Take care out there

New kids on the block

Buck the order-in trend with flavours conjured up at these tasty culinary newcomers

Meet the dumplings

Dumpling is a catch-all for a family of wrapped or pocket-style morsels originating in China. Dim sum, a Cantonese invention, are typically made with rice flour and served in bamboo steamers. Those fan-shaped dumplings (also called pot-stickers) are called jiaozi. Wontons are the round dumplings with a thin pastry wrapper. Baozi, or bao, are yeast-leavened (usually steamed) buns and can be stuffed with almost anything, pork being most popular.

In the eye of the beholder

At the V&A Waterfront Food Market, The Ugly Dumpling has ‘cult food experience’ written all over it – chef Sepial Shim serves up all kinds of fresh dumplings and bao buns for takeaway (and delivery). While the traditional pork dumplings are evergreen favourites, Sepial has a knack for experimenting with available ingredients and coming up with frankly enthralling combinations (Pak-choi and prawn? Yes, please! Calamari and spring onion? Absolutely!), plus she does fried mushroom dumplings, Korean-style fried chicken bao (like little chicken burgers), pork katsu, chicken wonton soup, and maybe a fresh seaweed and cucumber salad. uglydumplingza.com

Rise and shine

Morning Glory in Parkwood is basically the golden retriever of Joburg coffee shops – easy on the eye and destined to always make you feel warm and fuzzy. Of course, here the comforts are caffeine-related, and instead of golden blonde, you’re in for lots of white subway tiles offset by pastel pink. Plus, breakfasts to kick-start your day just the way a hug from a doe-eyed dog might do. morning-glory-cafe.com

Table for one?

Look, we get it, everyone has their thing. You don’t do carbs because Tim said ‘No!’ and that yoga instructor you follow on Instagram has taken you to the edge of veganism, while your trainer at the gym is all keto-to-the-max. Well, at Nadia Singh’s Bespokery in Parkview you can pick a different dietary disposition for every day of the week. They are here to cater to the fussy, the strict, and the intolerant, and everyone walks out feeling satisfied by chef Michael Hibbins’s food, no matter how bespoke your eating habits. bespokery.co.za

Art of the view

If you’re in Durban, head north to Umhlanga’s Danté for instant holiday vibes thanks to the tropical views through large picture windows. Plus, there’s a matching atmosphere inside of year-round beach-bum celebratory magic spread across three floors of varying degrees of elegance and fun. Each space affords a slightly different hit – so whether you want to be around cigar smokers, spirits sippers or the languid lunch crowd, there’s a spot catering to your prevailing mood. There’s a gin garden, too and another bar on the roof – views and a dreamy crowd will follow you around. Also, importantly, there is head chef Kyle Govender’s kitchen expertise – applied to the likes of his surf-and-turf espetada (linefish, prawns, and 30-day aged beef skewered and served with house-cut chips, roasted garlic and seaweed butter). thedanteexperience.co.za

Words: Keith Bain, Pictures: Supplied

Embark for adventure

In Parkhurst, Embarc affords ‘fine dining’ sans pretence. The menu has hints of decadence but the flavours (pork belly served with polenta; ostrich fillet with Malay pumpkin wontons) are down to earth. Sweets? If you’re at all adventurous, you’ll need to try the onion caramel tart with blue cheese ice cream at least once. embarcrestaurantza.com

Swish, savvy, Swedish

A Swedish chef named Jesper and a sommelier named Mario. Put them together in this chic space on Kloof Street, and the result is ëlgr, a place of serious culinary spoils. You cannot go wrong. elgr.co.za

Keep on turning

Proud Mary in Rosebank, Joburg, turns heads with its bold colours, rich fabrics, wood and brass, but it’s the food by onetime Jamie Oliver HQ chef, Christo Nortier, that really makes Mary proud. Order several small plates to share: tender sticky pork belly with teriyaki, perhaps prawns in XO butter. Something slightly bigger? The porchetta – oven-roasted pork belly stuffed with pistachio and mortadella – is a favourite. Plus, epic breakfasts like the spread below. From zhooshed-up beans-on-toast, to green shakshuka, or a good old ‘Proud English’ breakfast, nothing here is average. proudmary.co.za

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EXPLORE

Here. There. Everywhere.

Jackass symPHOny?

Ultimate penguin lookout!

Pampered to within an inch of your life…

Epic breakfasts with dizzying sea views, cushy sofas in dreamy lounges, a heated plunge pool… Plus, the plushest linens, perfectly contouring pillows and bathrobes that’ll stave off the cruellest cold of the coming winter. And, should you leave your windows open, you’ll be serenaded by the mellifluous sound of the sea, and the vaguely perceptible braying of donkeys… Wait! What? Uh, no, scratch that. They’re not donkeys, they’re jackass penguins, or – more accurately – African penguins. Tintswalo Boulders, a gorgeous luxury guesthouse in Simon’s Town, overlooks their protected colony at Foxy Beach, setting you just metres from the shore. All through 2021, they’re offering a twonight Marine Exploration package, with snorkelling and kayaking among other inclusions; read more about the guesthouse and the adventure on page 23.

Designer digs in Jozi 17 How wild can you go? 37 PLUS Spa daze 31

LILIAN LOFTS WELCOMES YOU

Lilian Lofts, in the heart of Johannesburg’s CBD, is a contemporary hotel committed to delivering excellent personal service

Lilian Lofts offers superb luxury modern contemporary loft-style accommodation. The executive apartments are fitted with all the comforts of a modern hotel. Lilian Lofts is focused on service and tailor-made packages to accommodate all travellers’ requirements.

Centrally situated in the heart of Fordsburg with Newtown, Braamfontein and Mayfair within walking distance, the hotel’s location is perfect. Its proximity to the Oriental Plaza and China City makes it an ideal choice of accommodation for travellers, wholesalers and business people. Fordsburg is a multicultural suburb filled with a wealth of history, offering visitors a truly special experience.

FEATURES

• Wi-Fi • Spa • 16 two-bedroom self-catering rooms • 6 twin rooms • 7 loft units • 12 one-bedroom apartments • Portuguese Restaurant • Conference venue

• Tours and transfers • 30 min to O R Tambo International Airport

ATTRACTIONS

• Apartheid Museum • Cultural Attractions • Local Oriental dining experience • Arts on Main

ContaCt: LiLian Lofts

48 Lilian Road, Fordsburg, Johannesburg 010 109 7788 Cell: 076 202 1450 info@lilianlofts.africa www.lilianlofts.com

SHOPPING

• Dragon City • China City • The Oriental Plaza • Fordsburg Flea Market

ENTERTAINMENT

• Joburg Theatre • Gold Reef City • The Orbit Jazz Club • Township Tours