Keenwa. Taste of Peru

I love discovering new restaurants and cafes especially ones that offer something different from the usual steak or pasta dishes. I had recently heard of a new place called Keenwa which specialises in authentic Peruvian food.

When I heard about it I was down right excited to try Cape Town's first Peruvian restaurant. I just simply had to find it straight away.

Keenwa unfortunately only opened in January this year seeing them miss the hub and rush of the World Cup a real pity seeing as though they are positioned right in the middle of the fan walk on Waterkant Street.

Nevertheless this hasn't seen them fail to earn themselves a credible name in the restaurant business. With evening shifts busy and buzzing with hungry people the lunch time shift is a lot more quiet allowing for an intimate atmosphere and for one to absorb the names and different dishes on the menu.

The menu itself is relatively small seeing it offer about 10 starters and 10 mains each, with a selection of desserts and for the not so hungry folk various sandwiches. Though in my mind you cannot come to a Peruvian restaurant and order a sandwich so we opted for a fully fledged Peruvian main meal which never disappointed.

I ordered a dish called, "Filete Aguaymanto y Pesque de Quinoa". This dish was a choice of beef or Ostrich fillet accompanied with a gooseberry sauce on a bed of spinach Quinoa.

I was simply blown away by the presentation of this dish. The meal was served on a blue and brown ceramic plate, with the green Quinoa in the middle topped with the steak and some deep friend vegetable strips. The Gooseberry sauce was drizzled along the side of the plate with sprinkles of Parmesan on the other side.

The meat was cooked just to my liking of medium-rare with a succulent juicy taste to it. The Gooseberry sauce blew me away as it managed to maintain a fine balance of the sweet and sour of the berry, this complimented the steak and the spinach Quinoa perfectly.

On previous occasions I have been disappointed at how Quinoa has been cooked but the Spinach Quinoa in this dish was cooked to perfection as it had the fine taste of spinach with an undercurrent of Parmesan in it whilst maintaining the texture of a well cooked Risotto.

With each bite the dish kept on getting better and better as the flavours and textures worked so well together leaving this customer extremely satisfied and full.

The second dish called, Arroz Chaufa, that was ordered was a simple dish packed with powerful flavours. Arroz Chaufa is one of Peru's stable dishes of fried rice with chicken and beef. Simple but effective.

The dish arrived in a bowl with chopped pieces of Chicken and Beef along with cut up peppers whilst the fried rice provided a great balance of crunch and softness. It was packed full of flavour and a portion generous enough to allow for a starter or a dessert.

The meals were both scrumptious and satisfying whilst the service was excellent. The waiter attended to our every need and was able to answer all the questions our inquisitive minds were wondering about Peruvian cuisine.

I cannot wait to return to Keenwa and to tell all my friends about it as it was a real joy and pleasure to be able to eat something that is out of the ordinary. With the Latin American music playing in the background, the photo's of Peru on the wall and the authentic cuisine it was as if we had escaped to Lima for the day.

Ultimate X 2011

If you are fan of extreme sports then the V&A Waterfront is the place to be on Saturday 19 February where ABSA Life Extreme Presents the Ultimate X - Xtreme Games 2011. Ultimate X sees 16 of South Africa's best riders in each category invited to participate against each other for a cash prize of R40 000 as well as the title of Ultimate X South Africa.

At just 80 bucks a pop everyone is welcome to join in the a day of fun filled with tricks and shows by the riders, while there will be sports stores, bars and food stores also available to the public. While the will be a three band line-up that will kick-off at 6pm, seeing Ree Birth start off the proceedings followed by Psychedelic techno band P.H Fat. Taxi Violence will close the event with another brilliant performance.

Your all day pass also includes access to the after party at the Assembly. For more details access the Facebook event page here

is bound to be another brilliant event in Cape Town that is sure to bring in the crowds. Pictures of the event will follow.

February Brings The Fun

The second month of the year is already upon us and this is when we are expected to have settled into our New Years resolutions, keep our main focus on work and family and let the partying slow down a bit. However; this will not be the case for South Africans as the month of love brings to our front doors several huge live acts and concerts that simply cannot be missed.

On the weekend of the 3rd through to the 6th Hippies, Campers and rock band lovers will be heading up to the Brede River for a four day long rock concert called Up The Creek. This event is one on of the first outdoor rock festivals of the year which will see three stages and live comedy acts take place. With artists such as Boo! Captain Stu, Jack Parow and The Rudamentals this concert is one that you cannot miss out on.

Nevertheless for those that don't like the outdoor experience Faithless will also be bringing in the crowds on Friday the 4th as they will be performing live at Grand West Casino. Cape Town be ready for some heavy dance tunes.

Though if that was not enough the following weekend Grand West Casino have the pleasure of bringing in yet another sell out crowd and this time it will be to German rock legends Ramstien. The masters of heavy metal, rock and electronic they are bound to make their huge South African following go insane to their hard beats. Prepare for crowd surfing, marsh-pitting and plenty of chaos.

Despite the rock and the dance concerts for the real nature loving hippies there are a few Trance festivals to go loose at too. On the 12th Beartrap are bringing down Celestial beings for some stomping under the stars whilst on the 26th Alien Safari presents Masked ball in what is guaranteed to be a colourful psy-affair. Whatever you do this February be safe and have fun!

