MASTERCHEF SA WINNER DEENA NAIDOO HAS A SECOND RESTAURANT AT SILVERSTAR CASINO

06 JUNE 2019

 

Chicken livers at Aarya.

With the winter chill still making its unwelcome presence felt, I made my way to the recently opened Aarya restaurant at Silverstar Casino.

This eatery belongs to Deena Naidoo, season one winner of MasterChef SA. That humility and passion he exuded throughout the reality show hasn’t been abandoned. Unlike other celebrity chefs, he’s not just a name – he’s front and centre.

While his signature butter chicken dish is on the menu, he’s added a few other dishes, catering for the palates of the rainbow nation.

Butter chicken pizza at Aarya

Naidoo’s proclivity for experimenting with flavours is manifested in some of his creations. One of which is the tandoori mushrooms, comprising black mushrooms stuffed with paneer and cashew nuts. It’s an unusual dish, to say the least. I loved the crunchy texture of the nuts, the crispy outer layer of the mushroom and the gooeyness of the cheesy centre. There was a lovely sauce on the plate, which I would have preferred more of as it took the flavours to another level.

A fan of chicken livers, I decided to try theirs – but as a hot option. While it was a far cry from the spiciness I was looking forward to, the flavours with the sauce, seasoned with garlic, was still there.

Chicken livers at Aarya.

The butter chicken pizza and Durban’s best lamb curry were our choices for mains. Again, both lived up to expectations. The curry was cooked with Up-To-Date potatoes and the butter chicken pizza was all sorts of yumminess.

Naidoo was made aware of my craving for heat. And he offered a taste of the most delicious chillies pickle he had started making two days earlier. It had a wonderful burst of sweetness and acidity provided by the vinegar it was soaked in. Overall, it offered a wonderful kick.

Durban’s best lamb curry is a dish Deena Naidoo’s most proud of.

For dessert, I decided to try the highly-recommended kulfi crème brulee. It was divine. You got the beautiful aromas of the cardamom once you broke through the thick layer of caramelized sugar. And it had a wonderful creamy consistency.

The crème brulee at Aarya.

The ambiance at Aarya is relaxed, the seating comfortable and the decor a cross between rustic and elegance.

WHERE: Aarya, Silverstar Casino, R28, Muldersdrift, Mogale City. Open: Sunday: 11am to 9pm; Monday to Thursdays: 11am to 10pm; Friday to Saturday: 11am to 11pm. Call 011 662 1206.

SONTANO’S PINTXOS BAR OFFERS BITES OF DELICIOUSNESS

05 JUNE 2019

 

There’s a taste of Northern Spain waiting for you in Bree Street.

Sontano has opened a dedicated Pintxos Bar in the city – and it’s the perfect after-work spot, even when you’re on a tight budget.

Pintxos (pronounced “peen-chos ”) are small bites of Northern Spanish deliciousness.

This makes it perfect as a snack, a quick bite to eat during your lunch break, or for when you need to pop in en route to your favourite nightclub.

I recently visited Sotano, and my partner and I were pleasantly surprised.

The restaurant is at the top of Bree Street, further away from the usual buzz, so finding parking wasn’t a mission.

The atmosphere is casual and the staff friendly.

We felt welcome and made ourselves at home.

Pintxos Bar is about self-service, and the offerings range from R15 to R50.

Pintxos Bar is about self-service, and the offerings range from as little as R15.

They include tuna remoulade with sliced black olives, cream cheese and aioli with anchovy and basil pesto, and prawn with boiled egg and salmon roe.

Variations include small bowls of octopus and marinated peppers; skewers with meat, fish and vegetables; crispy squid and ham and cheese croquettes.

My favourites were the tuna remoulade, cream cheese, crispy squid, and the ham and cheese croquettes.

The food is served on side plates or boards, but don’t be fooled by the portion sizes.

I stacked my favourites on one plate and couldn’t finish them.

On the drinks menu is a variety of cocktails, spirits and wine.

Don’t be surprised if your quick lunch turns into a fun night out.

If that is the case, make your way upstairs and enjoy the nightlife from the rooftop.

