville, Jozi!

So, Flash your Tash, take a pic, and WIN an awesome evening for you and a partner at Cafe Mexicho!!!

What do you have to do to WIN!?

Simple! Email a creative pic of you OR your partner “Flashing your Tash” to crew@mycitybynight.co.za

or

Upload your creative “Flash your Tash” pic on Twitter addressed to @mycitybynight and include the hashtag #eljimador

The winning 3 pics will be selected by the crew from MyCityByNight and announced on the 3rd of December2011.

The dinner will take place on the evening of the 7th December 2011!

Get creative

Please see below the T&C’s for the el Jimador Mexican Dinner competition:

• You must be of legal drinking age to enter
• Deadline for submissions is Friday 2 December 2011
• To enter, email photos of your tash to crew@mycitybynight.co.za or upload them on Twitter addressed to @mycitybynight, including the hashtag #eljimador
• You will need to be available on 7 December 2011
• Entrants need to be Joburg based
• Inappropriate photos will be rejected. Photos must not:1.feature anyone under the legal drinking age,2.depict violence, drugs, drug culture, or unlawful or anti-social behavior,3.be offensive on grounds of age, gender, race, religion or sexual orientation or likely to cause widespread offence on any other grounds.

Doing more harm to any chances of having a beach ready body this summer than eating an entire wheelbarrow of beer soaked bread MyCityByNight continues to search South Africa for the best food on offer so that you know where to go (and where to avoid).  Last week the nominees for the premier category of the 2011 Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards were announced. There are 20 nominees on the list from which the Restaurant of the Year, Chef of the Year, Service Excellence Award as well as the Top 10 Restaurants will be chosen.

The nominees are: Azure Restaurant, Babel, Bosman’s, DW Eleven-13, Grande Provence, The Greenhouse, Hartford House, Jordan Restaurant, La Colombe, Mosaic Restaurant, Nobu, Overture, Pierneef à La Motte, Planet Restaurant, Roots, The Roundhouse, The Tasting Room, Terroir, The Test Kitchen and Tokara. This year Eat Out will also announce winners in six new categories: Best Asian restaurant, Best Italian restaurant, Best Steakhouse, Best Country-Style restaurant and Best Bistro as well as the Boschendal Style Award for the most stylish restaurant.  Restaurants from across the country are eligible for these Awards and the winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony taking place on 20 November.

This year’s awards will be judged by Eat Out Editor Abigail Donnelly.  The criteria are stringent and assisting Donnelly in the compilation of the shortlist was Eat Out’s national panel of over 30 professional restaurant reviewers as well as consumer reviews received on www.eatout.co.za. The awards will be announced at a gala function at The Bay Hotel in Camps Bay, Cape Town on Sunday 20 November.

A limited number of tickets are available to the public via www.eatout.co.za. and if you do shell out for a ticket to the Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards on Sunday 20 November you will be treated to a feast of culinary masterpieces prepared by Peter Tempelhoff from The Greenhouse (canapés); the team from Nobu (starter); Luke Dale-Roberts from The Test Kitchen (first main course); Michael Broughton from Terroir (second main course) and George Jardine from Jordan Restaurant (dessert).

You know where I’m going to be come Sunday 20 November

It’s Heritage Day in South Africa today and as a nation we are encouraged to celebrate our cultural heritage and the diversity of our beliefs and traditions in the Rainbow Nation. It means being respectful of the differences we have as well as uniting together as one group of people- South Africans.

Today has also been dubbed National Braai Day, with the assumption that all good South Africans enjoy having a good braai, a beer and some Mrs Balls Chutney… Which they do. Clearly. As a celebration of this fact a little parody by two peeps by the name of “Derick Watts and the Sunday Blues” of Rebecca Black’s rather catchy Youtube hit ’Friday’.

It makes me want to put a chop on the braai and chill with my charnas…

So in celebration of South Africa here it is: Happy Heritage Day and Happy Braai Day

If you follow me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/#!/RickyBynight), you would have noticed a few snaps of me enjoying the sweets (pun alert) of what is fast becoming a craze in South Africa. Thunder Toffee Vodka is a toffee flavoured vodka that originates from the French Alps. The recipe has been developed so that it now delivers both silky smooth flavour and balance- mmm.

I personally think that it is best served chilled as a shot over a few blocks of ice to balance the warm rich flavours of toffee (I did try it with ginger ale and coke as well). I also think it would make quite a lakka addition to an ice-cream desert or even as a shot in a Toffee Mojito (try it!).

Thunder recently triumphed with a Gold Medal at the Vodka Masters beating 116 other entrants, and also sauntered away with a Gold Medal at the Spirit Business Magazine Awards. Cook Kikillus (Pty) LTD, are the proud national distributors of this fine product along with CORONA, Mexico’s number one beer and ARMAND de BRIGNAC, the number one tasting Champagne in the world. So it’s safe to say they know what they’re doing.

