Jarryds Eatery

I have an unquenchable thirst for travel. I don’t know if it is my constant involvement with the world of social media, following awe inspiring accounts or the fact that I have this insatiable appetite to try as many foods as possible. 

I can go down the rabbit hole that is Instagram for hours on end admiring the talented creatives that share their world of food from all over the world. 

One particular place that has piqued my interest to visit is Melbourne Australia. The restaurateurs, food photographers and bloggers coming out of that corner of the world are mind blowing and constantly feed my creative process. 

Aussies are constantly pushing boundaries with food and their unique cultural fusion of east meets west can be likened to an artists ever evolving muse.

Having said that, you can only imagine how happy I was to find Jarryds eatery in Sea Point. 

A spot owned by two Aussie brothers Jarryd and Ariel, who, not only take their food seriously but their coffee even more so. 

They have brought their food knowledge and inspiration right to our doorstep and with their attentive service and perfect coffee they have a recipe for success. 

The space is unassuming from the outside. Marked by a simple board bearing the name JARRYDS, you might miss this spot if you don’t know what you are looking for. 

The first thing that suggested I was about to experience something great was the interior. The space is minimal and elegant with a masculine touch of dark surfaces and wood. As you enter you are greeted by a bustling barista station and soft lighting that compliments the space. 

I usually visit Jarryds for their out of this world breakfasts. Scratch your South African scrambled eggs and bacon and welcome smashed Avo with corn fritters, poached eggs and banana bread with espresso butter and quinoa breakfasts bowls. 

On this occasion however, I decided to give their dinner and cocktail menu a go and I wasn’t disappointed. 

For those of you that have visited for breakfast, it's time you pop in for dinner. For those of you that haven't been as yet for either, best you do.

Jarryd's is open for dinner seating Tuesday-Sunday with the average spend of R250 per person depending on how many cocktails you decide to sip on. 

The menu is inspirational and reads as a what's hot on the international food scene with an Aussie brothers twist. It is unpretentious yet elevated bistro food that will leave you with a hankering for more.

I worked my way through the menu and explored all the flavours and influences. 

There are the stock standard crowd favourites, such as cheeseburgers (which are a must) and slow cooked juicy lamb shanks but then the quirkiness of Jarryds really starts to shine through and you'll find the less obvious pulled pork buns, beef tacos and vegetarian lasagne. 

The pork buns and the beef tacos are my personal favourite; the buns immediately took me on a journey to Asia. I closed my eyes and saw myself standing in a little eatery across the continents. I am all about ordering two starters and sharing them or having them both as a meal (why not.) You can clearly see that the Asian influence in Australia has resulted in a perfect symmetry in the dishes. The flavours are balanced and the meat is tender and juicy. It is about the little touches and the sesame crusted fresh lime to squeeze over the taco meat perfectly cuts the flavour and offers the dish its final touch in achieving a perfectly rounded flavour balance. I paired my food with a delightful Gin Fizz that had a little of New York in it. The tacos are soft and the beef is tender, lashed with sour cream and salsa - they had me at hello. 

The menu is constantly under scrutiny from the brothers, as they want to keep things fresh which is a major draw card. I love an evolving menu with new ideas that stops a regular spot from becoming mundane. The soft shell crab burger was something that I haven't experienced before and I could picture it being served at a beach spot in Bali. The crunch was perfect and the red cabbage it was served with offered that sublime freshness.

Jarryd and Ariel hold themselves to a high standard. If you want to be the best then you need to constantly push yourself on an international level to achieve it. With every bite I was experiencing a different cultural influence that they have made their own. With Indonesia, Mexico and New York under my taste belt where was I off to next? 

The perfect ending to my meal was something that appeared deceivingly close to a cappuccino, but turned out to be a light and airy hazelnut mousse, amoretti crumb, salted caramel ice cream and Italian meringue. Things are not always as they appear. I jetted off to Italy with the first mouthful and sharing with my partner wasn’t an option! 

The dessert left me with the realization that if you close your eyes and savour what you are eating at that very moment, you can find yourself anywhere in the world.

I was grateful to the eatery for that very experience as it somehow momentarily quenched my thirst for travel. After all who doesn’t want to see the world in one spot from the comfort of your own seat while enjoying utterly delicious food?

Wanderlust cured. For now.

-Melissa

*This blog post is sponsored by Jarryds all opinions are my own. 

The Hickory Shack

When last did you take a road trip? 
With spring in the air and blossoms showing their pretty faces in the country side, I recently took a shot left to Elgin. Just an hour outside of Cape Town, on the N2 over Sir Lowry's pass, the countryside changes rapidly and before long, you find yourself amidst mountaneous hills dotted with pine trees, waterfalls, rocky outcrops and lakes.
It is an exceptionally beautiful part of the country that plays host to a plethora of outdoor activities.

Did I mention the area is also rife with glorious apple orchids and vineyards?
I could not help but get lost on the farm roads and between the little dexter cows (you are going to have to google them) and the ducks waddling down the road, I was swept off my feet by Elgin. 
I had been threatening to take a trip to explore the area for the longest time, but it was only until I found a suitable gastronomic reason to put my procrastination to bed did I eventually "bust a (proverbial) move"
Whoever said food is not a grand motivator has obviously never been to The Hickory Shack.
Owned by Jay Haupt this spot is all about slow cooking Texas style. Their wildly talented pit master, Eugene nurses the pit flames like a new age alchemist to ensure the perfect, tender, juicy meat. From brisket and ribs to chicken wings and cowboy beans, I guarantee that your taste buds will never be the same.
It is a carnal, sensory and simplified space with emphasis on the quality of the meat, both in taste and ethics.