Details

Pintxos Bar at Sotano Sotano,199 Bree Street, Cape Town
Tel: 021 422 0567
Pintxos Bar opens from 4 pm.

NEW RESTAURANT ALERT; STEAK & GRILL CO

05 JUNE 2019

 

Steak & Grill Co is situated on one of Durban’s busiest hubs, Florida Road, and offers a wide range of meals.

Hey steak lovers! There’s a new steak-house in town, Steak & Grill Co is situated in one of Durban’s busiest hubs, Florida Road, and offers a wide range of meals.

The restaurant has three signature steaks which are Au poivre (fillet served with a brandy and thyme infused pepper sauce), Deconstructed Carpetbagger (fillet served with a smoked oyster sauce and mushroom sauce), and Fillet Flambe (fillet cointreau Flambéed with wholegrain mustard and cream) which all cost R245 for 300g and R355 for 500g. 

You can have these with any side of your choice between rustic fries, vegetable of the day, Parmesan mash, onion rings, side salad or Italian spinach.

If you are not a fan of steak there are other options on the menu from starters to mains including chicken livers, oysters, falklands calamari, bone marrow, salads, pork ribs, lamb chops, grilled ostrich and more.

Co-owner Steve Christodoulou said their menu is a carnivores delight with a comprehensive meat offering with a twist on sauces and presentation.

Interior of the restaurant.

Christodoulou said they chose to open the restaurant on Florida Road because of its status as an iconic Durban street that is enjoying a resurgence and it is a real space as opposed to shopping malls and “Franchise Boulevard” in Umhlanga Village.

With the help of the restaurant’s executive chef, Simon Mayise we were treated to a two-course meal with 2 choices per course.

Peri-peri chicken livers.

For starters I had their pan fried Mozambican peri-peri chicken livers and for the main I had sirloin served with rustic fries. 

The dishes were well presented and I enjoyed them. My medium steak was cooked to perfection.

As from next month the restaurant will be having food and wine pairing evenings and daily specials that will predominantly be exotic meats such as duck and game.

Steak & Grill Co is situated at 295 Florida Road and is open on Tuesdays from 5.30pm until 10pm and Wednesdays to Sunday from 12pm until 10pm.

 

BEHIND THE SCENES AT KFC UMHLANGA

05 JUNE 2019

 

 

Crispy KFC chicken.

Last week, the KFC in Umhlanga, north of Durban opened up its kitchen to show us what really happens when they prepare the food on offer at their stores.

In the kitchen tour we were able to see exactly what goes on behind the scenes before the chicken is sold at the counter.

Hand-breading of the chicken.

Going in, I wanted to debunk the myths about how the popular fast food restaurant prepares its food.

Key to what I wanted to know, was- how fresh is the chicken, where it is sourced and how much care is taken to make sure that the food is prepared in a sanitary way.

FRESHNESS

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We learnt how the chicken arrives fresh each day and then stored at -10 degrees, before it is thawed out just before it is prepped for frying. Using a trend report of what will likely be the most purchased meals, the cooks make sure that the meat is thawed, cleaned and prepared.

We were showed how the chicken is hand-breaded by their trained cooks- an extensive process.

SOURCING

The chicken is sourced locally from South African suppliers and is delivered three times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Saturday).

PREPARATION

The chicken is cooked at high temperatures (180 degrees Fahrenheit) to eradicate bacteria, which is one of their standard safety procedures and another is that all other food items are kept in a separate cooler to avoid contamination with the chicken.

The chicken is stored in warm specially marked cabinets at 82 degrees Celsius each with a holding time.

When the chicken has been breaded and fried it is ready to be served to customers.

When it is ready, it is stored in warm cabinets at 82 degrees Celsius each with a holding time. This temperature ensures food safety and the product stays hot for the customer.

If the holding time is reached the chicken will not be served to customers and will be discarded responsibly.

I was satisfied that a restaurant where so many South Africans spend their hard earned money takes extra care in making sure that the food is of good quality.

Some of the people we were at the tour with got to try out making their favourite meals, while others got their hands dirty, cleaning and breading the chicken.