The entire package speaks luxury, right down to the cologne bottle style glass structure it’s housed in. I felt awesome as I was sipping on it- it’s the best way to get “elegantly wasted” if you will

Here’s what you need to know:

• Made from triple distilled premium vodka

• Free from additives and preservatives

• Strong enough at 29.9% ABV yet not too sweet, satisfying both the male & female palate

• Thunder will be available at all reputable licensed liquor outlets

• Bottled in London at Thames distillers

• Packaged in 750ml bottles in cases of six

• Simple popular mixers include;

- Fresh apple juice

- Ginger beer & fresh lime

Where the product is available? at all reputable licensed liquor outlets. For more information see http://cksa.co.za/ or alternatively phone 021 421 9091. RSP – between R215 – R250

Last week our massive competition for a night out with MyCityByNight at the Madame Zingara’s Theatre of Dreams Opening Night came to close- with us selecting two winners based on some rather cracking answers as to why they should join us. I had never had an opportunity to experience the festivities of dining in the Spiegel Tent before but had an inclining that if the original Madame Zingara was anything to go by we were in for a magical evening.

The weather on the evening was not typically what you would associate with Spring Day in Cape Town and we were greeted with icy conditions and some rather heavy rain on Thursday night. This unfortunately turned some of the parking lot area into a bit of a swamp- causing tons of laughter as one or two clumsy patrons fell to their death into a mudhole as they were exiting their cars (no-one really died, just to clarify). That didnt really matter, because we were smart and parked on the road- all sneaky like and avoided the swamps all together. Once we were inside, you got the sense that you had been transported into a parallel carney-folk-filled dimension with your senses at central to it’s workings. It was like being in a full gyspy circus- WITHOUT the smelly goats and constant worry of dream-catchers or pickpockets.

On arrival every was greeted by bustling acts as well as a rather tasty little welcome drink… which indicated exactly how this night was going to go… After quenching the thirst we had built up on the drive in to Century City we met up with winners of the competition- introducing ourselves and hoping that we would stick to the gameplan of not embarrasing ourselves or getting too drunk. If only we had managed to execute more than half of that plan…

The food was exceptional as always- with our entire table ordering the Chocolate Chilli Steak (which was always my favourite at the old Zingara) but it is more about the experience of attending the Theatre of Dreams. You feel like you have run away to the circus (or at least sponsor it from afar with your money making you an honorary gypsy) and that you’ve come home for the evening. There is a shop to get any merchandise you feel might add to the excitement of the night or help you to create the allure necessary to bed a fine young mooiness.

The service levels were at such a high standard that no-one waited for their food, was ever parched or lacking anything during the entire evening. All of the waitrons even stay in character, leaving you feeling like you’d forgotten to take that tab of acid out of your juice earlier that day causing you trip out and have a completely whacky time involving pointless conversation with the resident Mad Hatter (who was decidely MAD in the case of Madame Zingara). Almost every act during the show was charged with a definite sexuality that I think was lacking from previous renditions attended by Kreg. The acrobats, singers, actors and contortionists all added to the mystique of the evening and by the end of the night everyone was in a full circus gypsy mood, partying the night away to some suitably gypsy beats under the tent’s roof.

There is with out a doubt, nothing like this anywhere else in South Africa… You haven’t really experienced the eating experience as originally intended until you’ve gone to see the Madame Zingara Theatre of Dreams. Hurry though… Bookings are filling up quickly and you won’t have another chance to check it out for a good couple of years.

At MyCityByNight we’re known for dropping the latest info on the WHO.WHAT.WHERE.WHEN for the major cities in the lovely Republic of South Africa. We’re also quite renowned for hooking the MCBN Alumni up with some of coolest giveaways to make sure that all our most loyal readers get to experience the best of everything as well.

To continue this tradition we’ve partnered up with Madame Zingara to bring you one of coolest giveaways yet.

Madame Zingara has always been a firm favourite of the MCBN crew and the Theatre of Dreams is making a rather grand return to Cape Town in celebration of 10 years of nostalgia and amazing dining experiences. For full details check out our post about it over HERE

We’re giving away 4 spots to the MyCityByNight Madame Zingara table on opening night 1 September 2011… 2 lucky readers (so you get a plus 1 each) will have the chance to join us for a magical evening of food, entertainment and fun with your favourite boys.

If you’re keen to win you need to do the following:

1. Like MyCityByNight on Facebook (like we were going to give it to you if you weren’t a fan)

2. Tell us why you’d like to join us for dinner come September 1st in Century City for the Theatre of Dreams

The 2 winners will be announced on August 30th… Good luck

Who doesnt like chocolate? Certainly not me… I love the stuff. I will put chocolate in and around my face at the first chance I get. This all bodes extremely well as Cape Town is now home to the Capsicum Culinary Studio and it’s specialised chocolate kitchen.

