DINING OUT

of the month restaurant

PRIVA LOUNGE

The ultimate contemporary, luxurious fine-dining experience

Michael, a sommelier in training, greeted us as we arrived at Priva Lounge. We walked through to our neatly set table on the balcony, overlooking a perfectly timed Pretoria sunset. Just as we’ve settled in, Marko Jovancic, the owner warmly welcomed us. He shares ownership with Fortunato Mazzone and together they opened Priva five and a half years ago. Priva Lounge is a fine-dining gem with breathtaking views, nestled in the lavish Waterkloof valley. The word Priva means private and intimate – something the restaurant definitely lives up to.

Our experience was kicked off with a French Martini and the Gold Rush whiskey cocktail, which was nominated for best cocktail of the year in 2019. This was served with two freshly baked bread rolls and sweetened butter. Then came a trio of dressed oysters and salmon tartare with wasabi cream and burst-in-your-mouth rooibos spheres. The second course boasted springbok carpaccio and a duck salad prepared with pickled golden beets, burned oranges and a honey soy glaze. As Marko guided us through the courses, his knowledge about the accompanying wines was astonishing.

We were then treated to a tour of The Gastronomique Lounge. Marko proudly showed us his state of the art, temperature-controlled wine vault, which includes over 400 wines. We also made our way to the cigar room, where cigars are kept in a walk-in humidor. A whiskeyfilled cabinet acts as the backdrop for the main area and a live jazz band added to an atmosphere of luxury. The smoking room, filled with leather couches and a strategically placed overhead extraction fan, made us feel like we had just walked into a scene from The Godfather.

For our third course, Priva spoiled us with an ambrosial sirloin with red wine reduction and their pièce de résistance: braised lamb shoulder, wild mushroom risotto, orange glazed carrots and green beans, perfectly paired with a glass of the Motorcycle Marvel Red Blend from Nederburg Winery. A heavenly combination of taste and texture.

Up next was pork belly with pumpkin tart and homemade crackling and we also had venison medallions served with Amarula sweet potato mash. Both dishes were served with an unwooded pinot noir from Haute Cabriere.

Dessert was strawberry Crème Brûlée and vanilla panna cotta, served with saffron pistachio sorbet and while we indulged, our host, Marko entertained us with anecdotes of his travels and gave us some inside info on his homeland, Serbia.

Priva is a sophisticated playground for fine food lovers and wine moguls. Be sure to add it to your Pretoria bucket list for February, HP!

PS: Priva has a special Valentine’s offering which includes a set menu for two, a gorgeous bottle of Ponte Villoni Prosecco and the service charge included at R1500 per couple. They also have a lovebird special all year round, which includes a three-course meal with wine pairings at R850 per couple. This is not valid for Valentine’s Day, though.

dining out VALENTINE’S MEALS TO SWOON OVER

by: Lorraine Swanepoel

Cherry Tomato and Bacon Frittata

Surprise your loved one with this mouth-watering Cherry Tomato and Bacon Frittata, perfect for a lovely, lazy breakfast in bed.

Serves 4

Ingredients: 150g streaky bacon (or any bacon of your choice) 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter 150g cherry tomatoes, the smaller the better 6 large eggs salt and black pepper, to season 1 cup (120g) grated cheddar Chopped chives for garnish

Method: Make sure to choose a pan that is oven friendly. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Fry the bacon in olive oil until crispy. Add the cherry tomatoes and swirl around in the pan for 2 minutes. The skin of the tomatoes will start to toast. While frying, take a medium bowl and whisk together the eggs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk until well blended; then add the cheese.

Evenly distribute the tomatoes and bacon. Reduce the heat and pour the egg and cheese mixture over the tomatoes and cook until the egg mixture is set at the edges (about 3 minutes). Use a heat-resistant rubber spatula and carefully work your way around the edge of the pan, gently separating the edge of the cooked eggs from the edge of the pan - almost gently lifting the edges, allowing the uncooked portion to flow underneath. Carefully smooth the top with the spatula. When the eggs are softly set, after about 3 minutes, transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the frittata is just set, and no runny egg is left on top. This will take roughly about 5-7 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven with a kitchen towel. Let it cool slightly, then sprinkle with chopped chives. Lift the frittata out with your spatula, cut it into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature. Or, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day and serve cold.

Tip: You can cut the chives using a kitchen scissor to make it easier. You can also easily use any left-over ingredients in your fridge with a frittata.

