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IOL News
7 days ago
- Lifestyle
- IOL News
Blessed with a trinity of eggy Benedictions
Eggs Benedict on crisp pancetta and toasted ciabatta at Col'tempo. Image: Frank Chemaly Eggs Benedict has come a long way from its origin as a hangover cure. The legend has it one Benedict, feeling decidedly under the weather, ordered it at one of New York's swanky hotels at the height of America's gilded age. His request was for eggs on ham and toast smothered in Hollandaise sauce. The hotel obviously thought the toast was a bit beneath them and made such a glorious mess more chic with an English muffin. And while there are certainly better hangover cures, a whole range of delicious breakfasts have been created and are still enjoyed some 130-odd years later. The base may change but the concept of luxuriously draping eggs in a sauce of more eggs and butter remains. Bacon is a common replacement for ham, and my favourite. I've had versions atop smoked salmon, seared tuna, fresh oysters, wilted spinach and a mushroom ragu. All hit the spot. One I do at home sits on top a bed of herby balsamic roast tomatoes with a hint of chilli. I was lucky to enjoy three different Benedicts at my favorite coffee shops recently. Col'tempo This little Italian deli and eatery in Morningside could be plucked straight off the Amalfi Coast and transplanted in Durban. We sit outside in the quiet courtyard under the vines and feel like we're in a different world. The coffee is a testament to the Italian barista's art, the aperitif of choice is an Aperol spritz. The pappardelle with beef ragu is legendary, as are their baked artichokes. Inside they make their own charcuterie and offer Italian delicacies from nougat to imported Gorgonzola. Their bottled artichokes are the best value in Durban. The Benedict here has an Italian twist. On toasted ciabatta - which I prefer, as often the English muffin can become very doughy, especially if it isn't toasted properly - are slices of crisp pancetta, two perfectly cooked, soft poached eggs, enrobed in a good rich Hollandaise. Simple, elegant and delicious. And if like me you want something sweet after your eggs, try their olive oil cake, or orange cake or light fruit cake, or linger longer over another Aperol spritz. After all, Col'tempo means with time. Food: 4 Service: 3 ½ Ambience: 4 Value: 4 Eggs Benedict on smashed avo at Boston Brew. Image: Frank Chemaly Boston Brew This charming old Berea verandah home has become a thriving community coffee shop. Cyclists and runners in the mornings, mums after the school run, and mums and kids in the afternoons. You're likely to meet someone you know. Everything spills out into the garden. Sadly the new McDonalds drive through across the road removes some of the park-like feel. But the coffee is excellent. My double espresso arrives coated in an enviable layer of rich crema. The baking is also notable. A variety of cheese cakes, crunchies, banana bread and croissants. The menu is mostly vegetarian and pork free, so here I try their Boston Benedict, with the poached eggs sitting on a pile of smashed avo. It made for a lovely creamy version of the classic. There is also a mushroom version - which I can vouch is good. And I am sure they would do one with smoked salmon. My only criticism of eggs Onasis is that too often the salmon isn't brought to room temperature first and the eggs get cold very quickly. This time I finished with a second cuppa and a lovely little pasteis de nata. Food: 3 ½ Service: 3 ½ Ambience: 3 ½ Value: 3 ½ Eggs Benedict on wilted spinach and brioche toast from Humble Coffee. Image: Frank Chemaly Humble Coffee Humble Coffee in Windermere finally has premises to match their excellent offering after taking over an interior design shop in Lilian Ngoyi Road and they've turned it into a buzzy vibrant space. Here keyboard warriors bash away at laptops under the warm winter's sun. There's a bar counter and plenty of chit chat at indoor tables, and a 'boardroom' out back. You place your order at the counter which is groaning with appealing baked goods. Raspberry white chocolate and tahini blondies, and lemon and coconut cake. The food offerings here are mostly vegetarian and include a superb cheese, red onion and mango pickle toastie. Service is bright, breezy and quick. As I'm sipping a lovely rich and mellow cappuccino, I decide on their brioche Benedict. Two perfectly cooked poached eggs on wilted spinach and brioche toast, the brioche a nice slightly sweet foil to the savoury spinach. I enjoyed it immensely. And for something sweet, a good slice of orange and almond cake. Food: 3 ½ Service: 4 Ambience: 4 Value: 3 ½
IOL News
16-05-2025
- IOL News
High tea joins the mile-high club