Yes that is indeed correct. The lovely peeps at the Culinary training institution invited me around to come and sample some of the yummiest chocolate inspired edible treats while chocolate expert Executive Chef Alfred Henry talked me and some of the other guests through a little bit of process behind making chocolate. Apart from having near orgasms with every bite of the chocolate goodies, guests also had a chance to learn Chef Alfred’s special macaroon recipe to apply back home (you’re all getting macaroons next time you swing past MCBN HQ).

Capsicum Culinary Studio now offers an 8-week full time Programme in Chocolate Arts and Confectionery, which covers all major facets of being a chocolatier and working with chocolate- including: chocolate tempering, chocolate composition, sugars, production of truffles, moulding chocolate and even chocolate showpieces (think chocolate swans- or don’t). The thing that I thought was the coolest was the fact that those not able to do the full time courses, could choose from a whole range of chocolate short courses that are available to extend their knowledge.

Claudia Katz, CEO of Capsicum Culinary Studio had this to say on the night:

“I’m absolutely delighted to be part of this wonderful achievement for Capsicum Culinary Studio. We’ve planned on doing this for very long and I’m elated that our hard work and especially the hard work of Chef Alfred Henry has paid off. Well done to all and we look forward to having anyone and everyone be part of our new Programme in Chocolate Arts and Confectionery.”

For more information on Capsicum Culinary Studio and the various full time and part time culinary and hospitality programmes
available, call 086 111 CHEF (2433) or visit www.capsicumcooking.co.za.

BOKSBURG TEL: 011 918 2690 • CAPE TOWN TEL: 021 531 6602 • DURBAN TEL: 031 263 2924

JOHANNESBURG TEL: 011 467 1446 • PRETORIA TEL: 012 663 1425

GENERAL ENQUIRIES: 086 111 CHEF (2433) • WEB: http://www.capsicumcooking.co.za/

Capsicum Culinary Studio (Pty) Ltd

Last week the delectable Stacey Norman (that was so a shout out) decided to take me to the little town of Darling just outside Cape Town to visit a little place called Evita se Perron. Most of you will be familiar with Darling because of it’s annual flower festival and the absolutely monster Rocking the Daisies weekend music and culture fest (keep your eye out for this year- we’ve got something large planned). However, this quaint little town is also host to one of South Africa’s most well known names- Tannie Evita Bezuidenhout.

After about an hour’s worth of driving you arrive in the picturesque town of Darling and immediately begin to relax, soaking in all of the chilled out vibes. Once you pull into the parking lot of Evita se Perron, you notice that the venue is infact the old Darling train station, which was once a busy centre for those coming out to the country to visit.

The best way to describe it is as- culturally kitch… like nothing else you’ve seen. There is a market outside in the tea garden, which is littered with artworks that reminded of all the things I like about growing up in South Africa in the 80′s. You really feel like you’re in the middle of a slice of old school SA- minus the nasty Apartheid. Cigarette butts are referred to as stompies and you can get a homemade koeksister with your tea.

There is a small market that exhibits some of the local artists and their work, should you feel the need to purchase something handmade. Included on the property is a museum that details all the work that Tannie Evita has done over the years and how angry the character made the rather the stuck up politicians over the years that she has been an outlet for the creative genius Pieter-Dirk Uys. It really was an interesting experience to go and see some of the old National Party propaganda that seemed all too similar to World War II German publications that forced ideologies of Race Superiority on the nation. Even hearing some of the old speeches of the old Ministers left me with the stark reminder of a country that may never have ended up where it is today- free and democratic.

The particular weekend when I went through was the Christmas in July celebration, meaning that for an afternoon I got to pretend that it was the end of the year and time for a hearty Christmas lunch. The menu was about as South African as you could get with a delicious bobotie and honey basted chicken that made my eyes water because it was so damn tasty.

The Evita show itself was an experience that I can recommend to all who live in/visit this amazing country. It is primarily a comedy, but there are a whole bunch of interesting facts and learnings that are shared by the “First Lady” of South Africa. Particularly intriguing are her musings about Nelson Mandela and his time in prison as well some of the leaders we have had at the helm of SA over the years. Like I said- well worth it.

So, if you have the chance- spend the time to go and check it out- it should be on everyone’s bucket list- BOOK EARLY though, it’s sold out every weekend.

As you may have picked up on- I am on a huge mission to destroy any chance of having a nice and chiseled set of abs this Winter by chowing just about everything I can get my hands on (maybe I’m pregnant). This weekend, I got the huge urge to slam a Col’Cacchio Pizza while enjoying a fairly epic sunset in Camps Bay after a nice winter’s day which hit a peak of 27 degrees. Luckily for me, Col’Cacchio Pizzeria had just entered the 3rd month of their Celebrity Chef Series 2011, where a couple of chefs add their own unique twist on this SA institution menu (R5 will also be donated to the Sustainable Communities Programme run by the Wildlands Conservation Trust, the non-profit organisation striving to maintain South Africa’s beautiful natural heritage for each pizza sold- so I feel good about chowing down on the cheesy goodness).

