Heritage Day aka Braai Day

Why do we as South Africans love our braai? Is it the smell of the fat dripping off the coals wafting away and tempting the stomach? Or the spirit of a bunch of good mates, getting together to catch up and talk shit with each other over a cold one?

The braai has always been a sacred South African tradition. Remember watching those Castle Lager adverts on TV with Toto singing in the background. It makes you feel proud to come from the biltong and beer living nation.

As far back as I can remember my old man has always been a braai fanatic. I mean he has just built another braai at home. My old lady is going crazy, but she knows how he loves it so much, so she tolerates it. There is nothing better than kicking back with my pops, cracking a cold beer and chilling in the braai area on a Sunday afternoon with the Grand Prix, and hopefully a win for Ferrari.

So what constitutes a traditional braai? Is it the potato salad, the right wors, or is it the manner in which marinate your meat? I think it is none of those, yet all of them at the same time. To me a braai is more than just how you prepare your food, and what salad you have with it. Its about the spirit, how you do it makes all the difference. Today I will be heading to the Knysna forest with some really good friends. Nothing fancy, a few coals, some gentle guitar, laughs and good food cooked well.

I hope you all enjoy you heritage.

The lazy Chef

Chopsticks, shrimp chips and fortune cookies

So my last dinner was at a local Chinese spot next to the movie house. Nothing fancy, no great expectations. I enjoy their food as its simple and you know what to expect. I was accompanied by some work associates for the evening after a late night in the ‘office’.

Te beer was nice and cold! The moment I arrive at any restaurant and the beer is warm I am automatically in a bad mood for the rest of the night. So alls well that starts well.

Starters consisted of some shrimp chips, spring onion pancakes and chicken spring rolls. Basic run of the mill every restaurant Chinese starters. No complaints, all well prepared and rather quite tasty. I must say I rather enjoyed the spring onion pancakes dipped in a sweet and sour sauce. The comment from the table was ‘a take away portion of them would be great with a curry’.

Main course followed in a relaxed 2 part process. Schezuan Chili Chicken with noodles and Crispy Pork in Peking sauce with pan cakes and flied lice. It was excellent. All of it. The pancakes were for me the highlight. I love those lil things to no end and could have a stack of them with any oriental meal. The chicken was brilliant, a nice kick you in the back of the throat spicy! I feel t least one stage of any Chinese dinner should be HOT, you gotta clear the palette a bit and get the nasal passages working.

 The second part of the mains followed a sort while later, as requested. My favorite, Shanghai Steak, nice and crispy-steaming from the plate as it should be. It did not disappoint.

Overall I was rather pleased with the dinner. Sadly the place was quiet, and apart from one other table that left shortly after we arrived we were their only sit down table. However there take aways seem to be doing well. If you took all the patrons that came for a quick fix and put them all at tables, the place would have been full. Thankfully this did not happen as there was only one waitron on duty.

Now let’s get one ting clear right from the start. I have eaten in some pretty good Chinese places and this is not on par with them. However in the area I live in this place is by far the best. The atmosphere is quaint and the ching chong a long music is cool. The food is cooked by a Bruce Lee look alike and has flavor, but is not quiet the real deal you are looking for. But it does the job and I really like the place.

So Bow Tie next to the movie house for the best Chinese food in town. Agree?

What's so great about Rocket?

You tell me? Have you ever gone ‘I have a craving for rocket!!!!!’ ‘I can’t live without rocket!’ Didn’t think so- chocolate maybe, but not rocket.

Imagine a crisp pile of rocket, gently dressed in a light virgin olive and raspberry dressing, toasted pine nuts, a shaving of reggiano parmesan.. Perhaps a confit of duck leg or fresh scallops seared with a drizzle of lime beurre blanc..Ok we are getting there, but still nothing to keep you up at night dreaming.

So when the waiter from a local restaurant comes by each day selling toasted sandwiches and whatnot and he announces what’s on the selection today you have to question? Toasted cheese and tomato with rocket… o la la.. You wonder how much extra they are adding onto the price because of a few slimy bits of rocket. And in al honesty. 2 slices of government loaf, cheap cheese, tasteless tomato and the all wow full rocket, it really gets to me that a restaurant that claims to have chefs can put this together. My first point is, use some ice bread, put it on your grill man, give it some flavor, use a better cheese, and bugger the rocket, just add a crack of black pepper and save me having to floss after eating your inane sandwich!!!! And a snackwhich machine, I mean come on, this is supposed to be a 4/5 star restaurant for the garden route area, I mean even the local Wimpy can get it right for crying out loud.

Then comes the price, well in all honesty I can’t tell you, because to be accurate and truthful it seems to change every other day, perhaps the price of rocket goes up and down from day to day.. One day it’s R10, the next R14 and then maybe R15 the day after…. So how much small change does one need to be prepared with each day, enough to get ripped off I think

Sadly though today when they come past I will most likely buy one again, as there is no where else in the proximity of where I work offering anything else decent to eat… So alas as the Lazy Chef I must endure this pathetic attempt on cooking.

The Lazy Chef

Who is the Lazy Chef?

Well firstly I am the Lazy Chef, and that is all you really need to know.  I was a chef in South Africa for 8 odd years. A Slave and a Master to food, and all that comes with it. I know my stuff and can cook up a *&*(^ storm when needed. I no longer work in the industry but think I have found a career that is more inspiring and just as creative!

Basically this Blog is a piece of my mind about what I think of the restaurants I eat in. I am honest and will say if the service is terrible and the food is bad, and visa versa. If you are a restaurant owner, or work in a restaurant and I have or will blog about you, and you don't like what I have to say, sorry for you don't serve bad food or have crap service. And next point if you know who I am and I eat in your restaurant, don't treat me different, cause then you will really get taken out for preferential treatment.

Have a Nice Day

The Lazy Chef

The Best Burger in Knysna!!!

So the other day I was out with the Missus, cruising a sunny Saturday afternoon around the Lagoon.. The hunger set in and we decided we needed to find a spot to eat. The closest place around that seemed tempting was The Bell at Belvidere Manor. Sadly the weather started to turn, but it didn't turn two hungry stomachs away, My lady had the Steak Pie with mash and veg, myself the Bell Burger. To be honest i was not expecting much, as generally I have found that I have not been pleased with burgers in restaurants around Knysna. They are either bland and boring, overcooked or quickly defrosted lumps of grey that sink to the bottom of the bun...

To my surprise this towering delight of meat, smothered with bacon and carmelized onions arrived in front of me!! Such perfection..such anticipation for that first mouth-full.. hoping it would taste nearly half as good as it looked... and... IT WAS BETTER!!!

It reminded me of Marshalls burger monologue in How I Met Your Mother.. it was Inspiring..http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2008/09/marshalls-burger-monologue-how-i-met-your-mother.html

Lets say it was perfectly cooked for my taste, nice and rare, and crunchy on the outside.. good quality beef, with a delicate and balanced seasoning...The toppings, bacon and caramelised onions, some greena and some French fries on the side... To cut a long story short, and yes I can make a long story out of a burger, this was the best burger I have ever had in Knysna.

The Bell
Service 3 stars
Food 4 stars(burger 5 stars)
Setting 5 stars

The Lazy Chef