Must Stop Shop: Mooiberge

As mentioned in my previous article on Hillcrest, Stellenbosch is one of my favourite places to go out and spend the day tasting wine and indulging in fine tasting foods.

From central Cape Town there are two main ways in which one can enter into Stellenbosch and they are via the N1 or the N2. Depending which wine farm or place you are visiting it is sometimes easier to take one of these two routes.

When accessing Stellenbosch from the N2 side there is one particular little place I like to stop at called Mooiberge. Nestled in and amongst the magnificent wine farms, Mooiberge lies on the main road from Sommerset West.

Upon driving past the little farm one takes more notice and the large strawberry and the strangely colourful scarecrows that are one display. These art works fool the passers by into what this little gem actually possesses.

Traditionally known as a small Strawberry farm, Mooiberge allows visitors to go out and pick their own strawberries, while afterwards they can relax at the little cafe that serves tea and cake. Inside there is a shop that has the most amazing dried fruit products and preserves imaginable.

From dried banana chips, to strawberries; from date balls, to dried kiwis (yes kiwis and they are out of this word!!) Mooiberge has every form of dried fruit imaginable. They also have a wide selection of jams and preserves made from the fruit that can be seen in the shop.

It is a must-stop shop and on my outings to Franshoek or Stellenbosch I always make sure I save time for a quick detour to Mooiberge to stock up on some healthy dried fruit and jams.

Hillcrest Berry Farm.

There is something quite magical about taking a day trip to the wine lands of Franshoek and Stellenbosch where the evergreen farms are surrounded by the mountains, with the animals roaming around the open fields.

Personally you can't get anything better than the wine lands of Franshoek and Stellenbosch; the picturesque landscape is aw inspiring, while the magnificent tastes of the different wines could lead any teetotaller to drink, and not to mention the fine cuisine that is produced is purely sensational.

Franshoek and 'Stellies'- as known to the locals- are famous for their fine-dining, award winning restaurants; seeing both towns blessed with famous Chefs such as David Higgs of Rust en Vrede and Margot Janse from The Tasting Room. While their food is aesthetically pleasing and sets alight all the human senses, there are other unknown smaller places that I like to try.

My favourite has to be Hillcrest Berry farm in Stellenbosch. Known for their famous berries and berry products such as jams, liqueurs and coulis; Hillcrest also has their own deli and farm shop.
With an outside terrace that over looks one the many mountains and valleys that the wine lands have to offer, the view is perfect for one looking to soak up the sun, scenery and enjoy good food.

With the weather gods blessing us with yet another perfect day in Cape Town there was no better option but to head to Hillcrest for a good, wholesome and healthy meal while admiring mother nature's landscapes.

What sets Hillcrest apart from the rest is their constant changing of the menu. Every week or so new ingredients are brought in and the menu is constantly adapted to the season and the availability of ingredients.

With a Chicken Cesar salad and a Goats cheese tart ordered, we sat back, soaked up the sun and admired the view.

The Cesar Salad was one generous portion with chicken, croutons, bacon, egg and Parmesan shavings topped with an anchovy Cesar dressing. The dish it self was full of flavour and the different textures of the delicate chicken and crunchy croutons complimented each other well.

My goats cheese tart was not a baked tart. The base was baked into a mini tart base and it was filled with rocket, warmed goat's cheese, roasted cherry tomatoes, raspberry roasted onions topped with a freshly made pesto.

The tart was amazing as the colours and display of the tart was perfect while the flavours of each individual ingredient could be distinguished but complimented each other in such a way that made the dish one unit. The homemade pesto was fantastic as it was covered in oil, the garlic wasn't pungent and every now and then one would stumble across some crunchy pine nut pieces.

Both dishes were fresh and light; perfect for the hot summers day. Fourth time back and Hillcrest is yet to disappoint. A much highly recommended stop for anyone passing through Stellenbosch and Franshoek. They serve scrumptious breakfasts, light lunches and High tea, which is available all day.

Unfortunately no photo's were taken of the dishes.

MMD Brings Out the Deviant Species

All I can is WOW. What a weekend, what a party, what awesome tracks. My mind is still honestly in a daze from the Trance party that saw MMD put on yet another mind blowing party with their featured DJs Deviant Species.

I wish I could honestly provide a full review on the actual event regarding the DJ's sets and beats but the party just seemed to whisp past so quickly with the drive to and from the event feeling like it was longer than the time spent at the actual party.

The party was hosted in it's usual spot just outside of Langebaan called Vlak Vark. The venue was amazing in itself as it was the perfect size to host an intimate trance party of no more than 1500 people. The parking and camping area was within 400 metres away from the decks and the dance floor with an amazing plunge, rock pool right next to it. Bamboo fields sounded the main area which left me feeling rather uneasy as I kept on remembering the movie Signs when waking past it.

We arrived at the venue come 9pm with clear skies above us and the sound of heavy psy beats drawing us in. With more Vodka to the Coca Cola in our bottles it was time to hit the dance floor where everyone was in their own zone, stomping away to the beats.

I do remember Dirty Motion at 2:30am bringing in some pumping tracks that got the dance floor going crazy. On the side of the dance floor several Fire Poi were working their magic in and amongst the beats and strobing lumo lights.