I’ve never been much of a fan of Cherry Tomatoes but in this particular offering from Marthinus Ferreira they just seem to work. The just plain yummy Prawn Starr is made from Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, fresh Basil, Prawns coated in Chilli, Garlic and fresh Lemon, topped with Rocket and Sour Cream.

Within six months of opening,  Marthinus Ferreira’s restaurant, DW Eleven-13, earned the fifth spot on Eat Out’s celebrated list of the Top 10 Restaurants of 2011. Chef Ferreira hails from the UK where he worked with the likes of Heston Blumenthal at the Fat Duck and Gordon Ramsay at the Riverside Brasserie. He defines his culinary style as “simple, modern European with South African flair” and is driven to create an experience, not just a meal for his diners.

So there you go- if you are in the mood for pizza, go give your nearest Col’Cacchio a visit and remember- by stuffing your face, you are saving the rainforests…

I am one of those people who enjoys the experience of eating- the way everything you see, smell and taste combine to give a feeling of what can only be described as a little slice of heaven (haha, see what I did there). I’ve spent a large portion of my life searching for as many of these experiences as possible, which is why I am ecstatic to announce the return of the majestic and venerable Spiegel Tent Victoria to Cape Town.

Yup, Madame Zingara’s Theatre of Dreams is back home on 1 September 2011 and sticking around for the month. Durban, the tent’s current location, is seeing the close of the Love Magic Tour and Capetonians can look forward to the all-new Madame Zingara. What makes it even better is that this particular tour is a celebration of 10 Years of Dreams and promises to be a dinner cirque extravaganza like no other when Victoria opens her doors at Century City.

“In celebration of Madame Zingara’s 10-year anniversary we are planning the most incredible show yet. We’re bringing back some of the crowd favourites from South Africa and across the globe, all with fantastic new acts. It will be a show filled with warm, fond memories of the magical love affair audiences have enjoyed with Madame Zingara over the years,” said managing director Richard Griffin.

“We are very excited to be coming home to present what will be the most epic Theatre of Dreams dinner cirque experience yet. We are looking forward to welcoming many new friends to the tent and eager to reconnect with all old ones. It is their overwhelming support that has kept the Madame Zingara heart beating for a decade.”

Griffin said the company started with just one small restaurant in Loop Street, Cape Town, 10 years ago. “The Zingara family has grown to include The Theatre of Dreams as well as four more restaurants in Cape Town – Café Paradiso, Sidewalk Café, Café Mozart and Bombay Bicycle Club. Each has its own unique feel, but the consistent thread that runs through all our shops is truly delicious food and an ebullient service culture.”

The Madame Zingara’s Ten Years of Dreams show will open on 1 September at Century City. The box office is already open to take Cape Town reservations. Call 0861 623 263 or visit www.madamezingara.com

Do yourself a favour and book your seat to this dinner spectacle… NOW.

Last week, I was feeling the need to be all casanova-like by injecting a smidgen of romance to my already awesome relationship through a dinner and movie at the Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa. Let me just say- I am sooo glad I did. To illustrate this, I will be using the simple and time tested evaluation method of “brownie points” during my post thereby showing how much credit I now have in my relationship account (cos I do mess up from time to time).

I decided to pop through to the world-famous Hotel with the best view on the planet on Thursday night to check out the winter specials, as to avoid a totally packed hotel. It was a fairly good call as myself and the yummy Stacey Norman were pretty much treated to an intimate night out in one of the most impressive and luxurious places around (+1 Brownie point). After arriving at the 12 Apostles we were greeted by the doorman, who showed us up to the Leopard Lounge to wait while our table for the Dinner & Movie Special was prepared (we were early).

Upon arriving at the Leopard Lounge, we were welcomed by what would be the most helpful and awesome waitor I’ve ever had, Elton, and a massive wood fire crackling in the background (+5 Brownie points). Elton promptly, took us through his list of recommendations for cocktails leading me to order some bubbly for the mooiness and a whiskey for myself. The sun had already begun to set (it being winter) and we got to enjoy a superb sunset while kicking back and canoodling on the plush couches (+ 3 Brownie points).

630pm arrived and we were shown down to the Azure Restaurant, where we were escorted to the corner table, which was covered in rose petals (+10 Brownie points). At this point I should mention that Stacey already had that- yes, take me now look in her eyes, leaving me more than stoked with the night’s progression. During the entirety of the meal we were looked after by what has to be THE MOST professional and friendly wait-staff that I have ever experienced (and I’ve been around the block a few times). We honestly felt like royalty, which for me, is the most important thing about any leisure establishment (+2 Brownie points).

Onto the food… For a meager R315 per person, we were able to select from a tantalisingly delicious selection of starters, mains and dessert. I, being a man, chose a crayfish bisque for starters with the BEST Rib Eye Steak I’ve ever put into my mouth (I really hate to say things like this, but its true). The meal was simply emotional, I almost cried while I devoured my steak and looked into the eyes of my significant other (+3 Brownie points & then -1 for almost crying over steak).

