LETS PLAY NAME AND SHAME
It’s that time again:
Shame:
(a) The awarding of dw eleven-13 in Dunkeld. I have never eaten there and feel no need to - this is not a restaurant review, but a polemic against foam. I do not want my asparagus deconstructed, ice-creamed or foamed. There is something perversely attractive about Heston and his exploded meringue methodology - but generally this provocation serves to remind me why I want roast chicken for supper. It seems to me at the moment that fucking-up food by blowing-it-up is quite a nasty and arrogant idea.
(b) Retail giants who put SASSI markings on their fresh fish but who sell tinned tuna that is SASSI red, with no marking, and with no shame. sis.
(c) South African designers who STEAL designs from better designers. Shame. (You know who you are)
(d) Mr Price Home: What The Fuck guys. When you started I thought IKEA South Africa - good taste for the proletariat. I still have mixing bowls from that epoch. And then? Does anybody want a square brown and bronze vase?
(e) The new bread for rolls at VIDA. sis. And actually VIDA in general - I’m so bored and your staff look bored too.
(f) The gallo image of the baker on our site 3 posts down. shame.
No shame:
(a) The generous benefactors who supported Mess for the last year: Adam Levy from 70 Juta, Dr & Misses from CO-OP (and WiTW), WITS Fine Arts, Rhys Ralph from Courtyard on 4th, Main Street Life.
(b) The cool kids in Cape Town who are always doing stuff. It’s exhausting and makes me glad to live Here. Drinks or coffee at The Power and the Glory, beer at &Union & coffee at Delux (and only coffee).
(c) Rossouw’s Restaurants for a better read and a pretty cover. Go JP.
(d) When the fuck do Cameron and Justin sleep? While we were sleeping they launched Merchantsandmakers that stocks really charming and pretty things. Fuck you guys.
(e) Anatomy Design’s black slate chopping board. Fuck you too Andrea.
I friggin' love this post! Yes - die, foam, die. And ... what is it with bubbles?!!!!! I was once presented with a lime and lemongrass bubble. It looked like the chef in question had taken a piece of mint Aero, blown it up under a microscope, given it that weird hard-slimy consistency of jelly mixed with too little water, and then flavoured it with essence of lime and lemongrass. If you'd gotten that on an SAA flight, you would've complained. My bad for attending a demonstration of "molecular gastronomy" - lesson duly learned, thank you. Pass the homemade noodle soup and pierogis please.
It's hilarious that you're gobsmacked by the Cape Town do-it crews... who are all equally gobsmacked by you okes. Not that I'm one of the cool kids, but I like reading their blogs from time to time, y'know. Even if sometimes they irritatingly good at that lesser-known motivation of bloggers worldwide: the manufacture of envy.
Don't dismiss DW11-13 out of hand. I ate there recently and, out of six dishes, I think the only one that featured foam was the scallop starter.
On the whole, their food is more bistro-style than fine dining and their simple fillet and chips is one the most satisfying dishes I've eaten recently.
I also have it on excellent authority that they do a pretty mean roast chicken.
DW11-13, do not shame it, try it. Honestly, Marthinus has the biggest passion for food, and always strives for the ingredients to shine. When you eat his roast chicken it's like walking into your ouma's kitchen on Sunday and smelling the chicken roasting in its juices in the oven, the smell of cloves and garlic and nutmeg...
I do personally love DW11-13, place changed my life.