With the drinks running low once again we missioned for yet another top-up but we never made it back to the dance floor until sunrise as the fatigue took over our bodies.

There is something about the Sunday day session. Described as 'the playground' this is the time where everyone goes that little bit more crazy. With mud pits forming in front of the stage, people with water guns squirting each other, and a race to finish off all the remaining alcohol in the boots of the car takes place.

The acts that stood out for me where featured DJ's Deviant Species, Rubix Cube vs Lunar, and undoubtedly Super Evil who come close every time to stealing the limelight with their live act of James Copeland on the decks and Adriano Rodigues melting down the strings on his guitar.

These acts set the tone for an afternoon packed full of pure mayhem and debauchery.

I know I keep saying this with every passing festival but the weekend just keep on getting better and better. The Venue was awesome, the people so friendly and relaxed and the sets definitely a manipulation of the mind. Thank you MMD for an epic party.

L'Ormarins Queen's Plate

Before I start this post, I would like to say a very big thank you to the gents from MyCityByNight who kindly provided me with a ticket and allowed me to tag along with them to the L'Ormarins Queen's Plate at Kenilworth Race course.

Last Sunday saw the 150 consecutive Queen's Plate event take place in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town. The Queen's Plate is an annual horse racing event that provides the perfect excuse for the usual laid back, casual Cape Townians to dress up.

With the theme 'Timeless Elegance' Cape Town's finest gathered to the race course dressed to the nines in what was a strictly blue and white theme. With a fine array of Haute Couture, vintage cars and delectable cuisine it was time for the races, betting and of course the sampling of wines.

Upon arrival a free R20 betting voucher was given to each individual, so it was only natural to place at least one bet. We arrived in time to place our bets on the fourth race. Without looking at any odds or making any calculations myself and my 'date' chose two random numbers and hoped that Lady Luck would be on our side with a win and a place.

True to form the Old Lady brought in the luck with my horse 'Seal of Approval' winning and the gent's 'Silver Apple' coming in second. Our grand winnings altogether? Eighty one big ones.... time for our second bottle of wine! As the races continued, the betting increased, the wine flowed, the people began to loosen up whilst enjoying the warm midday sun.

Various prizes were given throughout the afternoon for the best dressed and best hat. However paying attention to the prizes proved rather difficult, after having positioned ourselves in a prime position in the wine tent, with quite possibly our fourth bottle of wine having already been drunk.

After the main race live singers and bands came on to perform their part in the event but we did not linger long enough to see them as the stomachs were calling for a plate of dinner. Acts included Locnville, Gazelle, Crazy White Boy and Louise Carver and Zebra & Giraffe.

The Queen's Plate was a fun, fantastic and different way to spend a Saturday afternoon; being able to dress up, watch horses racing and drinking wine was an absolute delight and I had an absolute blast. Once again the biggest thank you to MyCityByNight and the gents.

Rezonance. New Years Eve Jol

There has always been a huge hype around New Year’s Parties where places, clubs and people compete to see who can host the most glamouress New Years eve party of them all. Personally I find New Years eve to be terribly overrated seeing one pay a lot of money to go out to a party and half the time heading home rather disappointed. However this year I opted for something different.

After failing to have a good New Years for the past four years running I decided to camp out and do it the hippie way at Rezonance in Contermanskloof Estate in Durbanville.

Rezonance is one of the most famous New Year’s trance parties to hit the South African stage and it sure lived up to its reputation of non-stop banging music, continuous stomping, free flowing drinking, audacious behaviour and just plain fun!

We got there at about lunch time on the Friday in the scorching hot weather. After having our car directed to a field miles away (it was closer to Jo'Burg than anything else) from the camp site and the stages we eventually started the great trek with our tent, bags, and of course the most important part ...the alcohol -down to the camp site. Setting up camp was a struggle as the heat was unbearable and all we wanted to do was check out the venue and start listening to some good Dub-step tunes.

Following the huge struggle with the heat in putting up all our tents we finally made our way down to the main area where the dub-Step tent had already started pumping out the heavy tunes. The drinks where already flowing and people were just lazing about under the shade, by the dam or in the camp site. Not much happened until the late afternoon when the trance tent eventually got up and running; after all 90% of the people that came through to Rezonance were there for the trance.

Organik Panik had the honour of getting the stomping started at the Trance tent, whipping out some heavy tunes and slowly bringing in the masses. As more and more people gathered to the stomping ground it became impossible to find my friends. I met a bunch of four guys who kindly decided to look after me and allow me to stomp on their cooler box.

Now being a good two heads above most people I had the perfect view of watching everyone come in and get into the feel of things as the trance took over their body and minds. I was able to see how people interacted with each other, the DJ and the music: a beautiful sight to behold as pure joy was written across everyone’s face as the sound waves electrified through their bodies.

Five hours had past with a tad bit of too much alcohol having been consumed and stomping on the cooler box having now become my trademark. Artifakt brought the year to a close in style as a wave of heavy beats just kept on coming in. But it was Super Evil who would steal the show and everyone’s souls.

