Day fourteen - Meeting at Market

Last Friday I was treated to the intimately romantic setting of Market Restaurant. Little Kim's friend Cath from Cape Town is visiting and since she had a birthday earlier this week, what better reason to celebrate!

After a nightmare of trying to get home before dinner, N2 was closed from a massive accident and even after trying every obvious and secret alternate to get home I waited it out at The S flat.

Once joining the table and hearing that no orders had been placed yet I settled down to an even longer than anticipated wait.  When you tell people that you are going to Market and their reply is; “Oh their service is so bad.” Don't underestimate them, it really is ‘so bad’.  Our waitress was quite zany and off the wall, however so overworked and under supported it was frightening, when a manager is just wondering around straightening chairs while his two staff are running around serving the many tables inside and out, I do begin to wonder.


Anyway, my food was as follows: lamb burger which was a spicy lamb patty encrusted with mint and feta served on a ciabatta roll with a dressing.  And to finish a decadent chocolate torte with a sour berry coulis.  Little Kim had the same main meal as myself and we were both in agreement, it was alright.  Perhaps my expectations were too high, but I felt that Market had under delivered on its fresh and locally sourced food.  

 

Although in no way making up for it, my chocolate torte with creme fraiche and berry coulis was divine. The sourness of the berry coulis balanced out the sweet richness of the chocolate torte.  A small helping but plenty enough for me, I didn’t feel sick or needy once done.

If you are looking for a long evening spent sitting on a hardwood bench amongst beautifully romantic surroundings then Market is your place!

Day three - Billy's Burger & Beer

I had earmarked today's blog as a short one, Mondays being the first day back after a weekend and all that. Of course it was not meant to be and it seems today was earmarked as one helluva long slog instead.


After one helluva long slog at the place of work today I came back to my temporary home exhausted and ready for sleep.  A quick pop down to Billy the Bums for their burger and beer special was decided on.  After, well, one helluva long slog which included me sending food back for the first time in my life, it was ice cold, even the plate gave me the shivers, and really just a whole lot of waiting.  I ended up with the biggest, greenest food envy! I thought I had made a good choice by going with a beef burger topped with avo salsa (sheesh I seem to be mentioning avo a lot lately!) and a creole mayo and I really ended up with a quite good burger topped with some salsa and perinaise.  The S scored a winner by going with the William Tong, a beef burger topped with a 3 cheese sauce, deep fried jalenpenos and biltong strips! Sounds like quite an undertaking but wow, was that a burger!  After my brief sulk due to the complete body takeover by the big green food envy I managed to wangle myself two whole bites and yes the second one was reserved for my last mouthful of the evening - I always have to end the meal with the best tasting thing on the plate. My last bite of the evening consisted of crunchy bun, a soft slightly rare beef pattie, a strong cheese flavour toned down by a slight burn from the heat of the jalepeno and finally brought together by the smokiness of the biltong.

The manager did handle the returned cold food extremely well and although it involved more waiting we were served remade burgers with the patties just rare in the middle and the rolls crisped up after a good sesh in the oven.  For R 60.00 including a free drink and another to make up for the cold food it is a very convenient and well worth the buck kind of meal.  I may not be rushing back for another one of the Boogalaise or whatever it was that I had, but the William Tong now that would warrant a visit next Monday and maybe even the next.