Breakfast in the city

It’s grey and wet in Jozi and I couldn’t be happier. There’s something about the rain that just makes me want to play my favourite jazz CD and have all the comfort food my heart desires. This is a recipe for disaster given that I really have very little self control or restraint when it comes to matters of the gut.

This awesome weather made my weekend interesting – breakfast-wise. This morning started off with a trip to my local Wimpy for a good old bacon, cheese and egg sandwich. It was all washed down with coffee. Dessert [yes, I have dessert at breakfast too] was warm malva pudding with rum and raisin ice cream IN BED. I lasted about 20 minutes and then went back to sleep. It was after midday when I eventually regained consciousness in the fetal position – clearly feeling the joy even in lala land.

Saturday morning was no different either. My food buddy and I have been talking about indulging in the classic kasi meal for a while but never really got around to doing it until then. We took a trip to Diepkloof in Soweto and bought the holy trinity – amagwinya [otherwise known as vetkoek], salted snoek fish and greasy chips. We added achar [mango pickle] and ham to the mix to give it an exotic feel. J The perfect way to have this is to break the vetkoek in half and fill it with the fish, chips, ham and achar – like a sandwich. There was so much grease in each bite that I could almost feel my arteries vibrating in protest. [I’ve got it all on camera but am too embarrassed to share the pictures for fear of judgment and permanent reputational damage]. We took a nap after that – pure joy.

Friday’s breakfast was far sexier and more respectable. My colleagues and I went to the Slow lounge across the way from the Gautrain station in Sandton. The lounge is called Slow in the city and is a members-only luxury that was created for people on the go. [It boasts showers, conference room facilities and an awesome restaurant. You can have your meetings, check your emails, shower, eat, think and maybe even save the world while waiting for your next flight to somewhere important. The décor is stunning and even has an organic wall - plants grow out of the wall and they get watered twice a day – quite something really]. Anyway, we ordered breakfast and it was fabulous – presentation and all. I had eggs Benedict on a bagel with hollandaise sauce, caviar and a balsamic vinegar reduction. I really wanted to clap after that meal – heaven on a plate. And this is what it looked like...