Next up the extremely talented Head Chef of the Twelve Apostles Henrico Grobbelaar, joined us for a little bit of a walkthrough of what we had just eaten, explaining why the steak almost brought tears to my eyes (+10 Brownie points). At this point, I have to give a shout out to Saadiyah Hendricks from Marcus Brewster, who had hooked up the little meet and greet with Henrico as a little favour to me (it really helps when you know people, who know people, who are the people).

As if the evening couldnt get any better we got to do something that pretty much nobody does- see the kitchen of the 12 Apostles Hotel & Spa. As luck would have it, Henrico listened to Stacey every night on the drive home and rather enjoyed her antics of talking about peeing in strange places and names for your privates. So, in a twist in normal events he invited us into his kitchen to see how the meals are made and plated (+5 Brownie points). It was an amazing experience and I felt absolutely priveledged to have had the opportunity to just “kick it” with the South African Chef extraordinaire.

To end the evening off, we went to the private cinema and enjoyed an artsy movie about life entitled, “As it was in Heaven”, while munching on some popcorn and enjoying a yummy milkshake (+3 Brownie points).

I have never experienced an evening of that quality in a restaurant or hotel before and seriously can’t believe I waited that long to do it! I truely, recommend that you check it out while they’ve got their winter specials running because there is truely no way that you would ever experience the royalty treatment for a steal of the regular price.

Total Brownie points: 41

Obvious really…

There are few items in an astute younger male’s spectrum that are required to make us happy. Infact, I can count them on my right hand; Beers, Boobs, Burgers, Bokke and…. Masturbation. And while only 4 out of 5 of those are attainable at Cape Town’s most recent venture into the world of “Good things to come out of America”, they do them oh so well!

While Hooters has had Durbanites and Vaalies on their knees for quite some time, Cape Town has been lackadaisical as ever in establishing our own franchise. However this apathy has abandoned the Cape brethren, and Edward Street in Durbanville plays host to a place where men can be men, the steaks are fresh and the prawns aren’t only on the menu! The typical motifs that have turned Hooters into a global icon are seen in enormity down here… literally theyre almost all Double D. The typical blondes in skimpy outfits, the trademark washline where they clip your order on and fling it into the kitchen, heck even the beers are grandiose; and its all a formula for success.

The place was packed and it was 3 o clock in the afternoon. So naturally the vibe was growing faster than your average patron’s crotch. The walls are all immaculately finished in a wooden veneer and plasma screens, with all the live sport, adorn any inkling of free space. Ironic signs are littered around the entire establishment, including an oddly confusing one that reads “Caution: Boobs”. Now I’ve been dealing with boobs for sometime, and never have I had to use any sort of caution, but I do like to live dangerously.

Once the four of us men were shown to our seats, “Roxy”, a gorgeously petit ‘lil firecracker, brought us beers in mugs big enough to quench the thirst of any man. These flowed steadily throughout the day, occasionally spilling upon the white Hooters tops. This prompted the second most sexy thing a woman can ever say while dabbing her newly moistened bosom “Oh My, how clumsy of me”. Boing!! And just as we were tucking our hard-ons behind our belt buckles, the food arrived.

We started with a platter marinated in their trademark Daytona sauce. Now my blood was pumping in one very definite direction, and it wasn’t my mouth, yet all of a sudden my tastebuds somehow knew the moves to the Macarena and were executing it to perfection. The prawns were weirdly outstanding, the famous chicken wings were so good chickens will eventually become extinct in my quest for more, and their burgers were large, juicy and made the drive out to the Boerwors curtain worth it for the first time ever.

Its funny because it is almost impossible to put into words the true Hooters experience. If Zulu Kids are going out and dying in initiation school, instead of going here and becoming a real man, then the world is a savage place I don’t want to be apart of. Will I be back? Ive never been so sure of anything in my life. It takes everything that I love in life and puts it in a room. Hang Julius Malema from one of the light fittings and I would have blown a lid. Well done on a great job, and I’ll see you for lunch every day for the next month.

Stroob

Oh and we struggled to find a contact number so here it is:

0219104238



One of my favourite brands in terms of creative advertising has to be Nandos. Famous for their rather tongue in chick- I mean tongue in cheek approach to keeping their brand at the forefront of all of our burgeoning minds. Nandos has continued in the same tradition and yet again come up with a rather inventive way of getting the public involved with brand with the new “Dubious history of delicious Peri-Peri” online campaign.