In between the changeover of Artifakt and Super Evil, Triksy by the Commercial Hippies, was played on the sound system as a dragon and various other props were brought onto the stage. By this stage everyone was high on life, and perhaps other shizz, but they were all getting even more hyped up for the New Year.

I somehow managed to miss the countdown for the New Year as I was too busy having a drunken argument with a friend on how to put on his T-shirt. But that was the least of the worries as Super Evil sent shock waves through everyone’s bodies with their killer beats and sound waves; each track sending a different emotion through our bodies.

It was Super Evil’s impressive set that set everyone up on a high by providing us with good vibes and endless energy to party right through the night. By 5am lighting and thunder had started and the skies had opened up, providing a great change in temperature. The lightning display was a psychedelic as the lights at the main stage providing its own show. Despite the gloomy weather conditions it was impossible to put a damper to the party as we continued to stomp if not harder!

As the sun rose some of the sleepers started to show face again and it was a unanimous decision amongst the all nighters that sleep was not even an option. We powered through the rain and by mid day the sun was out again and the weather was cooking hot.

Chabunk ended off the day’s trance vibe to make way for the techno bands like Goldfish and Napalma who played heavy beats and continued to keep the stompers attention. Nevertheless come sunset the trance was back and it was time to party harder as I made my way to the Techno DubStep tent to listen to the likes of El Gordo and PH Fat.

I had the utmost pleasure in having an awesome jamming partner and one of Cape Town's most renowned partiers beside me I managed to meet the likes of El Gordo, Pascal and Anthea. They were all so chilled and super cool, making my night even more better. But it was time for a quick stomping session and some more drinking vibes before a much needed rest.

Unfortunately come 11pm I was dead tired after having been awake since 5am the Friday morning; it was time to call it a night and put to rest the broken body, mind and soul. Come Sunday the body had had enough, aching from head to toe and freezing and damp from the misty weather conditions I stayed to watch Broken Toy who pulled off yet another killer set. Despite really wanting to see Headroom and Gandalf it was time to make tracks and give the body a hot shower, proper food that didn’t consist of liquid and a comfy bed.

All in all it was the best weekend ever; putting an end to a year that has been the most testing on a personal level, whilst definitely starting off the New Year on the right foot. Thank you to all who made this weekend magical: the DJ’s, the people, the heavy beats it was all too insane! Once again another weekend for the memory books. * Stomp Stomp Stomp!!*

Hudsons on Somerset

If you like Burgers there really is only two places where one can go in Cape Town and truly enough a wholesome, and relatively healthy burger; those are Royale Eatery and Hudsons Burger joint.

Yesterday the new Hudsons- on the corner of Somerset and Portswood Road in Green Point- was calling our name to be tried out.
After having taken my friend to Royale Eatery several month back he was aching to try out the much raved Hudsons, and the new one was the perfect opportunity.

Situated across the road and next to the Cape Royale Hudsons on Somerset has taken over the corner spot which was previously occupied by Melissa's and Bravado. Some consider that corner cursed but if Hudsons keep up to their great standards business should not be a problem.

With an improvement to the menu; seeing new burgers being offered, starters, sliders, salads and even pizza's there is much more to choose from. I opted for 'The Game'. As the name suggest it is an ostrich patty topped with cranberry sauce, goats cheese and rocket. It was scrumptiously delicious and a great pleasure to see ostrich patties being served on the menu.

Royale Eatery only offer one type of burger with the ostrich patty whereas Hudsons can add it to any burger you desire. Very happy customer!!

While my friend decided to go for 'The Player'; a beef patty that had bacon, avocado and feta on it. Sounding more like a pizza topping he said the burger was really tasty and he enjoyed it very much. The food overall was full of flavour, well presented and a definite winner.

The service however was a bit of a let down as the waitresses seemed unsure of themselves and once we had eaten they never bothered to ask us if we wanted dessert or coffee. After failing to grab their attention to ask to see the dessert menu the bill arrived in fornt of us without even having asked for it. This was a bit of a let down but it is still early days and I am sure it will improve with time.

Nevertheless Hudsons comes as recommended restaurant for the Burger lovers and for anyone keen to have a chilled night eating good wholesome food.

Sizzling Summer Vibes

To all the fabulous Cape Townians it certainly looks like summer has decided to finally bless the beautiful "Mother City" with scorchers of hot days, followed directly by a fogged in day which is bound to be taken away the pumping South Easter. Yes, summer is definitely here and what a fabulous summer it will be.

There is so much to do this summer as Cape Town is hosting event after event, latest fashion trends are being worn in style and of course Christmas is just days away. Cape Town just keeps on getting better with each passing season making it no surprise that it is one of the top tourist destinations.

From now up until the New Year comes upon us in full force there are several events that CANNOT be missed. Whether you prefer to have a relaxing day in the gardens having a picnic, or trancing it up at one of the wine farms, or simply lounging in the sun and enjoying a few sundowners and a good meal Cape Town certainly has it all.

This weekend sees Trance Heads stomping it out at Awesomeville on Saturday 11 December through to Sunday afternoon. This psychedelic trance party sees hot international and local acts bust the decks with the likes of D_Maniac, Commercial Hippies, Snitch and Headroom playing. It is the second last trance party of the year before Rezonance sends all the hippies into the New Year on the December 31 through to January 2nd.

