#WINEderland returns to Pretoria

The TOPS at SPAR Wine Show WINEds its way to Pretoria.

Head on out to Menlyn Park Shopping Centre from 3 to 5 October for a dazzling 'POURformance' of some of SA's best wine.

So what I love about this show, is that it really offers something for every wine-lover - from novice to aficionado. So you can really take a stroll & I guarantee there will be something happening that's going to not only tickle your tastebuds, but you also may just learn something more about wine that you didn't know at the interactive wine theatres. The #SAWineShowcase Theatre, that is presented by Jon Meinking, is always a treat, you'll find me seated in that theatre on Thursday eve!

There is a variety of tickets available from www.wineshow.co.za

General Admission - R185

Couples Combo - R385

Weekend Pass - R280

All tickets includes your tasting glass, show guide & access to the wine theatres & unlimited tastings!

Couples Combo - double up on the above & add a 6-pack of glasses (valued at R570).

Weekend Pass - gives you access on both Friday & Saturday.

Here comes the exciting part! 

I've got 2 sets of 4 tickets to give away. Yes, that means you & 3 friends will be able to visit The Wine Show at Menlyn Park Shopping Centre on Thursday - 3 October. 

How to enter:

1. Like As Seen By Lloyd & Tops at SPAR on Facebook.

2. Share the Competition Post on Facebook or Twitter using #WINEderland.

3. Tag your 3 friends that will be wining it up with you. 

T&C's apply. 

Winners will be announced 30 September. 

Granita @ Kievits Kroon - #FairCityEscape

The dinner at Granita out at Kievits Kroon was just that good, I decided it needed it's own post.

Just FYI. If you want to go eat here, you definitely need to make a reservation. They are usually fully booked well in advance. (That, in itself, already tells you something.)

Amuse Bouche - Cucumber with an Avocado Salsa

Starter - Poached chicken galantine, stuffed with chicken liver and giblet farce served with cauliflower purée.

Soup - Chef's Choice: Curry Vegetable

Fish - Ravioli of duck confit served with pan-fried prawn and prawn bisque.

Sorbet - Chef's Choice: Green Apple & Lime

Main - Grilled beef fillet with braised oxtail & textures of onions.

Dessert - Traditional baked malva pudding served with a citrus crème anglaise.

The food was full of flavour & cooked to perfection. No wonder this restaurant is always fully booked. 

Now who doesn't love a good glass of wine? Right? An absolutely exquisite range of wines are available on the wine list. But I opted for the wine pairing with my dinner. 

1st up... Overgaauw, 2014 Sauvignon Blanc.

Tropical aromas, lime zest & green apples. Balanced with a nice minerality coming through on the palate.

2nd... Haute Cabrière, 2017 Chardonnay Pinot Noir

Full of fresh zesty fruit, especially white peach. A balanced & delectable full mouth feel.

3rd... Kievits Kroon Merlot

Their very own wine label & is only available at Kievits Kroon. A full bodied red full of red berries & plums.

4th... Thelema, 2014 Vin de Hel Muscat Late Harvest

Light golden dessert wine with a floral perfume & is complimented by undertones of honey & citrus. 

What an experience. Definitely one of the best dining experiences that I have had in a long time. Top class food. Top class wine. Top class service. 

It comes highly recommended in my opinion.

#FairCityEscape

Kievits Kroon - #FairCityEscape

A lil piece of Franschhoek right here in Pretoria. That's the way I've decided to describe Kievits Kroon. Rightly so, as it has been acknowledged as "the Winelands in Gauteng" due to the Cape Dutch-style architecture. And only a quick 20min drive from the Menlyn area makes it so accessible.

Kievits Kroon is situated on a tranquil 16-hectare country estate & has offerings for the whole family, provided that they are over 14 years old. (Also in my mind, making it a perfect romantic getaway destination.)

Upon arrival on the estate, you travel through an avenue of trees that stretch out, and at the end, you can see some of the old Cape Dutch styled buildings peeking through. I was pretty much blown away at how beautiful this estate is. Long stretching lawns of green grass & bright white buildings. I immediately forgot that I was still in Pretoria as I felt like I was down in Franschhoek.

One thing that I love when checking in at any hotel, is when you are treated like a VIP & as if you are their most important guest. To top that off, you are ushered to the 41 Library Bar for a welcoming drink of your choice. Much to my surprise, they already had a glass of bubbly waiting for me. (Bonus Point.)

A quick drive down to my room.

So, Kievits Kroon is know for their luxurious accommodation. And they sure did not disappoint. 

Modern, sophisticated, yet homely large rooms that have all the luxury necessities that you would need. (I spot more bubbly on ice out of the corner of my eye... Yay!)

Off I ventured to the chill next to the pool & grab a bite to eat. The menu next to the pool has bits of everything on & will definitely cater for pretty much anything you feel like when you are peckish. 

It's calm & quiet. A perfect place to relax & read a book or just sip on a G&T with some mates as the afternoon unfolds.

Right, so the dinner. You won't find anything in this article about my visit to Granita for dinner. And no, it's not because I don't want to mention it. It's because it was that great that it needs its very own article.

