A Capreses salad
Image: Frank Chemaly
Where: 465 Innes Road, Morningside
Open: Daily 11am to 9pm (8pm Sundays)
Call: 067 138 1115
The good news is that KZN scored well in this week’s Eat Out Awards. Not only do we now have four starred restaurants (last year it was three), but Johannes Richter of The Livingroom in Cowie’s Hill won Chef of the Year, for the second consecutive year.
It’s an honour that is well deserved and I can’t wait to visit his humble restaurant soon to see what he has cooking. Richter also won the Rural Green Star award which acknowledges restaurants that sauce local and seasonal ingredients.
A delux anti-pasto platter with Parma ham, garlic salami, artichokes, brinjals, mushrooms and cheeses.
Image: Frank Chemaly
Restaurant of the year was Fyn, in Cape Town, which I am going to try when I’m in the city in two weeks time. Will it beat the famed La Columbe? I will let you know soon.
The Livingroomroom is also one of only 8 restaurants to win a three-star rating, and the only one north of the Hottentots Holland Mountains (Yes, sadly these are very Cape Town centric).
Another of my favourite eating spots, Meraki by Charlie Lakan in Hillcrest, received two stars. Well deserved, Chef.
Pizza with artichokes, peppers, mushroom and garlic salami.
Image: Frank Chemaly
The Chefs’ Table in Umhlanga which I reviewed warmly two weeks ago was awarded one star as was Tyler's, a new steakhouse and grillroom in Emdloti. Congrats to all.
Now let’s make it five next year. Who’s putting their hand up?
From the grand multi-course meal to the simple pizza… It was Vivek’s birthday and that is what he felt like, and so I joined the Poet and her family for a feast at Spiga last weekend.
There is something very joyful about passing pizza round the table, tasting different options, talking, and drinking red wine. It’s relaxed, tactile, interactive. It feels like you’re at the family dining table at home.
Pizza with bolognaise and mushrooms
Image: Frank Chemaly
We started with their deluxe mezze platter which was piled high with parma ham and garlic salami. There’s marinated mushrooms, grilled aubergines and artichokes along with buffalo mozzarella and gorgonzola - and of course olives. It came with a nice crisp focaccia. That too has that “sharing is caring” feel. We also shared a good Caprese salad of tomatoes, basil pesto and buffalo mozzarella. It complemented the platter nicely.
Starters here may include their grilled calamari with a creamy citrus sauce, and grilled artichokes served with bruschetta toasts. Prawns and mussels too feature, along with Italian meatballs and minestrone soup. Their carpaccio is worth trying.
We didn’t even look at their pasta menu which still includes their famed linguine ala Shaik. A simple but delicious mix of olive oil, garlic, chilli, plum tomatoes and basil. The spaghetti al cartoccio still features. This is pasta with prawns, calamari and mussels, cooked in “bag” in the oven with wine and herbs. Gnocchi can be cooked in a number of sauces - gorgonzola or with bolognaise, or pesto. There’s butternut agnolotti and spinach and ricotta panzerotti. But we were here for the pizza.
Pizza with capers, anchovies and olives.
Image: Frank Chemaly
Eventually we went for the Siciliana with capers, anchovies and olives (my choice); a pizza with bolognaise and mushrooms (Vivek’s choice); and one with olives artichokes, peppers mushrooms and spicy salami (The Poet’s choice) with the salami put on one side of the pizza so the pescatarian among us could enjoy it. All were good, with nice crisp thin bases. If I had to choose I’d say the salami version came out tops. And while I enjoyed it, I think I would prefer my bolognaise in lasagna.
We finished by embarrassing the birthday boy with a cake and a song and a second bottle of wine.
Food: 3 ½
Service: 3 ½
Ambience: 3 ½
The Bill: I was a guest