If you prefer a more relaxing day and being one with God's greatest gifts; Nature and Music, the Kirstenbosch summer concerts are the way to go. Pack up a picnic basket, grab a bottle of bubbly and some blankets and head down to Kirstenbosch gardens where every weekend there is a different band or artist. From Carols to Candle Light, to individual musical geniuses or rock bands there is something for everyone. For the Concert Line-up click here

While the Fairest Wheel at the V&A Waterfront is still up and running and is something that must be tried along with the ice-rink that has been put up outside for the duration of the school holidays. Table Mountain are also offering half price tickets at Sunset which is perfect to take your loved one for some sundowners before going out for a divine dinner. Finally the Wine lands are always an option with Stellenbosch and Franschoek producing some of the World's best wines and cuisine; a day out in mountainous suburbs cannot be missed!

There is so much on offer in Cape Town and it would be a pity if one never took the opportunity to step out of their comfort zone and not do something they haven't experienced yet. Life is now, go live it. My motto has always been; Take risks: have no regrets.

Cape Town's Secret Gem: Cafe Max

When it comes to food there is nothing I enjoy more than stumbling across tiny and relatively unknown cafes and restaurants that serve good, wholesome, fresh food. Today I decided to head back to a good old favourite that I hadn't been to for some time, and boy am I glad I went.

Previously known as Cafe Maxime, which opened in 2007, it has now been re-changed to Cafe Max. Located in Waterkant Street, Cafe Max is off the beaten track of all the other well-known places in the De Waterkant area, but the food is just as good, if not better.

I first tried Cafe Max when it first opened and instantly fell in love with it's quaint, girly feel to it with silver and pink stripped walls. The lamb burger with roasted balsamic cherry tomatoes was an instant winner for me then but the menu has changed since then.

Breakfast is now served all day for those wanting to get in their egg and croissant fix for the day or you could create a Meze platter for two or three people, as well as choosing from a list of Max favourites or the menu of the day.

It was so difficult deciding what to opt for as the relatively small menu was bursting with so many different temptations. I decided to go for the Chicken salad dressed in freshly made Honey and Mustard dressing.

As far as Chicken salads go this was the most amazing one I have ever had. The chicken breasts were cut into slithers and freshly cooked in the kitchen so upon arrival the actually chicken was so warm and tender. The salad was sprinkled with cashew nuts caramelised in the honey and mustard dressing with avocado cut on top. The actual dressing was a proper concoction of honey and whole grain mustard that was made fresh as it was also still warm when drizzled across the chicken and the salad. The tastes of the fresh honey and msutard dressing with the warm chicken, soft avocado and crunchy cashews just blended so well together as all the different textures left me feeling highly satisfied and glad that I returned.

My mother ordered the crepe of the day. This was a generous helping of a large crepe filled with sweetcorn, cherry tomatoes, artichokes and some melted Parmesan shavings. The dish was as appetising as it sounds as once it was cut into the Parmesan and sauce came oozing out with the colourful vegetables.

The service was good and friendly as we were greeted by the Chef and the waiter upon arrival. The gentle smells of the kitchen slowly drifted through the restaurant making us more hungry. t certainly was a delight returning back to Cafe Max and I will be sure to return again.

Synergy, You Beast!!

I could never understand the hype surrounding the whole outdoor, weekend party experience. Mud and grass in all places, the hard floor to sleep on, dirty toilets and showers, and a 72 hour long booze fest definitely did not sound like my cup of tea. Though I admit there was a tinkle of temptation to find out why it was so highly rated.

With University exams finally over I decided to hit one of the biggest festivals for an awesome post-exam party, Synergy was the way to go with an impressive line-up of local rock bands and some electro and drum and bass artists that were guaranteed to knock everyone’s socks off the temptation was at an all time high. I just had to look beyond the whole camping thing for two nights.

When we arrived on Friday afternoon in Franschoek the heat was at its peak. It is still surprising how we managed to take carry all our bags from the car through to the camp site and still set up camp. The sweat was dripping from each beautiful specimen there; disgusting I know, but this was Synergy, and everything goes in Synergy!

Disappointingly the entrance into the main area was delayed as Feeder still has to do their sound check. With little shade available and the pelting heat exhausting everyone, tempers started to become on edge as all they wanted was to get to the river to cool down. However; once the gates were finally opened all was forgotten and everyone was ready to have a great party.

After a quick look-about at the stages and the stores we hit the river for a quick cool down before deciding to go to the rock stage. By this stage the drinking had already began so spirits were high all round. At the main stage we stayed to watch the Dirty Skirts, Black Hotels, and Foto Na Dans who got everyone up on their feet ready to stomp the whole weekend. There was no denying that the music played was amazing. From the singing, to the guitar solos all the bands rocked and they rocked it hard. But by 10pm the time had come for me to go to the Electro stage to see PHFAT and Hyphen.

Finally after much persuasion on my end to convince the friends to join me, they finally did as they we awed by the sound and the bass that was pumping out of the Electro tent. Psychedelic-Bass rappers PHFAT once again pulled in the crowds as they owned the stage: their song “Big Five” once again a winner amongst the audience.

