South African Restaurant [Food/Vendor]
2011 Feb 23
I'm not sure you would find a South African restaurant in Ottawa or in Canada for that matter. South African food is not very exciting, however there are a few amazing dishes. It's a mishmash of English, Dutch and Indian foods.
Of mention is Boervors (which is a lean beef sausage)
Dryvors (dry beef sausage)
Bunny Chow - Curry in a Breadbowl instead of roti
bobotie curry - Which is like curry and rice (yellow rice + raisins added)
Pap and Sauce - which is a savory cornmeal porridge thing with spicy tomato sauce
Anything that can be Brai'd (a brai is the Afrikans term for BBQ) would be South African aswell. South African’s also love lamb. There is a special lamb in South Africa which is by far the tastiest one can get. I forget its name, but they feed on a specific herb native to South Africa which infuses taste into their flesh.
You can get recipes for bunny chow, bobotie and pap and sauce online.
If you are looking for awesome South Africaness, you HAVE to try Biltong. It is far superior to ANY beef jerky one can get anywhere. It is what the vortrekkers (the original Dutch settlers) lived off of while they were trekking through the Transvaal up to Johannesburg/Pretoria area. It has a complex blend of spices and is very lean.
You can find boervors and Biltong (either in sticks, or shaved)at Saslov's meat. They also have REAL South African 'freshpack' Roiboss tea (not the crap that is currently being called ‘red tea’), and Mrs. Balls Chutney (which is a staple South African condiment)
I actually have to pick up some boervors and biltong, so I'll post pictures in the saslov file sometime this week.
I know all this because my mother is 5 generations South African and I was born there. (Although I have been in Canada most of my life).
Of mention is Boervors (which is a lean beef sausage)
Dryvors (dry beef sausage)
Bunny Chow - Curry in a Breadbowl instead of roti
bobotie curry - Which is like curry and rice (yellow rice + raisins added)
Pap and Sauce - which is a savory cornmeal porridge thing with spicy tomato sauce
Anything that can be Brai'd (a brai is the Afrikans term for BBQ) would be South African aswell. South African’s also love lamb. There is a special lamb in South Africa which is by far the tastiest one can get. I forget its name, but they feed on a specific herb native to South Africa which infuses taste into their flesh.
You can get recipes for bunny chow, bobotie and pap and sauce online.
If you are looking for awesome South Africaness, you HAVE to try Biltong. It is far superior to ANY beef jerky one can get anywhere. It is what the vortrekkers (the original Dutch settlers) lived off of while they were trekking through the Transvaal up to Johannesburg/Pretoria area. It has a complex blend of spices and is very lean.
You can find boervors and Biltong (either in sticks, or shaved)at Saslov's meat. They also have REAL South African 'freshpack' Roiboss tea (not the crap that is currently being called ‘red tea’), and Mrs. Balls Chutney (which is a staple South African condiment)
I actually have to pick up some boervors and biltong, so I'll post pictures in the saslov file sometime this week.
I know all this because my mother is 5 generations South African and I was born there. (Although I have been in Canada most of my life).
2011 Feb 23
You might also want to try the International Pavillion at the Tulip Festival next May. I'm pretty sure I saw a South Africa booth at last year's festival: Forum - International Food Pavilion at the Tulip Festival And a complete listing of vendors that were there the year before: Forum - 2009 Tulip Festival
I love going to the International Pavillion for the unique culinary offerings from around the world. They often serve dishes that are new to me and I like to use the opportunity to expand my culinary horizons.
I love going to the International Pavillion for the unique culinary offerings from around the world. They often serve dishes that are new to me and I like to use the opportunity to expand my culinary horizons.
2011 Feb 23
I can't believe I forgot. Sure it's not 'south african' food per say, but NANDO's is a South African chain restaurant. Piri Piri is big in South Africa - due to the Portuguese immigration of yester year. You are bound to find something South African inspired at Nando's. Although the last time I was at Nando's was in South Africa, so I cannot comment on the Ottawa location.
FYI - watch some South African Nando's tv commercials on youtube - they are very controversial and funny. Very much like Russell Peters jokes - almost offensive but not.