You may have noticed that along with the awesome and plain hilarious tv ads, a funky microsite was launched just under 2 weeks back for Nando’s latest advertising epic which asked the consumer to show the world how they would go to get the special peri-peri flavour that we all love so much. It’s a 6-episode ad campaign that focuses on the origins of the Nando’s birds eye chilli bush, every week, until the 30th June 2011. Each episode celebrates “The dubious history of delicious Peri-Peri” and its up to the engaging public to decide how each episode should end through submissions. People can submit their suggestions via video or text (280 characters) and at the end of the campaign 3 of the top rated submissions overall will win a saucy African adventure holiday to the value of R20 000, each (pretty rad hey?!).

The website for all of the submissions is below: We’ll let you know as soon as the MyCityByNight entry is filmed and ready for you all to go and vote for it (self promotion, never hurt anyone). In the mean time, go and check out some of the other entries, submit your own and vote for the ones you think deserve a saucy holiday (like me?).

 http://howfarwillyougo.co.za/ (the general site)

 http://howfarwillyougo.co.za/all-submissions/ (submissions to vote on)

Safari Suppers is back with another evening of decadence aimed at ended your life as a singleton by providing an opportunity to mingle with some of the city’s also single hotties. Safari Suppers is aimed at guys and girls who are looking for love (or lust) who kind of struggle to find quality people to share a meal and some light flirting with. The last event that they had was an absolute success with our competition winners all reporting back, having experienced a fantastic night on the town with like minded people.

Once again, Blakes will host the Safari Suppers Singles Party, which means that you can expect more flirting over fantastic food!

COMPETITION TIME:

We’re giving away 2 tickets to the Dinner Party on 27th May (1 to a guy and 1 to a mooiness).

If you’d like to go flirt for free, simply leave us a comment below telling us what the first thing you notice is when you meet them (for me I like to check out the eyes, then the arse) and give the Safari Suppers Facebook fanpage a like.

Winners will be announced on Thursday the 26th May.

Good luck!

This year’s Taste of Cape Town was moved to the outdoor lifestyle village thingy in Greenpoint in a bid to ensure that more people would be able to attend the event and not worry about finding parking. Unfortunately my experience of this was a bit more negative than this. Due to a lack of parking officials who actually wanted to do their jobs, there was a massive amount of traffic into the venue, with people left extremely confused over where to park. When I eventually left the festival, I was parked in by someone who was allowed to park in front of the entrance to the parking lot- such a fail! With that little niggle put aside let me get onto the good part of the Taste of Cape Town, the food and wine.

This year 14 of Cape Town’s top restaurants were chosen to exhibit a collection of their signature dishes while pairing these dishes with a selection of wines that complimented the explosion of taste that took place everytime that you had a bite. While I was there I tried as many of the dishes as I could fit in my tummy and was in complete ecstacy, loaded up on good food and drink.

The highlights for me had to be the Johnny Walker taste adventure, where we all had the opportunity to learn a little bit more about the composition of Johnny Green, Red and Black- and also the Springbok from 15 on Orange, which was quite simply one of the best things that I have ever tasted.

The process of purchasing Crowns (the official currency of the festival) was made extremely simple and for the most part the queues for each stall were quite bearable. The venue had a nice flow and there was plenty of room to enjoy the cool beats and food related entertainment provided over the course of the whole weekend.

As a foodie, there is no doubt that the Taste of Cape Town festival would have left you in awe of the wonderful food that we have on offer here in the Mother City. I know that I am going to check out at least 3 of the restaurants after trying there signature dishes… I quite simply couldnt get enough!

The Taste of Cape Town Festival still occupies a very special place in the hearts of the MyCityByNight team… It still holds the title of the best food festival we’ve ever been to and we LOVE eating.

This year the Taste of Cape Town is back and will be running from the 5th May – 8th May at Green Point Cricket Club for a fairly epic four day celebration of fine food and drink. Come and experience a selection of 14 of the city’s top restaurants as they serve you all of their signature dishes along with some awesome liquid indulgence at this year’s spectacular event.

If you love food as much as we do, then Taste of Cape Town 2011 is the perfect occasion to sample signature dishes freshly prepared by highly acclaimed chefs whilst exploring specialist culinary delights, sampling fine beverages and enjoying a rather funked out programme of music and entertainment.

Now in its fourth year, Taste of Cape Town has evolved into the most innovative and exciting food festival in Cape Town growing to a record attendance of 20 000 foodies last year.

“This year we’re mixing things up a bit,” says festival director, Justine Drake.  “Food only makes up part of the taste and flavour experience, which is why this year we’re making sure that the dishes our talented chefs are serving are complimented by offerings from some of the finest wine, beer, whisky and coffee makers we could find to complete the overall flavour experience.”

Returning this year is The Pick n Pay Wine Experience and the  Grolsch Beer Academy accompanied by some awesome festival firsts like The Eat In Small Producers Market – which will offer up delicious hand-made cheeses, pesto, home-made jams and sweets, as well as exotic ingredients and herbs to inspire home-chefs to create their own culinary masterpieces.