After a strong performance by the PHFAT boys the god of Drum and Bass, Hyphen, was up next and he ensured that the audience size only increased. Hyphen pumped out some heavy, wicked tunes as the bass shook through the floor up through everyone’s feet; taking over their body and mind (and no alcohol was not solely to blame). His own mix of the Barbara Streisand song by Duck Sauce came on, which was soon to become the Synergy theme song, got everyone pumping even more for the acts to follow. A special appearance from MC Psyke was the perfect touch to Hyphen’s mind blowing beats raising the bar even more for Niskerone and SFR who were closing the set.

Despite the killer electric waves running through our bodies we had to force ourselves back to the main stage to witness Jax Panik’s first live performance. I am a firm believer that you start off with rock and you end with electro and not the other way round, and that opinion is still to remained unchanged.

Departing on such a high from the Electro tent we felt that Jax Panik had to put out one world-class performance to keep us on the music high. Starting with his most well known song “Get up” we thought he may just well pull it off but we slowly started to lose momentum and energy as the songs became less unknown and we struggled to hear his voice above the electronic waves of his band. Despite this I will give Jax Panik the benefit of the doubt as it was his first live gig and he will grow with experience. I will happily go and see him once more. With the live acts over our Friday was completed but the fun was only beginning as we headed out back to the tent to meet up with the rest of the mates. Friday was definitely the start of what was to be the best weekend of this year.

Saturday morning arrives; cold, misty and wet... eish ...the weather reflecting how everyone was feeling: heavy heads, aching muscles, rings around everyone’s eyes, and dirty clothes covered in mud and leaves. Yet a glimmer of a smile could still be seen on everyone’s faces as they recalled the madness, naughtiness and drunken escapades from the night before.

We started off the day slowly, whether that was due to the hangover and sore body or the endless queues I am yet to figure it out. A chilled session by the tent for the majority of the day helped us regain our strength for what was to be another epic night. The line-ups at both the electro tent and the main stage were killer so I ran between sets and jammed where ever I could. Though undoubtedly Mix and Blend got my ball rolling and my energy levels pumping. But Hog Hoggidy Hog called my name as I was dragged to the main stage by the friends to watch some punk- come-ska music. I think I got my full weeks gym work out in the amount of running and jamming I did between the two stages. I am still unsure as to how I managed to not fall once in my drunken state.... yet that does not explain why both my hamstrings still ache today??

Come 21:45 there was no question were I was to be. Following a mass attack by my two guy mates I decided to mission solo to the Electro tent to see Haezer play. I was not going to let a stupid argument ruin the most epic weekend ever. When the Electro god stepped out onto the decks the masses were all around the tent, the crowd was huge and the energy levels were pumping. I somehow managed to squeeze myself into the front centre and I jammed hard to what was the most insane Electro beats. Heazer pulled it off once again and he did it in an awesome style.

I must admit I would hate to have been El Gordo having to play straight after an undoubtedly crowd favourite. Nevertheless the youngster pulled out some sick tunes which kept the crowd pumped. Goldfish the final gig of the night did what everyone knew they would do and play their best most popular tunes. They made the perfect end to what was the most awesome experience ever.

Synergy you turned innocent people into crazy, drunken people, you and with the influence of lots and lots of alcohol took over our minds and body. You broke our bodies but we regained strength for a second round on the Saturday night. I made awesome new friends, experienced the most epic weekend ever, and jammed to the sickest beats I have ever heard. Thank you Synergy, you may have taken some of our memories- but you put a smile on everyone’s face leaving us only wanting more!!

So despite my skepticism about outdoor parties I can now say I understand the hype and I am already planning my next music festival. Rock on!

30 Seconds To Mars. Enough Said.

When you hear the name 30 Seconds to Mars you immediately think insane rock music, powerful lyrics and of course Jared Leto. The band needs little introduction to South Africans who idolise and admire the amazing chords and tunes the band strings together while of course being blown away by Jared Leto's ability to hit certain note that fails 99% of us.

Last night saw the close of 30 Seconds To Mars' World Tour in South Africa seeing them playing one night in Johannesburg and two in Cape Town. The concert was held at the Grand Arena at Grand West Casino.

Out of the three rock concerts that I had the privilege to attend this year Jared Leto and co won me over as they put on one of the most powerful performances ever. From opening up with "Beautfil Lie" to Jared performing a solo acoustic set of "Alibi" in the crowd to their final song of "King and Queens" the rock trio had everyone on their feet the whole night.

The stage presence that Leto has and his endless energy was fantastic to see as he belted out those high notes leaving all the ladies in tears. His acoustic version of "Alibi" singing in the middle of the audience silenced everyone in the Arena as the rock star turned the song it such beauty.

It was a night to remember and for anyone who wasn't a fan before and got to see them live is surely a fan now. Thank you to 5FM and Big Concerts for organising the return of this rock trio, we now wait in anxiety for their next return.

Bread Cafe' at the Bromwell

There is something about Woodstuck that has an air of mysticism in it. It maybe the run down old buildings that are contrasted by modern new office and apartment blocks that have been built, or the variety of different cultures living in the area, or the little Cafe's and shops that have turned a once very dangerous and run down area into one of Cape Town's up-and-coming hot spots. Which ever it may be it is always an adventurous learning curve going there.