Ps. I just returned from Saslovs with some Biltong and Boervors. I'll post pics later this evening. I even picked up Piri Piri Biltong.. Yum - it puts slimjim (dogfood) to shame.
FYI - watch some South African Nando's tv commercials on youtube - they are very controversial and funny. Very much like Russell Peters jokes - almost offensive but not.
Ps. I just returned from Saslovs with some Biltong and Boervors. I'll post pics later this evening. I even picked up Piri Piri Biltong.. Yum - it puts slimjim (dogfood) to shame.
2011 Feb 24
Here is a picture of two types of biltong you can get at Saslov.
These are made by a South African Butcher in Oakville - called florence meats (Oakville has a large SA community). It was a Saturday morning trip for my mother and I once a month. (we 'trekked' it out from brampton, ahah, pun intended).
Do a wikipedia search for the full details of what biltong is. It's essentially air dried beef with a particular blend of spices.
Pictured here are chili sticks (which are much harder to chew, but it's part of the fun. The key is to tear the meat with the grain and not against it.). The other picture is of shaved biltong. It is quite thin and very easy to eat - no crazy chewing. They are both the same product, they are just cut differently. Well actually, these particular chili sticks are hot, and have piri piri added as a spice - however the meat is the same.
I also picked up the boervors, but it's wrapped up in butcher paper and frozen. So I'll post a pick when I cook some up. Unfortunately I don't have access to a BBQ, so it'll be pan 'braii' for me. Which is still great. The beauty of boervors is that it is only about 5 to 15% fat.
In terms of other South African food, I forgot to mention fat-cook also known a poempoon cookies. These are fried balls of dough, (squash or pumpkin based if i am not mistaken) that are served with Lyle's golden syrup. hmm hmm… this was a twice a year treat in my house, since it makes your house smell like a poutine shack, and it's probably a million calories.
Cheers...
These are made by a South African Butcher in Oakville - called florence meats (Oakville has a large SA community). It was a Saturday morning trip for my mother and I once a month. (we 'trekked' it out from brampton, ahah, pun intended).
Do a wikipedia search for the full details of what biltong is. It's essentially air dried beef with a particular blend of spices.
Pictured here are chili sticks (which are much harder to chew, but it's part of the fun. The key is to tear the meat with the grain and not against it.). The other picture is of shaved biltong. It is quite thin and very easy to eat - no crazy chewing. They are both the same product, they are just cut differently. Well actually, these particular chili sticks are hot, and have piri piri added as a spice - however the meat is the same.
I also picked up the boervors, but it's wrapped up in butcher paper and frozen. So I'll post a pick when I cook some up. Unfortunately I don't have access to a BBQ, so it'll be pan 'braii' for me. Which is still great. The beauty of boervors is that it is only about 5 to 15% fat.
In terms of other South African food, I forgot to mention fat-cook also known a poempoon cookies. These are fried balls of dough, (squash or pumpkin based if i am not mistaken) that are served with Lyle's golden syrup. hmm hmm… this was a twice a year treat in my house, since it makes your house smell like a poutine shack, and it's probably a million calories.
Cheers...
2011 Feb 24
Hey Andy. Yes my mom made malva pudding all the time. It is amazing with ice cream. Not familier with Boschendal Restaurant, but oprah did popularize the malva pudding with her South African special, so could it be that restaurant? I'm not sure.
Now that I'm thinking about it, there are quite a few South African dishes that are pretty awesome. On the whole however, South Africans eat very similarly to the English, bland and boring. Then again, while in South Africa, you can eat some of the most amazing game meats you can imagine.
I have had elephant, girraff, buffulo, wart hog and guini fowl.
I mentioned it above, but I urge you folks to try "authentic" roiboss tea. Essentially, all roiboss (even the blends and crappy versions you can get at loblaws or starbucks) come from South Africa since, it only grows in a very narrow area in the Cape region. You can get decent roiboss at Bridgehead, the Tea Shop or Teopea. But save your money, Saslov's carries the freshpack roiboss brand, which is the best rooiboss in my opinion. It doesn't need sugar (since it is naturally sweet), there is no caffeine (since it is a herb), it brews a nice golden red colour (similar to red pekoe), it’s not cut with caramel or licorice or some other abhorrent flavor, I have heard some studies say that roiboss is far superior to green tea in terms of anti-oxidants, and one can put milk and sugar in it and it becomes similar to black tea. It's essentially a naturally decaf tea, that has an interesting flavor. It is nothing like that standard herbal taste you get from your run of the mill herbal teas. As a baby, this stuff was put in my bottle, it's a good treatment for colic. It is also delicious to brew a pot of tea with one roiboss tea bag and one black or earl grey. It adds some awesome flavor to the tea.