For more information and bookings visit www.tasteofcapetown.com or http://www.computicket.com/

Additional information

Festival times:

Thur 5^th May: 18h30- 22h30

Fri 6^th May:  18h30- 22h30

Sat 7^th May: 13h00- 17h00; 18h30- 22h30

Sun 8^th May: 12h00- 17h00

Tickets:

Standard tickets cost R70 (including a Taste wine glass)

Premium Tickets cost R160 (which includes R100’s worth of Festival Crowns and a Taste wine glass)

Taste Club House tickets cost R750 (which includes R200’s worth of Festival Crowns, plus lots of extras). 

COMPETITION TIME:

Taste of Cape Town and MyCityByNight offers a chance to win a double ticket to the event on Friday 6, May. Please note that this gets you free access into the venue and does not include crowns (the currency of the festival) or a Taste wine glass.

The reader will also receive a voucher a dinner voucher for 2 people at Mint, with one sommelier selected bottle of wine to the value of R750, courtesy of the Taj Cape Town

 Yes we know… that’s a pretty mad prize

All you have to do is follow any one of the MyCityByNight crew on Twitter (@mycitybynight, @rickybynight, @craig_stack) and send us a tweet during the course of today with the following hashtag in it- #tastemcbn

We’ll choose a winner from all your Tweeters at the end of today and then announce this first thing tomorrow morning.

Knowing that apart from tearing up the country’s nightlife and social scene and amusing mooiness with our razor sharp wit and Ricky Martin like dance moves, we also enjoyed get our newage on. Yes that’s correct the boys from MyCityByNight will on occasion frequent the organic market at the Old Biscuit Mill to stock up on ginger and apple iced tea and products made from only the most fresh and health of products.

That’s why we were amped to let you know about the first ever Eat In Night Market. Whether you’re an organic lover, meat-munching carnivore or you simply love the smell of freshly baked treats, join MCBN in celebrating the best in South African produce… at night.

On Thursday the 17th of March from 5pm onwards the Old Biscuit Mill in Cape Town will be transformed into a lively night market to celebrate the 2011 SAB Eat In Produce Awards. We’re especially excited about the fact that we’ll have the opportunity to be one of the first to taste a brand new ice-cold micro-beer – specially brewed for the event by SAB while listening to Dave Ferguson, culinary delight in hand.

On the night we will also be the first to find out who this year’s winners in nine distinctive categories, including Heritage, Organic, and Best New Product are. The first Eat In Night Market will include nominated products, a range of exhibitor offerings, plus a food and beer pairing. The 2011 edition of Eat In magazine will be launched at the event. Entry is free. For more information visit

www.eat-in.co.za

Ok no, I wasnt high when I wrote the title of this post. While browsing the net last night I found this little bit of utter lunacy from goof ol’ Japan (where else?). In the following video you can observe a brand new variation of sweet by Popin’ Cooking (I know mad spelling) that resembles sushi, that can be made by you and a couple of  chemicals, which I am sure must give you instant Cancer.

Still, something makes me really want to try this out!!!

Hey MyCityByNight alumni, here’s a quick reminder about one of the Valentine’s day events happening around the country that we actually think will be worth while…

The 2 rather talented ladies behind the brand decided that it was time to step things up and lend Cupid a hand this February by teaming up with Cape Town’s newest bar and members lounge Blakes to give you a Valentine’s Day party like no other.

On the 14th of February The Safari Suppers Valentine Masquerade at Blakes will offer up a night of  decadence and sophistication for all the sophisticated singles looking for love. On the night, the 3 story Blakes will be transformed in Cupid’s playground where guests will be treated to bubbly, love potions and some tasty tapas while searching for their love (or lust) match for the night. Apart from the premium booze supplied by Distell and Collisons and all the excitement and intrigue that one could come to expect from a Valentine Masquerade, there will also be a celebrity auction on the night, where a dinner will be auctioned to the highest bidder with a local celeb (for all you stalkerazzi).

Tickets are on sale for R150 from Webtickets…

BOOOOM!

You’ll remember that a little while back we did a post featuring a brand new ultra classy singles Dinner Club by the name of Safari Suppers. Well, the 2 rather talented ladies behind the brand decided that it was time to step things up and lend Cupid a hand this February by teaming up with Cape Town’s newest bar and members lounge Blakes to give you a Valentine’s Day party like no other.

On the 14th of February The Safari Suppers Valentine Masquerade at Blakes will offer up a night of  decadence and sophistication for all the sophisticated singles looking for love. On the night, the 3 story Blakes will be transformed in Cupid’s playground where guests will be treated to bubbly, love potions and some tasty tapas while searching for their love (or lust) match for the night. Apart from the premium booze supplied by Distell and Collisons and all the excitement and intrigue that one could come to expect from a Valentine Masquerade, there will also be a celebrity auction on the night, where a dinner will be auctioned to the highest bidder with a local celeb (for all you stalkerazzi).

Tickets are on sale for R150 from Webtickets and can also be purchased at the door for R150…

This being MyCityByNight, we couldnt let the love lives of our alumni go unchecked so we figured that we’d give 4 of you the opportunity to attend the Valentine Masquerade free of charge (you see we even play cupid these days).