The atmosphere is as relaxed as your favourite pair of jeans with country blues playing in the background while the fire place crackles in in agreement. This is a place where you will get drawn into the slow lane and end up staying for a while.
The decor is beautiful with wood at every turn. I couldn't help but think it pays homage to the beautiful forest surroundings. 
The tables are generous in seating and definitely built for extended family style feasting. More is more at the Hickory Shack and I loved it. 
Now lets get down to business and talk food. It was absolutely phenominal. 
The meat is prepared with a Texas dry rub. No sauces or artificial flavours are added to their product. 

Locally sourced meat is smoked in a huge smoker for several hours prior to serving. The duration dependant on the cut and type of meat; namely chicken, brisket, ribs and pork with the brisket demanding the most attention at 30 hours.
The meat mains are accompanied with sides that are true to texas flavours. The cowboy beans are a labour of love and take 3 days to make. They contain brisket cut offs and their smokey flavour coupled with another side of buttermilk mash is what I would call a match made in heaven. 
They have a sweetcorn salad on offer and (my favourite) coleslaw which is prepared with vinegar, cut through the richness of the meat with such sweet perfection - I wondered how I would ever eat anything else again. 

Every side is a well thought out addition with a clear intention to compliment the meat perfectly. 
The average spend is around R250 per person including a beer or two.
I had to try the pomegranate cider which I highly recommend (and to be honest if I wasn't driving I would have had another five or ten)
So if you are wondering what to do this weekend - why not take a road trip and experience slow cooking at its finest! 
Just remember more is more so you will need an empty stomach and very big eyes.

-Melissa

*This blog post is sponsored by The Hickory Shack all opinions are my own. 
 

Orms Makers Series

July has been an exciting month for collaborations. On one of these “get togethers”, I paired up with Orms for the #ormsmakersseries. A crew followed me around on a Saturday food mission documenting The Truffle Journal’s creative process by way of a video journal while I played with the Fuji XT1; A mirrorless camera that packs a punch. What a pleasure! It turned out to be much lighter than my usual DSLR and I struggled to put it down. 

Here is the finished vid.

-Melissa

Orms Photo Books

It all began with an idea. The idea of creating something that would inspire others to create for themselves.

That’s how my personal Orms photo book journey began.

I’ve always wanted to do a cookbook. From as far back as I can remember, since around the time I learnt to read a recipe, there has been an overwhelming personal desire to contribute to the process of cooking in some way.  

What better way to test the waters than with the exciting photo book products offered by Orms.

The program is amazing and easy to use. All you have to do is download the software from the ormsdirect.co.za website and build your book step by step!

I chose the A4 portrait standard hard cover book with a leatherette finish and gold embossing (because every girl loves a little glitter.)

You can capture your memories better than you ever could with dusty photo albums and since it’s more tangible than social media, I’ll admit, it brings back a feeling of sentimentality.

Call me old fashioned, but I might just be hooked!

The cookbook is filled with 10 recipes. I chose to collaborate with a friend of mine, Nikita Stallbom. She is a health coach and yoga instructor who I respect immensely. With our powers combined (insert quirky captain planet quote here) we have produced 10 Buddha bowls that will blow your perception of healthy eating right out of the water!

It has been such an exciting journey to see my work become a hardcover book that I can gift to my nearest and dearest.

I highly recommend that the next time you want to give the gift of memories or simply create your own keepsakes, these photo books are the way to go.

Watch this space for where you will be able buy your very own copy of the cookbook,
Happiness Is.

A very apt title. 

La Colombe

La Colombe garden

West coast oyster, caviar, kalamansi, apple and soy

Tuna ‘La Colombe’

Grilled fillet of line fish, saffron bulgar wheat, squid, chorizo, smoked soubise sauce.

Smoked ox tongue, coriander, ginger, capers, red onion, umami broth, crisp kataiffi. 

Scallop and Pork. Citrus glazed scallop, asian pork belly, cauliflower fondant, smoked cauliflower velouté.

Palate cleanser. Spheres filled with citrus liquid. 

Charmer beef, sweet breads and squash purée, crisp onion rings, port jus.  

Springbok loin, jerusalem artichoke, barley, lavender and bourbon jus.

Three ages of boerenkaas, onion, quince, walnut and cumin

Cherry Blossom. Manjari 64% chocolate crémeux, cherry stracciatella, kirsch,tonta bean almond.

There are moments – believe it or not (for those who know me) where I can be left speechless. They don’t happen often and they sure don’t last long. One of these golden moments happened recently at La Colombe.

If you haven’t heard of La Colombe before, they are situated on the Silvermist Estate in Constantia Nek. The head of the kitchen is the S.Pellegrino Chef of the Year Scot Kirton, a master of flavours and a showman with his food. 

The dining room is minimalist and the service is as sharp as a chef’s knife. I had to wonder if the muted décor was an intentional stroke of genius to ensure nothing detracted from the food.

I had previously tasted Scot’s work at the Chefs Who Share Charity gala and thought that I knew what to expect. Think again Melissa.

On my visit to La Colombe, I decided to experience the full extravaganza. Diving mouth first into the full tasting menu left me well, speechless. 

Each bite was perfection and the progression of flavours was masterfully put together resulting in a crescendo of the senses by the time the last course was cleared.

If I had to choose one word to sum up my experience at La Colombe, it would have to be something like ‘immersion’ – nothing else comes quite as close. 

The price? R 870 pp (without wine) - R 1270 pp (with wine) - R 1680 pp (with Fine & Rare wine)

Booking is essential.