Also, if you get a chance to explore the Toronto area, there is a lovely little South African store in Thornhill called Sedo Snax. All things South African, magazines all, can be picked up at Sedo. My mother even custom orders magazines, chocolates, and things from them. At Sedo, you can get Honeybush tea, which is another herb, that is very similar to roiboss – but has a few different notes. They also carry biltong from two different suppliers. And of course there is Florence meats in Oakville – however Florence is more a butcher that carries South African ingredients. It’s like a South African Saslov.
I guess you could say, that BBQ or Braai is a defining element to South African food. I think this is why good butchers like Saslov carry South African stuff.
Anyway, I should stop.
Now that I'm thinking about it, there are quite a few South African dishes that are pretty awesome. On the whole however, South Africans eat very similarly to the English, bland and boring. Then again, while in South Africa, you can eat some of the most amazing game meats you can imagine.
I have had elephant, girraff, buffulo, wart hog and guini fowl.
I mentioned it above, but I urge you folks to try "authentic" roiboss tea. Essentially, all roiboss (even the blends and crappy versions you can get at loblaws or starbucks) come from South Africa since, it only grows in a very narrow area in the Cape region. You can get decent roiboss at Bridgehead, the Tea Shop or Teopea. But save your money, Saslov's carries the freshpack roiboss brand, which is the best rooiboss in my opinion. It doesn't need sugar (since it is naturally sweet), there is no caffeine (since it is a herb), it brews a nice golden red colour (similar to red pekoe), it’s not cut with caramel or licorice or some other abhorrent flavor, I have heard some studies say that roiboss is far superior to green tea in terms of anti-oxidants, and one can put milk and sugar in it and it becomes similar to black tea. It's essentially a naturally decaf tea, that has an interesting flavor. It is nothing like that standard herbal taste you get from your run of the mill herbal teas. As a baby, this stuff was put in my bottle, it's a good treatment for colic. It is also delicious to brew a pot of tea with one roiboss tea bag and one black or earl grey. It adds some awesome flavor to the tea.
Also, if you get a chance to explore the Toronto area, there is a lovely little South African store in Thornhill called Sedo Snax. All things South African, magazines all, can be picked up at Sedo. My mother even custom orders magazines, chocolates, and things from them. At Sedo, you can get Honeybush tea, which is another herb, that is very similar to roiboss – but has a few different notes. They also carry biltong from two different suppliers. And of course there is Florence meats in Oakville – however Florence is more a butcher that carries South African ingredients. It’s like a South African Saslov.
I guess you could say, that BBQ or Braai is a defining element to South African food. I think this is why good butchers like Saslov carry South African stuff.
Anyway, I should stop.
2011 Feb 24
Believe it or not, look what I found,
a South African caterer here in Ottawa.
www.southafricanconnexion.ca
I checked out the website a little bit, and they didn't seem to have the unique South African dishes mentioned above save Boervors of course.
They do have Peri Peri chicken breast, lamb sosaties (which are kind of like spadini's) – which are unique-ish.
It's pretty much a BBQ caterer.. But as I said, Braii is quintessentially SA.. So I’d love to check this place out. The menu's here look like an average Saturday night BBQ at home in Toronto.
a South African caterer here in Ottawa.
www.southafricanconnexion.ca
I checked out the website a little bit, and they didn't seem to have the unique South African dishes mentioned above save Boervors of course.
They do have Peri Peri chicken breast, lamb sosaties (which are kind of like spadini's) – which are unique-ish.
It's pretty much a BBQ caterer.. But as I said, Braii is quintessentially SA.. So I’d love to check this place out. The menu's here look like an average Saturday night BBQ at home in Toronto.
missladi