High tea from the Oyster Box Hotel on a flight by Lift from Durban to Cape Town Image: Frank Chemaly Oyster Box Hotel Where: 2 Lighthouse Rd, uMhlanga Open: Daily 2.30pm to 5pm Call: 031 514 5000 I received the most unusual invitation - high tea at 36 0000 feet. Yes the Oyster Box Hotel was piloting a promotion of high tea on a Lift flight from Durban to Cape Town. What a wonderful idea. And so instead of a predictably boring two-hour flight to Cape Town, where all you can do is try to take a nap and hope you don't wake up with drool down your shirt, we were entertained to something of a fun ceremony. Even the air stewards got into the act, no longer having to do their beef or chicken act as they wheel the trolley down the aisle. Treats on the plane - both savoury and sweet. Image: Frank Chemaly Video Player is loading. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading We were presented with a white box wrapped with red Oyster Box Hotel ribbon and given a selection of teas to choose from. I went for the green tea with jasmine which was delicious. For those who say they don't like green tea, they really should try this combination. The box on opening revals a lovely finger salmon sandwich on the hotel's signature health bread. I could have taken a loaf of that bread home if they would let me. And their signature cucumber and lemon cream cheese sandwich on turmeric bread. A Cape Malay-style snoek tartlet with apricot chutney was another little delicacy along with really lovely leek ricotta and gruyere quiche. All flavours I love. The high tea table at the Oytser Box Hotel with some decadent gatteaux in the foreground Image: Quinton meijer Then two lovely crisp macarons highlighted the sweet selection. One dark chocolate and mint, the other raspberry and white chocolate, along with a miniscone with strawberry compote and clotted cream, and a cheese scone with chive butter and mature cheddar. What a wonderful treat and a pleasant way to spend a flight. The two hour trip had never been more fun. But that was just for appetisers. The cheese board at high tea. Image: Quinton Meijer The welcoming table setting. Image: Quinton meijer Then on Monday the Glass Guy and I were treated to the real thing at the hotel itself. It's a lovely room - the old courtyard which was brought into the hotel as a sunken lounge in the last renovation. We relax in comfy cane chairs, the wine waiter soon topping us up with bubbles. The piano is playing mood music in the background. The cups and saucers are pretty pink florals by Royal Albert, the tables beautifully set with silver cutlery and starched napkins. Our waitress takes us through the buffet groaning with tempting goodies, and then the tea stand where the choice of teas is astounding - with peppermint, or chamomile, or Earl Grey. I choose a tea with French vanilla, and the Glass Guy one with almonds. The loose leaf tea is then put in an infuser and the glass pot of hot water brought to the table complete with a timer. We thought three minutes would probably do the trick and watched as his pot turned a golden yellow and mine a deep red. Two different flavours of tea infusing at the table. Image: Quinton Meijer Both teas were lovely, although the marzipan depth of his had me a little envious. There are little crystalised sugar sticks on the table so you can stir into your tea if you fancy. Although personally I think tea tastes better without sugar. We started with some savouries: a mini quiche Lorraine which was enjoyable although they might have been better served hot, and some lovely tandoori prawns on a skewer. There was their house cucumber sandwiches served in turmeric bread which were delicious. No cucumber sandwich had tasted this good. Another house speciality which is one of Mrs Tollman's recipes is the chicken mayonnaise sandwich coated in roasted almonds - what a delight the buttery almonds made on the sandwich. The little brie and caramelised onion vol aux vents were a treat while I never got to try the mini bagels with goats cheese and roasted tomatoes, or the mini burgers on bao buns. They look good though. A selection of savouries include quiche Lorraine, chicken mayo sandwiches and mini burgers Image: Quinton Meijer Delightful mini cakes and petit fores. Image: Quintin Meijer Next we hit the cheese board: the highlight being a perfectly ripe piece of grand brie, suitably oozy and pungent. In fact every time the Glass Man went back to the table, some of that brie just crept onto the plate. There was a lively mildly-aged gouda - usually such a tasteless cheese but this had lovely nutty flavours. There were two blues, camembert and some goat's milk cheese pressed into chilli and black sesame seeds, along with hummus, a lovely snoek pate and baba ganouj. The kitchen sent out a plate with an array of hot snacks - samosas both lamb, and cheese and corn and little chilli bites. Our wine waiter fills our glasses. And then there was all things sweet - a veritable array. Lovely little fingers of cheesecake topped with strawberries, a beautiful and very pretty heart shaped dark chocolate cake