Non whisky from my whisky week

It was a good thing the cow died before growing up, giving her live to be veal, because she tasted vealy, vealy good.  No problems in not delivering on her youthful potential.  Soft and succulent.  As young cows should be.  I strolled into Colcachios⁽¹⁾ after my last whisky master class on Friday .  Place was packed.  My waiters fluctuated until she settled on being Toni.  Who was the recipient of a large tip because she broke out in involuntary laughter at my veal joke. 

The menu should contain a warning though. “May contain cauliflower.”  I am warned about nuts on menus (not nutters though) so I would appreciate a heads up about broccoli.  Earlier in the week at another establishment I ordered flapjacks, bacon and maple syrup for breakfast.  These three were very good, but also on the plate when it arrived was a handful of rocket.  I did not order rocket.  I struggle to think that even rabbits eat leaves for breakfast.  Same thing happened across the table with the Bald Eagle.  His order included poached eggs, hollandaise sauce and I never heard a mention of foliage.  Yet, disgustingly central on his plate was a bunch of chlorophyll.  I like to eat, I don’t graze.  And I shouldn’t be forced to do so.

Further culinary delights for the week centred on sushi.  The first was accompanied by me laughing out loud in public.  I was looking at the pictures of “Dawn of the bunny suicides”.  Go look at the work of Andy Riley. He has a geniusly sick mind.  And is very, very funny.  Public embarrassment meant nothing to me as I guffawed at bunnies trying to snuff out their mortal coil.  The sushi was deep fried California rolls.  Crispy and warm on the outside, soft and cold inside. ⁽²⁾ The contrasting sensations burst into a symphony of taste on my tongue.  All this in a restaurant called Vanilla in a strange sort of shopping centre, of which more in a later post.

Further sushi-tainment later in the week, courtesy of SAKE (a restaurant situated in an industrial mall)  Sesame seed balls, once again deep fried California rolls, what turned out to be soya wrapped maki and other well known⁽³⁾ parcels.  The Runner steered me in this direction and I can see myself partaking of their buffet again.  And again.

The Bald Eagle and I ended up in origin coffee shop.  I get coffee made in a way I have never seen before.  They also have a tea shop with over 100 different teas.  I am overwhelmed by the choice, but finally reduce the choices down to three.  Maybe I should have looked at the price before hand, but at R90 a packet I will drinking this as sparingly as whiskey.  At a bottle store nearby I purchase wheat beers from Natal, Darling, Cape-Town and Windhoek all in one store.  I can stop brewing now.  I have enough choice.  The Wit beer from Darling breweries ⁽⁴⁾ is also available at my local bottle store. 

Back home my favourite sushi place (still, because it is so close) AJ’s reopen. We end up there on the Sunday afternoon as the only customers.  Pretty soon it becomes: “Show us what you can do”   And the two sushi chefs do just that.  A very good, lazy afternoon where I get introduced to Japanese eel.   They also now have an extended Thai menu.  At last I have a goal in life again.  Goals are apparently important outside of soccer and hockey too.  I will dedicate my next few months to exploring Thai cuisine.

(1)    An Italian style eatery chain

(2)    I used to know a woman like that

(3)    Not by me though.

(4)    Brewed by the genius that is Chris Barnard at Boston breweries.