Cullinary Adventure with Zomato at Kream

#ZomatoXKream

So for as long as I can remember, everyone has raved about just how amazing Kream, the restaurant in Brooklyn is, and just how great the food and the experience that they have had there is. Until recently, I was just one of those that had only ever heard about going to this restaurant. Now I can actually give you some feedback about it and what I thought about my dinner experience there. 

Arriving at a plainly set table with candles to provide light and a napkin to fold over your lap and beautiful wine & water glasses. (I am a sucker for a beautiful glass.) Our server immediately asked if we would like to enjoy a glass of water whilst we wait, and so she poured sparkling water for the table. 

1st up was some fresh bread served with a range of condiments. Butter. Biltong Butter. Olive Tapenade. Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar. Just a small snack to nibble on whilst we wait. I must just add, the Biltong Butter is really good.

Entree - Salmon Tartar, Cucumber ribbons. Red onion & Coriander salsa. Served with crisp Tortillas and Coriander Oil. A wonderful taste of freshly, finely chopped salmon with crispy salsa are a wonderful mix of textures served on this plate. Where the coriander salsa & oil give the dish the perfect bit of flavouring. This dish was best paired with Circle of Life, a White Wine Blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc & Semillon from Waterkloof Wines.

Oh! And to clean the palate, a dollop of fresh strawberry sorbet is served between all meals! YUM... I could eat just that for dessert too!

Starter - Sesame marinated Mussels served in a creamy Crayfish Bisque with Fenne & Nori. I know that a lot of people do not eat mussels because they do not enjoy that 'sea/fishy' taste. Well with this dish, there is none of that. A perfectly soft cooked mussel in a sauce that bursts with flavours with every bite you take. Don't expect a white wine sauce. It is just so much better. This dish was paired with a Chardonnay from Bartinney wine estate. Which was amazing as the Chardonnay just compliments the seafood so well.

Main - Ostrich Fillet medallions with a Bourguignon style sauce served with a crispy Fondant Potato and braised fresh Spring Onion. Wow. What a dish. Beautifully cooked Ostrich Fillet. Perfectly tender. I generally won't  order a steak of any kind at a restaurant, since I do believe that I can prepare a steak exactly the way that I like it. And I prefer Ostrich meat above other red meats and I was thoroughly impressed with this dish. The crispy potato! Damn. It was good. I do have one suggestion on this dish; add another potato! Red meat paired with a glass of my favourite red wine, a Malbec. This red wine came from Chateau Lagrezette called 'The Original Malbec.' A perfectly dark and creamy red wine that doesn't leave your mouth dry after just a sip.

Dessert - Christmas Candy Crush; Caramelised Popcorn, Gingerbread Gelato all sprinkled with crushed Candy Cane, served alongside a multi layered Cheesecake, topped with Candy Floss. Just read that again. WOW. What I loved with this dessert, was the presentation. It was such a pretty dessert to look at. And once you start eating, it just gets even better. A fridge cheesecake that is just like the one that my aunt makes, which is the best thing since always. The candy floss adds a sweet sensation in your mouth after having a mouthful of cheesecake. At first I was slightly unsure of the Gingerbread Gelato, I am not the biggest fan of ginger, but to my surprise, it actually tasted like a ginger biscuit. Not like vanilla ice cream that has a ginger biscuit crushed in, but the gelato is smooth and actually tastes like a proper ginger biscuit. Now who doesn't love some caramelised popcorn? Just to add to it, the perfect something to add some more texture to the plate.

A word on our fantastic servers. That is just it. They were fantastic and extremely friendly at all times and were not in our faces too much to ask to clear the table or if we needed more wine. If they saw your wine glass on the empty side, they would silently fill it up before you having to ask.

The restaurant has exquisite African decor, and with the high ceilings, it is the perfect place for the stunning and thought provoking art pieces that are to be seen.

I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone and everyone wanting to not just have another dinner, but a culinary adventure & experience!

#SAFW - Rogue Wear

#SAFW Menswear Scouting brought some new designers to light on the runway this season. Winner Henni de Kock, designer of Rogue Wear, ensured that his runway collection was well made and executed. Another designer making use of the monochromatic palate of greys and black with a lot of different fabrics and textures.

Very glad to see more coats and cloaks on the runway this season in this collection. It is most definitely something that will fast become a very big trend in menswear in our country. That also depends on the market. Although I do think that this is most definitely a very 'wearable' range and that is probably why I like it so much.

Almost futuristic in a way, yet combining classic designs, this range sure had a bit of an air of mystery around it as it made its way down the runway.

Get in contact with Henni de Kock at Rogue Wear - 

Twitter: @Rogue_Wear

Facebook: Rogue

Website: www.rogue-wear,com

Photos courtesy of SDR Photo and available here.

#SAFW - AGEO

Ageo by Arnold Phasha, it was like a 50 Shades of Blue  #AW 16 range. Blue on Blue.

And it was perfectly cohesive and worked so well for him with these garments. With a variety of fabrics and textures that complimented each other in every piece it really stood out as one of my favourite shows at #SAFW.

There are definitely a few of these items that I want to add to my own wardrobe for next year. From jumpsuits & satin pants to coats without collars & a few mesh pieces.

Androgyny. It's a real thing. Well I know that and it is evident in a lot of designers recent collections. More so in menswear lately and clearly evident in this unisex range from AGEO. 

Find Arnold Phasha and AGEO online:

Twitter: @ageoalamode

Facebook: Ageo by Arnold Phasha

Photos courtesy of SDR Photo and available here. 

#SAFW - JJ Schoeman

When you hear the name JJ Schoeman, you probably think of glitzy red carpet dresses worn by celebrities and high profile business women around the globe. So when I sat down before his #AW16 collection was to take to the runway at #SAFW, I was expecting mostly glamarous ballgowns studded with beading. Well, lets just say that what I was expecting, is not what came down the runway. 

JJ Schoeman proved that simplicity is the key to a very successful collection. This range was completed with a monochromatic palate of greys, blacks and neutrals.

 

 

 

   

Trend Analyst Nicola Cooper (one smart lady that really knows her stuff) spotted these coming trends before they hit the runway. The 'glocal' interpretations that she spoke about on the FashionLabAF radio show during her trend report. Coats & Cloaks in Mono Moods are pretty evident in JJ Schoeman's #AW16 collection as seen below.

 

Oh! Something that I really liked, was that all the models had the exact same hairstyle, done up by hairstylist Wesley Gordon. This one constant element ensured that you are not distracted by the models' hair and stay focused on his elegant and sophisticated garments on the runway.

 

 

A general trend that I did see in many of the #AW16 collections on the #SAFW runway was the women's wear designers using a lot of black in their collections as seen here in JJ Schoeman's chic range, adding some darker shades to the runway. Black Leather. Black Lace. Black Velvet. All of these made their way down the runway at some point over the course of #SAFW.

 

And what is a JJ Schoeman show without the glitz and glam. His range ended with this stunning slim evening gown complete with all the sparkle and a extravagant head piece. 

Find JJ Schoeman on social media - 
Twitter: @JJSchoeman
Facebook: JJ Schoeman - Theatre of Fashion
Website: www.jjschoeman.com

Photo's courtesy of SDR Photo & available here.