Today I had the great pleasure of treating my mom to a much needed mother-daughter lunch session. I couldn't decide where to go but I knew I wanted it to be a place we had never been to before and something rather different, what better place than finding a hidden gem in Woodstock?

I tried to avoid opting for the Old Biscuit Mill as we all know it is a wonderful place; I wanted something that one wouldn't usually go to and I found the most ideal place. It was Bread Cafe' at the Bromwell.

The Bromwell is one of the brightest and one of the many newly upgraded buildings along Albert Road. Its colours of black and red are catching to the eye while its sharp Gothic features leaves everyone wanting to know what's inside.

Upon walking in you are greeted by the reception lady who will show you to Bread Cafe's or to the gallery, art deco shop upstairs. The Cafe's is beautifully decorated with wonderful chairs and couches, while the food from the bakery is on display as soon as one walks in. Leaving one drooling before reaching their seat.

The menu is simple yet brilliant. I opted for the roast beef sandwich on rye that had a coriander tatziki spread on the bottom, while pickled onions were put on top of the beef with a side salad accompanying the dish. The sandwich was beautifully presented and the flavours of the beef were so tasty and tender.

My mom had a very generous portion of a Walnut and Gorgonzola salad that was bursting with colour and it never failed to disappoint. Two huge pieces of their homemade Baguette accompanied the salad with a little dish of Olive Oil and Balsamic vinegar.

Bread is definitely a place that I will be return to soon and it comes highly recommended. Despite the location the building is safe with a secure parking space with a security guard on watch at all times.A definite must for all!

Lets Rock Our Own Daisies!

So this coming weekend Cape Townians will be on a wave of excitement as Rocking the Daisies returns in full force at Cloof Wine Estate in Darling. For the select, unfortunate few who won't be attending- be it for funds, transport or work and university reasons- there are still some things happening in the Mother City that will help ease the pain.

Friday night Fiction Club have created a party for the 'non-Daisies' goers; seeing free entrance all night and drinks at R10 a pop. A fine deal to help take your mind off the rocking party your friends are having in Darling.

Assembly also have a massive gig on where Discotheque presents Electric City with El Gordo and Double Adapter. Entrance fee is R40 (presale) and R60 at the door. This promises to be an awesome night as the line-up is once again top-notch.

Saturday also sees some good entertainment as Newlands rugby stadium will host the Western Province versus the Sharks at 5pm. This allows for a perfect opportunity to gather the family and friends, a couple of beers and some meat and do the 'All out Rugby and Braai day'.

So don't fear should you not be going to Rocking the Daisies, there is still plenty to do in Cape Town, lets rock our own daisies this weekend.

Stellenbosch: Die Wijnhuis

Fine wine, good food and family is the perfect combination for a Sunday lunch out in the farm lands. Today my family and I headed out to Stellenbosch for a birthday treat for my mother. The selected restaurant of choice; Die Wijnhuis, one of Stellies oldest restaurants in the town.

For starters the table had a selected of beef carpaccio, fried and grilled calamari as well as Zucchini carpaccio. The starters where generous portions that were full of flavour and the presentation was pleasing to the eye.

The zucchini carpaccio by far was the most impressive, as it is very rarely seen on a menu, but the dish was tasty itself. With rockets, pine nuts and Parmesan shavings accompanying it with a final drizzled with olive oil was a perfect starter for a hot day.

For mains veal limone, beef tagliata with a mushroom and pepper sauce, ostrich medallions in red wine, chicken schnitzel with linguine and fillet stakes were ordered by the family.

The meat dishes were tender and bursting with juicy flavours as well as colourful to the eye. The tagliata saw a mixture of sauteed peppers, onions and mushrooms lad across the beef that was full of rich but not over powering flavours.

The fillet was accompanied with a sauce of your choice; in this case it was the green pepper sauce. While each main dish was already generous with just the respective protein on the plate seasonal vegetables accompanied the meal that were very crisp and light.

The meals were very generous and for what you pay it is worth the price. A definite recommended as the service, and the food were a winner. It is no wonder why this is one of the oldest restaurants in the little town of Stellenbosch.

Kauai, Camps Bay: A Disaster!

Unfortunately another negative review is on the cards and this time Kauai are being named and shamed.

When Kauai first opened I was the first to embrace the 'healthy' food and the new items it brought to South African food. I loved the whole health concept and the smoothies that had a little something for everyone. Their portions were beyond generous but the quality and variations were great.

Unfortunately I feel that their quality has dropped somewhat. The service is shocking and the food either takes forever or it just isn't as nice as it used to be.

Today I went down to Camps Bay and all we ordered was one smoothie and a coffee. Being lactose intolerant I know that places that offer soya products so Kauai was a natural choice.

Upon arriving there I asked for a coffee with soya milk. They flat out refused to make it for despite their menu saying "we offer soya alternatives". I realise they don't have the actual soya milk and use the soya power (which I fail to see why they don't have the normal milk either) instead but that did not bother me as I had drunk the coffee like that before.

I felt like they were dishing out a 100 and one reasons as to why they could not give me the coffee with soya powder. Finally they gave in and they placed the order.

We waited 25minutes for just a smoothie and the coffee to arrive, while people that had ordered after us and had ordered food received their orders way before we even got served our two drinks. The staff didn't offer an apology, nothing.