I was blown away. Check out my dinner experience at Granita here.

Anyway; so after dinner, feeling very full, off I wander back to the room & once I walk in, I find that the room has been turned down & it's a beautiful romantic setting.

I mean, how cute....

What a great night rest. You know, when the bedding is just so soft & silky & comfortable. You end up in dreamland the moment you get in that bed. 

So the property has 142 luxury en-suite rooms, all with TV & complimentary WiFi. (The only problem I experienced over my entire stay, was that the WiFi wouldn't connect everywhere on the property. But lets be honest, when you are surrounded by such a beautiful setting, you don't need to be connected 24/7.)

All in all. What an incredible stay. 

Check out their website: www.kievitskroon.co.za

And if you want to see more of what I got up to, check out #FairCityEscape.

#BrooklynBubbles

The BUBBLES are back in BROOKLYN

The hugely successful and highly anticipated Brooklyn Bubbles returns to Pretoria in 2017, but this time over a two days period - Friday, March 3, and Saturday, March 4.

This bubbly festival features more than 20 of South Africa’s finest Methodé Cap Classiques as well as Champagnes from France.
Bubbles to be sampled include:
Avondale,
Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte,
Charles Fox,
Domaine des Dieux,
Champagne Taittinger,
Luc Belaire,
Villiera,
Montpellier de Tulbagh,
Genevieve MCC, 
Paul Rene.

Live music, sushi, oysters, charcuterie & a choice of local and imported cheeses add the final touch to what is promised to be a social calendar highlight. (I know last year was!)

Tickets to the VIP event on the Friday are R 600 which include bubbly & food.
On Saturday, tickets cost R 300 per person & include entry to the event, a complimentary tasting glass & 15 tasting coupons.

Venue: Brooklyn Mall (In a marquee next to Tashas off Veale Street)

Date:
- Friday, March 3, from 18h00 to 22h00
- Saturday, March 4 from 12h00 to 17h00
 
Booking on www.webtickets.co.za

Follow the hype on Social media: #BrooklynBubbles & join in on the fun!

Harissa Bistro

A Hidden Gem... 

Recently discovered this little gem of a restaurant in Waterkloof at The Club Centre. Harissa Bistro, is actually a sister restaurant of The Green Peppercorn in Johannesburg. They too serve tasting plates. (I love this idea of dining. This way, you are able to get a good serving size of more than just one of their dishes and you are able to taste a variety of meals in one sitting.)

I decided to treat myself one Friday evening to a dinner-for-one and totally by chance 2 of my close friends had also made reservations for the same time and we had actually been seated next to each other and so my dinner-for-one turned into a intimate dinner with friends.

So, Harissa Bistro, does not have an actual wine list that you choose your wine from. They have an actual wine display in the restaurant where you can walk in and look at the wines, read the labels and check pricing. It is quite the pleasant experience as the sommelier really know his wines and the finer details. I had explained to him that I was in the mood for a red wine, that is not heavy and has a nice creamy finish to it. Immediately he pointed out 3 wines that he suggested that I consider. Eventually I opted for the Almenkerk Lace Vineyard Blend. This is a Syrah, Merlot, Cab Franc, Cab Sauv & Viognier blend that is aged for 23 months in French barriques coming from the Elgin region.

Our server brought out some fresh bread and a hummus dip to tease our taste buds whilst we had a look at the electronic menu. 

I decided on the tasting plate starter. 
- Beef Bobotie Samosa 
- Chilli Salt Squid (they were my favourite on this plate.)
- Goats Cheese Bouche (basically puff pastry with a great mix of goats cheese, beetroot & carmelised onions.

My friends opted for:
- Lamb Ribbetjie. This lamb has been marinated in a beer and marmite mixture that had me picking off of his plate with some of the butternut polenta. 

- Crab Briyani. As soon as this dish came out of the kitchen and I smelled it, I was jealous. The smell of the coconut milk is incredible. Mozambican Crab, Prawns and Mussels served with Basmati rice.

I again decided to try the tasting plate. Beef fillet served 3 ways.

My new thing is have a side salad with meals, instead of fries. (You know, the 'healthy' option...) Lots of Feta. Just that made me happy already. Really fresh ingredients and everything still had that crunchy freshness to them.

So. It was time for dessert and honestly, I had already eaten so much and I kind of figured I was going to regret having dessert. But something told me I just need to try the Chocolate Fondant with Amarula Custard & Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream. Wow... Lets just say I most certainly did not regret anything after having this. Lets start with the Ice Cream. It is freshly made and it still has some of the vanilla pod scrapings in the ice cream. So nice, light & creamy at the same time. The coffee chocolate Fondant. It should be a death by chocolate, so I couldn't finish all of that. The centre wasn't entirely molten as I had hoped it would be though.

BUT. Now... To tell you about this Amarula Custard. It will blow your mind. The texture of Caramel Treat. The taste of heaven. It would melt in your mouth and as it spread, you would taste the different flavours of the custard & Amarula. It is probably the best dessert that I have had in a while.

#FijnWyn