with a dark chocolate centre, tempting little blue berry tarts, and lovely little lemon meringues, and good caramel coated profiteroles. A selection of sweet delicacies Image: Quinton Meijer We looked at the table with four beautiful gatteaux sitting under domes uncut. There's a chocolate cake, a gluten free chocolate sachertorte, a carrot cake and a chiffon cake. The Glass Guy is a carrot cake nut so we decided to upend the display and cut a slice. It was lovely and spicy and generous with nuts and had a proper tart cream cheese icing. And despite the fact we'd taken the meanest slice possible, we still couldn't finish it all. And we never got to the scones served with an array of jams and creams and cheeses. And the little side sushi bar with prawn, crab stick and vege rolls. Next time It was five o'clock. Two and a half hours had flown in a delightful blur of tempting treats in a beautiful things. Food: 4 Service: 4 ½ Ambience: 4 ½ The Bill: R495 ahead. Hot savouries brought to the table Image: Quinton Meijer
IOL News
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
When the bridge gang hit the pub
A Regina Pizza with bacon and mushrooms Image: Frank Chemaly Franks Speakeasy Where: Flanders Mall, Flanders Drive, Mount Edgecombe Open: Tuesday to Saturday 11am to 10pm, Sunday and Monday 11am to 9pm Call: 073 025 3714 It was the Poet's idea. After bridge on the public holiday the whole fandamily would go out for a meal. I suggested Franks Speakeasy, after all I hadn't eaten here since it moved to Flanders Mall. And as it's my namesake it had to be good. I remember it from its days next to the old Marco Paulo as good pub grub. The menu took in many of the sticky, hearty, finger licking classics that make up the gastro pub genre, just using real ingredients and proper sauces and relying on good cooking. Burgers are juicier, chicken wings are spicier and pizzas are authentic. You get the picture. Plus there are a few fun things you won't normally find on a pub menu. Tuna lollipops with a wasabi mayonnaise. Image: Frank Chemaly Prawns in crispy phyllo with a spicy chilli mayo. Image: Frank Chemaly Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ I like the new setting. It;s less dark and there's a comfortable deck to sit out on on a balmy evening. We're soon sipping on beers and bottle of good merlot hit the table. There's the Poet and Vivek, my bridge partner Trevor, the Lady Golfer joins us and shortly afterwards the Artist and her man. We share a pizza to whet the appetite - a simple Regina with bacon and mushrooms (R139). It's perhaps a touch charred at the edges but nice and crisp and comes with a good chilli sauce, or olive oil, if you want to tart it up. Pizza options include chicken tikka, a seafood pie and prawns and pepperoni, or pepperoni and jalapenos. There's even a focaccia with carpaccio which I'll try next time. I order two starters to pass around. The tuna lollipops (R139) came with a tasty wasabi mayo and pickled ginger. Perhaps a shade too long in the pan - they were cooked all the way through, they still tasted good. The prawns in crispy shredded phyllo pastry (R139) were a hit with a lovely spicy chilli mayo. We were tempted by the cheesy garlic snails, but thought we had ordered enough food. Slow roasted pork belly with crackling in a mustard sauce. Image: Frank Chemaly Then there was the Asian style rock cod fishcake (R169) a big tasty ball of panko crumbed goodness complete with lemon grass and chilli. It came with a lovely leaf salad with avo and sesame seeds and another treatment of that spicy mayo. The Poet and I fancied the health bowl which was falafels with tahini dressing, baby spinach, roast butternut, cabbage, avo, red onion and lime dressing. Again next time. There are other more salad or light meal options including one with crispy calamari, as well as a prego roll, rare roast beef sandwich and a cheese burger and chicken burger. From memory their burgers were a good cut or two above the rest. Rock cod fish cake with Asian inspired salad. Image: Frank Chemaly Next up was the slow roasted pork belly (R225) which was suitably tender and came in a good mustard sauce. The crackling might have benefitted from a bit of work though. I liked the tempura sweet potato wedges that came with it along with a good array of fresh vegetables. There's also a pork saltimbocca, a peri-peri-chicken and masala yoghurt chicken along with a few steak options. Then we couldn't decide which version of the wood roasted calamari (R169) to go for so ordered both - one with lemon and garlic and another with peri-peri - I know which I preferred because it had one mighty zing to it. These came with good chips to mop up the juices. Desserts include waffles, brownies and ca creme brulee. But we'd had more than enough food so instead we chilled and finished off the wine. It was a fun outing. Food: 3 Service: 3 ½ Ambience: 3 ½ The Bill: R2074 for seven