But to top it off, the coffee they gave me tasted like dirty water and after two sips I left it there and refused to drink it again. It will be a very long time until I step foot inside Kauai in Camps Bay. A real pity.

Simon's at Groot Constantia

It breaks my heart to have to write this review but I have I feel it is my duty to report on the bad as often as I report on the good as it is only fair.

I first tried out Simon's in Groot Constantia when they opened up several years ago and they left a lasting impression on me. Their burgers were so tasty and tender and the presentation of the food was well done and so colourful leaving me so desperately wanting to return.

Unfortunately it took several years to return but I jumped at the offer to go there for lunch. For starters we ordered the Oysters, Camembert and Cranberry and Blue cheese with fig preserve spring rolls as well as Bobotjie Dumplings.

The Oysters were delicious as well as the Bobotjie Dumplings; they arrived in four tiny parcels with the bobotjie mince inside them accompanied with a yogurt dressing. Unfortunately the spring roll starter was a disaster as the cheese inside the rolls were still frozen. They were sent back and a new batch was brought back straight away

The mains consisted of a the Camembert and Cranberry Chicken burger, a roasted beetroot and butternut salad, and finally Calamari of the day which was deep fried calamari.

The chicken burger was gigantic as it arrived with two huge crumbed chicken breasts, that were unfortunately bland in flavour and the crumbs too heavy to eat; leaving it impossible to eat the full two breasts and burger.

The salad was average as there were only three pieces of beetroot and butternut on the plate with very little goats cheese. If one was to order a salad like this the best places to order from are either Balducci's or Col'Cacchio who have this salad down to a tee.

The calamari where an overall disappointment as everyone around the restaurant didn't enjoy the dish. Complaints were coming left, right and centre leaving the front of house staff totally bewildered and at a loss on what to do.

The coating of the calarmari was so heavy that people started to pick it off and just eat the calamari inside or they just left the dish alone and not even bothering to eat it at all.

It was a real disappointing afternoon as the food was definitely not up to the standards of what it could be. Aesthetically the presentation of the food was mind blowing but unfortunately the cooking let it down.

Let's hope that things improve as they certainly do have the potential to produce world class meals. Would I go back? Yes, I am willing to give Simon's the benefit of the doubt this time and would return one more time to try out the food.

Best Of Thai: Yindees

I will be the first to admit that I am not the most adventurous when it comes to trying food but last night I decided to go for something different and try out traditional Thai cuisine. No better place than Yindees, right?

I loved the rustic, dark atmosphere upon walking in as I was greeted with warm smiles by all the staff members. I had the option to sit at a normal table or on a deck that had scatter cushions and low tables. There was no question about it, the scatter cushions were a winner!

The waitress was great in that we were not pressured to eat at all, and she wasn't constantly coming to our table to ask us if she could get us anything. She read our vibe well in that we just wanted a relaxing evening in which we wnated to talk and take our time in deciding what to eat and drink.

We finished off a whole bottle of wine before we even looked at the menu and breaking all nutritional rules we decided to finally order something at 10:30pm.

Opting for three side dishes; the Satay combo of chicken, vegetable and beef skewers which was accompanied by a very tasty peanut sauce, the duck spring rolls and a vegetable tempura. The flavours where so refreshing and light. While the presentation of the dishes were well done too.

I must admit we dragged on the night as we only left just after 12pm and we were the only ones there after 10pm but the staff were great as we felt under no pressure at all to leave at all, and that was great.

I highly recommend that everyone gives it a tryas it blows my mind as to why I have never been to Yindees before; but one things is for sure I will definitely be returning soon.

Bombay Bicycle Club

My daily routine sees me drive along Kloof street everyday and no matter how much I try not to, I always look at the beautifully decorated Bombay Bicycle club and wish I could eat there one night.

Saturday night I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go, as it was a friend's birthday. Had it not been the birthday I think I would find myself a year later still wishing I had tried it out.

Just walking into the restaurant was mind blowing itself. Not one table is the same. Each table is decorated with different objects, while the room is so busy with stuff hanging off the walls and roof you spend more time worrying about the decorations than the menu, but that just added to the whole relaxed atmosphere of the restaurant.

Their infamous chilli chocolate steak was a special, along with R99 for a kilogram of prawns (amazing deal), while crumbed veal and a seafood curry was also on the specials list.

I opted for the oven roasted beef with caramelised onion and a cranberry, port, mushroom reduction sauce at R140. The sauce was amazing but I felt the beef could have been more tender throughout. I felt like I was severed two different beef steaks cut up and served on to one dish.

The birthday girl had the chilli chocolate sauce steak. The dish came with three medallions on a skewer with some fried, noodle vibe that looked like something had landed on the dish. Nevertheless I believe the actual dish itself was amazing.


The kilogram of prawns dish was huge, but for the seafood lover it was amazing; definitely hitting the hunger spot.

The desserts looked amazing as the chocolate cigars were definitely the most popular amongst the table. Each dessert costs R36. A warning though, should one wish to bring their own dessert or cake Bombay do charge a 'cakage' fee of R50.

Mixed results overall, but I would recommend a try. The whole ambiance in itself is worth checking out. But be warned prices are high and you might want to make sure you have some money saved before going in.