Lorraine is the owner and creative force behind Cocovanilla Foods. Her passion for food, together with her strong entrepreneurial spirit has built Cocovanilla Foods up to the well-known catering company that it is today. They pride themselves in offering a unique food experience with every event using only high-quality local food produce.

VALENTINE’S MEALS TO SWOON OVER

Coriander Grilled Prawns with Sweet Corn and Coconut Mash by: Charmaine Ramalope-Makhubela

Why go out for dinner this V-Day when you can stay in and make this divine dish? Not only is it packed with loads of flavour but it’s also quick and easy to prepare!

Ingredients 700g whole prawns 1 long fresh red chilli, finely chopped 2 tbs fresh coriander leaves, chopped 1 tbs lime juice 2 1/2 tbs coconut oil, melted 1 small onion , finely chopped 3 sweet corncobs 2 tbs water 100ml light coconut milk 3 garlic cloves, crushed Baby coriander leaves, to serve Lime cheeks, to serve

Instructions In a bowl, Combine the prawns, chilli, coriander, lime juice and 1 tbs of the oil. Cover and set aside.

Step 2 Heat 1 tbs of the oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Sauté the onions, stirring, for 2 minutes or until soft. Stir in corn for 2 minutes or until it starts to soften. Season. Reduce heat to low. Stir in water. Cook, covered, for 3 minutes. Stir in coconut milk. Cook, covered, for 2 minutes or until corn is tender. Cool for 5 minutes. Process in a food processor until a puree forms.

Step 3 Heat remaining oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook prawns, turning, for 2 minutes or until prawns change colour. Add garlic to pan and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until aromatic and prawns are just cooked through. Season.

Step 4 Divide puree among plates. Top with prawns and pan juices. Sprinkle with coriander. Serve with lime cheeks.

Charmaine Ramalope-Makhubela AKA GlamFoodie has made a name for herself in South Africa’s culinary scene as a food blogger and influencer. In 2019 she also ventured into mainstream media and (despite not having any formal chef training) placed second on SABC3’s reality cooking programme, The Taste Master SA.

of the month chef

Bubbly, bold and on top of her game NICOLA EKSTEEN Nicola Eksteen is a woman with a heart full of love for all things food related. Her impeccable passion is infectious, and her bubbly personality will light up any room. W e sat down outside of the gorgeous Cape-Dutch style building that is home to the Prue Leith Chefs Academy and Restaurant. Nicola’s extreme passion about her work was evident from the moment she sat down - proudly wearing her chef ’s jacket and hat. She describes herself as food-obsessed but admits that it’s all the naughties like chocolate, pastries and cakes that are her forte. She completed her studies at the National Hotel School and later went on to specialise in Patisserie. She now works as Prue Leith’s Group Executive Chef and loves every moment of it! She reaches for the stars by also working as a lecturer, managing the restaurant, planning menus and running events. her horizons and enrich her career by travelling to other countries to learn from other chefs and to experience other cultures’ eating habits. The week leading up to Valentine’s Day will be one of the most special times of her life as she will meet one of her heroes, Prue Leith herself, as she is celebrating her 80th birthday at the Academy. When all the hype is over, she will make her husband his favourite dish for a belated Valentine’s celebration: Taglierini pasta with seafood and for dessert a Crème Brûlée.

Nicola’s vision for her food art is clean and uncomplicated. Prue Leith’s menu is compiled meticulously, and it is important to her to include sustainable practices, to focus on organic ingredients and to showcase South Africa’s diverse eating cultures. This takes attentive planning, but the end result is a menu filled with a vast array of harmonious elements.

One of her fondest memories is working under chef Emmanuel Boscherel at the Marco Beach Ocean Resort in the Gulf of Mexico. She draws inspiration from chefs from all over the world, but especially Valrhona chefs from France, Spain and Dubai as she works so closely with them on a weekly basis.

Hello Pretoria • February 2020 • www.hellopretoria.co.za 22 Her future plans include taking the pastry industry in South Africa to a new level. She will never step away from cooking and hopes to broaden Prue Leith Chefs Academy prides themselves by being part of the Slow Food Movement. Sustainability is extremely important to them and supporting the heritage of South African culture. Prue Leith is not only a restaurant but an academy where aspiring chefs can thrive by embodying their cooking style and finding their niche. We can see why Nicola shines with pride.