This is what you have to do to stand a chance of winning one of the 4 tickets-

Like the Safari Suppers Facebook fan page over HERE and then leave post there that includes MyCityByNight (use the @ key, type mycitybynight and select it from the Facebook list that pops up) and the word love in it. The more creative the better…

Winners will be announced on Wednesday 9th February… Good luck!

Some time back 2 absolutely mooiness girlfriends of mine by the names of Holly & Jade came to see me about a little idea that they had, which would forever change how we looked at dating in South Africa. Me being an investment banker of sorts with my currency being that of dreams, I decided pay them their dues and listen very intently.

Safari Suppers is a take on the typical dinner dating vibe that originated in the rather upmarket areas of London where neighbours would invite peeps from around the hood to meet each other over dinner with different courses being held at different houses in the area. Similarly, Safari Suppers (goodness check out the alliteration on that)  is Cape Town’s new and only social dinner club, aimed at singles ready to mingle (if thats what singles even say these days)! Three of the city’s top restaurants, all within walking distance, host a table of six – three women and three men in each venue. While the ladies remain seated, the bachelors rotate after starter, main and dessert! Later on the party heats up when everyone gathers for a post-dinner glass of bubbly and an exchange of numbers (providing thats all they want to exhange).

There is quite a rigorous screening process that ensures that there are no crazies invited and that the boys and girls involved tend to be fairly hot. The girls from Safari Suppers will soon even be offering an edition aimed straight at the “not so straight”, called Rainbow Suppers- which is essentially the same thing except with peeps from the same gender (for the gays and lesbians, if you’re unable to read between the lines). Very cool indeed.

Last Thursday, Safari girls Holly and Jade held their launch dinner along the trendy Camps Bay strip. Guests enjoyed fine food at The Grand, The Pepper Club and Tuscany Beach. Wine courtesy of Hartenberg Estate received rave reviews and watermelon/champagne cocktails were lapped up at the Caprice after party.

The next Safari Supper will be held on Thursday 25^th November in De Waterkant Village at Chenin, Kuzina and Vanilla restaurants – Contact holly@safarisuppers.co.za or jade@safarisuppers.co.za and check out http://www.safarisuppers.co.za/ for further details!

The MyCityByNight crew will be attending a Safari Supper on the 6th of December to check out the vibe in person and give a review on what the evening is actually like (and you know we dont lie, except about our age, hehe). The next available Safari Suppers are the 25th November, then the 6th and 23rd December 2010. Go on do it!

We all remember the time, not so long ago- when the entire South African nation joined together to support the families of foreign nationals by buying wing mirror socks, flags and scarves ar every robot (traffic light) out there. We sang for Bafana Bafana, we fondled foreign mooiness and were treated to some of the best carvival atmosphere that the world was ever privy to. During this time the boys and MyCityByNight also spent a great deal of time at Tequila Town on Buitengracht road next to Honda Cape Town.

While watching the games on telly or returning from the stadium victorious and in a celebratory mood, these guys supplied us with some of the finest tequila on the planet including the now extremely rare (the distellery has closed down) Hornitos 100% Agave Tequila- this is our personal FAVOURITE!

We’re happy to say that Tequila Town is bringing back that same World Cup GEES that we loved ever so much! That’s right- on Wednesday coinciding with the Bafana vs USA game at Cape Town Stadium (now sold out) and for the whole of the upcoming Cape Town summer (it was 27 degrees last night in the Mother City), the Republic of Tequila aka TT will be the spot where you’ll be feeling the GEES while pretending to be on holiday in Mexico! Ole!

Tomorrow, the vuuv blowing will commence at Tequila Town from 14:30

A selection of Cape Towns finest Dj’s will be spinning the decks from 17h00 until late.

MyCityByNight will more than likely be having a post work, pre game warm up, so pull in if you’re keen for a tequila or two, or three. Oh they also have a slamming menu, with some cracking Mexican style food and rocking burgers.

Some Drink Specials…..
Double Brandy & Coke – R20.00
Cuervo Gold – R12.00 each
100% Agave Sauza Hornitos – R14.00 each (MADNESS!!!!!!)
Black Label/Castle Beer Buckets – R85.00
2L Jug – R85.00
Flavoured Tequila – R14.00 each
**Served By Their Special Tequila Girls**
Bottle of Favoured Tequila – R300.00

What to expect:
**Roadside seating**
**New Main Bar**
**Fanwalk**
**New Summer Menu**
**Tequila Girls**
** Braai**
** Many drink specials**
** Dj’s**
** Courtyard**
**3 HD Screens**
**Cuervo Giveaways**
**Many new suprizes**

Stadium Gates Open : 18h30
KICK OFF : 21h30

For table bookings email : anthony@tequilatown.co.za

SEE YOU THERE… BOOOOOOOOM!