Still Enjoying South Africa

It’s been a couple of weeks since we returned home from South Africa, but we’re still talking about the many things we enjoyed. 

Sua du Plessis from Christian Arts took us to Moyo, a restaurant across the street from the hotel in Melrose Arch.  Moyo is Swahili and means “soul”.   Sua ordered for us, knowing we were all eager for a foodie adventure. The evening was a feast of the senses; African music, the cool evening air, the stars coming out, the smell and taste of great food. 

For starters, we  had peri peri chicken livers bunny chow – pan-fried chicken livers in a spicy East African sauce, presented in home-made bunny chow bread rolls; moyo samosas – three deep fried triangular pastry pockets with chutney; wors, vetkoek en sous – bits of beef, ostrich and venison in fritters. 

For the main course, I had oxtail braised with butterbeans and carrots in red wine beef au jus.  Rick and Karen had Moroccan slow braised lamb shank, cooked in rich spiced gravy, with couscous and roasted root vegetables.  We all sighed. 

We weren’t finished yet!  Dessert was Cape Malva Pudding – oh, my!  The dish is flambeed with brandy and served with custard, creamy vanilla ice cream and ground pistachio nuts. 

Sua also introduced us to koeksisters – tasty sweets of twisted dough saturated in honey and deep-fried.  I’m guessing how they are prepared, but I can tell you they are scrumptious!  So were the milktarts we had at the Villa de Sophia in Vereeniging (where I was also introduced to a dinner pork belly so meaty and rich and drenched in sauce that tasted like maple syrup.  I’m getting hungry as I write this!).

Chris Johnsen (the son) took us to a restaurant at the waterfront in Cape Town where we dined as carnivores.  We dined on kebabs of wildebeest, impala, kudu and ostrich.  Impala and kudu were both very tender and delicious. Wildebeast was denser and tasty.  Ostrich tastes very much like beef. 

Traveling to other countries isn’t just about seeing the sites, but experiencing the scents and tastes of a new culture.  I may not be able to find impala and kudu at the supermarket, but I’m sure they have the ingredients for koeksisters.  All I have to do is find the recipe!