Prue Leith is open to the public every Wednesday to Saturday evening and diners can look forward to a restaurant revamp in the near future. 262 Rhino Ave, Hennopspark, Centurion m 012 654 5203 k info@prueleith.co.za 1 www.prueleith.co.za Words Carli Manser Images Supplied.

HOTSPOTS:

CUPOCAFE Coffee Bar

Calling all coffee lovers! Searching for your coffee spot of the month? Well, look no further. We found it!

CupoCafe Coffee Bar, situated in Sefako Makgatho Drive is not your normal coffee shop. Don’t get us wrong, though. Here your coffee expectations will certainly be met and probably be exceeded. This coffee shop does things with a twist. They care about the person behind the coffee cup. They want you to come to their coffee shop as a place of comfort - where you can have your meetings in peace and also where you can bring your partner for a romantic breakfast.

The interior is a blend of rustic elements and provides a warm atmosphere while the smell of pastries and coffee lingers in the air.

On the 15th of February they will launch their very first Coffee Theatre, which will demonstrate coffee brewing and where you can indulge in coffee tasters from all around the globe.

The owners, Theo and Melissa, have open hearts and are part of the BTG Movement in Pretoria, serving the underprivileged. So, for your next journey to the perfect cup of coffee, make a stop here and be wowed with the perfect roast and a yummy treat of your choice.

CupoCafe has an online shop where you can purchase your favourite brew to enjoy at home!

Paul’s Homemade Ice-Cream

It’s blazing hot and Pretoria has reached temperatures of up to 37°C during December. What better way to cool down than with a specially made small-batch ice-cream, consisting of only the finest, high-quality ingredients?

With their recently opened store at The Grove Mall in Lynnwood, customers have been flocking to Paul’s Homemade Ice-Cream to get a taste of its exquisiteness. Every flavour is made in small batches, with fresh milk, full cream, eggs and sugar, containing no synthetic additives or nasty chemicals. For us, that makes it an absolute guilt-free treat!

Their store is every Instagrammer’s dream. With its modern décor of rose-gold, midnight blue and touches of greenery, you’ll feel right at home. The owner and her team are sweethearts and they went out of their way to make sure that we were happy with our flavour of choice.

Paul’s Homemade Ice Cream has eight standard flavours to choose from and every new month comes with a new flavour of the month.

Tried and Tested: We tasted the Choc Nutella Oreo and goodness, we’ll definitely be back for more!

Visit Paul’s Ice-Cream and be ready to explore a world of decadence.

Fun Fact: Paul’s Homemade Ice-Cream has a club that you can join. Just imagine opening that mouth-watering package every month!

PARK ACOUSTICS This monthly live music festival in the outdoors is every muso’s dream. On the 2nd of February, Park Acoustics will be hosting a kick-ass line-up at Fort Schanskop, Voortrekker Monument. You can expect to see Desmond and the Tutus, Early B, legendary Koos Kombuis, Hellcats, Southern Gypsey Queen and Deep Fried Man, amongst others. So, unite all lovers of indie, folk, blues rock and rap, for this will be a magnificent show. . Cost: R185 pp, R15 per vehicle 1 www.parkacoustics.co.za

CLIMBING BARN Instead of doing the traditional dinner and a movie, why don’t you take your Valentine for a challenging climb? You can burn between 500 and 900 calories and this creative date idea would knock the socks right off your partner! Whether you are a newbie or a pro, there is always a trainer to show you the ropes at the Climbing Barn. At only R100 per person, you can even go grab a bite afterwards. Cost: R100 1 www.climbingbarn.co.za

BLUE CRANE RESTAURANT Just imagine: You’re sitting on the wooden balcony, overlooking the lake where you can spot a variety of bird species. You’re sipping on an ice-cold fruit cocktail and every so often you look into your loved one’s eyes, whilst indulging in rainbow trout and a meze platter. Sound like your ideal date? Then you have no other choice but to visit the Blue Crane restaurant, situated in Nieuw Muckleneuk. Cost: Approximately R400 for two 1 ww.bluecranerestaurant.co.za

THE HAZEL FOOD MARKET The Hazel Food Market in Menlo Park offers a vibrant Saturday morning, filled with the most delicious dishes and finger foods that will send all self-proclaimed foodies to cloud nine. Artisanal breads, cured meats, kombucha and worldrenowned Turkish coffee - here you will find something to tantalize your taste buds. Entry is free. For all the night-owls: keep an eye on their Facebook page, as they also often boast spirited night markets. Cost: Free E @hazelfoodmarket