It isn't often that I am impressed, especially in South Africa.
Granted, this is part and parcel of the legacy of my late parents who fortuitously introduced me to the world's best from birth.
I am supremely blessed to have been exposed to the most glamourous Penthouse Hotel Suites of the planet, all First Class travel (including at least 38 trips on the iconic Concorde-British Airways being WAY better than Air France, by the way), not to mention being babysat in the kitchens of the best restos on the planet by the world's most renowned chefs, julienning carrots whilst said parents were, respectively, working and shopping.
No jokes.
And I loved it.
Not, and to be quite clear, for the glamour, ritz and glitz, as these are fleeting and superficial trappings appealing only to the most ill-educated and carnal of minds; but because I was mesmerised by the single golden thread that unites all these airlines, hotels, restaurants, cruises, casinos, tours and concièrge services.
Passion.
By osmosis, I absorbed that all these people, who were the very best at what they did, were motivated NOT by lucre and prestige, but by heart. They cared, deeply, about each and every expression of their work, which made them not artisans, but artists.
What a revelation!
This is why I am extremely happy to say I have zero elitism on any subject that crosses my path. Rather, I am most concerned with the FEELING I am imbibed with in the presence of the hot dog vendor, five-star hotel, Michelin-starred resto, First Class Suite or local market I find myself in. It is my all-consuming obsession...to root out those who BELIEVE in what they do and put their entire soul into their work.
Simply put...if there's no passion, there's no point.
So I was bowled over when celebrated Chef Julia tweeted me to swing past for lunch at her groundbreaking 18-seater space in Observatory - a Chef who can use Twitter!
Quelle MIRACLE! 😁
I almost broke a finger tweeting my instant acceptance, as I had heard of her signature style and space from quite a few sources.
To summarise...her resto has no individual seats, rather one long Valhalla-table, forcing folks to interact with each other. And there are no menus...she cooks whatever she feels in the mood to create, and sources fresh produce, wines, cheeses, meats and accoutrements on a daily basis. This she has so rightly labelled #SocialDining.
J'ADORE!
Oh..and, erm, she asks people to stay off their phones for the evening sitting, and switches off the WiFi at night.
(Deep breaths, James, deeep breaths....)
You need to know...I ALWAYS have at least 3 devices on me on 3 different networks, just in case two of them go down simultaneously and I'm out of touch.
No jokes.
This was like asking a terminal cigarette addict to suck on a lolly, whilst denying them nicotine patches AND simultaneously blowing smoke rings over their heads.
I just couldn't do it.
*hides face* 😳
So, we agreed on lunch the next day and off I tootled to Obs. The place looked and felt exactly like I thought it would.
Homey.
Relaxed.
Cute not kitsch.
Formally informal..or is that informally formal?! You know what I mean...even though it was ridiculously laid back, the service was flawless, fast and friendly.
And Julia?!
She sent word that she was temporarily busy (big function that night), and coffee was proffered via Wisdom, the major domo.
Delicious, smooth, silky coffee.
With a perfect foam cap.
And no pretentious description - what IS it with coffee these days?! I get that it's possible to screw up a cuppa Joe, but REALLY, people..."coffee tastings"?! "Coffee pairings"?!
Give me a break.
Or rather, just give me a cappuccino - yes, yes, I know I'm an uneducated peasant for drinking cappuccino after 10am, but I don't care. I like it before AND after a meal.
So sue me.
Ahem.
*coffee rant over*
Chef Julia subsequently emerged, all smiles and genuine bonhomie, and joined the two lovely random patrons I met and joined up with...see?! #SocialDining! They were huge fans of the space, and were having a business/girls lunch quite by chance - by the way, it is the two of them who held my phone in the Live Facebook video broadcast interview - see www.Facebook.com/jamescapetown 😇
Julia and I chatted for ages on Escoffier, Michelin (she worked in two spaces with stars), foie gras, truffles, and all things foodie. Her blatant love and reverence for the sanctity of cuisine shone like a beacon. She was humble yet energised, outspoken yet friendly, inclusive yet open...in short, the perfect hostess.
And the food!
Lunch was a hummus, feta, roasted veg salad paired with an Asian-inspired cold Beef, sesame, coriander noodle salad (both R50), and washed down with lemongrass plum iced tea(R16).
Whoa.
Just...whoa.
Like..whoa.
Each dish was perfectly balanced, with conflicting yet complementary flavours and textures married together in elegant simplicity to explode on the tongue in a symphony of salivation.
Rilly.
But my favourite thing was how Julia has created a space, down to the finest detail, that conspired to allow you to let your guard down and engage other people. It was no surprise to find out she lives directly above the resto, let alone that you have to walk through the actual kitchen past the bijou library (no jokes), to make it to the outside "smoking courtyard".
Which has a door to the back street.
And a staircase upstairs to her apartment.
And a palm tree.
I loved it.
All of it.
I cannot find a single flaw in any of it all.
Nor can I suggest a single thing be added or improved upon.
Or changed, edited, ameliorated, buffed up or taken away.
But don't take my word for it.
Go..as soon as you can.
You'll find you'll be pleasantly...impressed. 😳
@jamescapetown
08h29 Tues 19 April 2016
DISCLOSURE! I was here as a #Guest of this venue but, as always, ALL opinions are my own. So there! 😁
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