I’m on a sushi mission at the moment. So while I’m testing I thought I’d help you guys out and compile a list of my favourite sushi specials. I’m not a huge fan of all you can eat sushi, mostly because I lack self control and don’t need an excuse to over eat but also because all you can eat usually means no sashimi and that’s the main reason for eating sushi in the first place. I’ve included my three top sushi specials based on what I think is the best quality for the price. There are a couple that are cheaper or more authentic but I keep going back to Salushi, Beluga and Fugu.

Salushi

It’s in the Southern Suburbs, Every day 12-5pm (Monday – Sunday) 50% off selected sushi. They also offer a Value Menu all Sunday as well as Monday and Tuesday nights. The sushi is really affordable, good quality and they have some interesting options including Bon Bon Gifts and Prawn Passions. But in terms of value for money their prawn fashion sandwiches (9 for under R30 on special) is probably your best bet.

Beluga

Beluga in Green Point is perennially popular and a lot of their popularity is due to their good value sushi offering. Between 12pm and 7pm Beluga offers half-price sushi, cocktails and dim sum. On Sunday the special runs all day.

I usually go for one of their 3 platter specials: BLACK PLATE at R109 {Salmon roses (4), prawn, tempura rolls (8),samurai rolls (8), prawn nigiri (4)}, RED PLATE at R119 {Salmon roses (4), seared tuna, salmon and tuna sashimi (6), rainbow rolls (6), California rolls (4)} or WHITE PLATE at R139 {Salmon roses (4), seared tuna, tuna and salmon sashimi (6), rainbow rolls (6) california rolls (4), tuna and salmon nigiri (6)}.

Beluga’s sister restaurant in the V & A Waterfront has a similar offering where you can enjoy half-price sushi, dim sum and cocktails, Monday to Saturday between 12pm and 6pm.

Fugu

Situated in Wembley Square, Fugu offers good value sushi in a relaxed setting. Their sushi specials are subject to change, but at the moment they are offering 3 different platters for under R50 (for around 12 – 15 pieces of sushi). The other thing about Fugu that makes them a great spot for an affordable night out is that they charge no corkage and are happy for you to bring your own wine.

Looking for more sushi inspiration?

Beluga

Pepenero

Saul’s Sushi

Salushi

Sevruga
 
 

Sushi Specials in Cape Town is a post by Kath on Cape Town Insider. Check out
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While the whole show was a quality event, there are a couple of exhibitors that deserve a special mention. I particularly enjoyed Clarks Sticky Plum Sauce and Original Iced Cocktails stands. Going through the different wine exhibitors, we really enjoyed the friendly hosts at Solms Delta and Orange River Cellars. Some exhibitors had beautiful and innovative products – such as Caffe Luxe promoting their range of Nespresso style capsules and Entrepo with their stylish range of European homeware and appliances. I also particularly enjoyed Arumdale’s branding of their new wine range.

Robin Hood Legendary Wine Series by Arumdale

Original Iced Cocktails – For Summer Evenings

Ready Mixed Cocktail Sachets

We were hosted by Original Iced, and invited to test the different flavours. Karen, who owns the company, had lots to share about her products as well as the different South African markets that she targets. They use real fruit and local alcohol products in these ready-mixed sachets. You just stick them in the fridge for 8 hours then take them our, and pour! This is their website: http://www.originalcocktails.co.za/

Clarks Sticky Plum Sauce – Perfect on Everything

Use it for basting, braaing, baking or dipping!

Clarks Sticky Plum Sauce, perfect with everything as we discovered, was launched at this year’s Good Food and Wine Show by sisters Amy and Faye. Passionate foodies who have travelled and experienced many different food cultures around the world have returned home to set up a company based on an old family recipe for plum sauce. It’s delicious and we couldn’t leave without taking home a bottle to try out later. (If you’d like more info please send Amy an email: info@clarksoriginals.co.za)

We left this year’s Good Food and Wine Show full of good food and wine, carrying packets of goodies and looking forward to next year’s feast!

Good Food and Wine Show: My Favourites From 2013 is a post by Kath on Cape Town Insider. Check out
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Wines on show include some of my favourites from the Hemel and Aarde Valley including Creation Wines, Bouchard Finlayson and Hamilton Russell Vineyards. I’m also looking forward to some wines that are new to me including Vriesenhof, Crystallum Coastal Vineyards and Yardstick Wines.

From Wine Concept’s Press Release:

Now in its third year, Wine Concepts’ premier Burgundy Lover’s Festival is set to be bigger and bolder as it celebrates the Capes finest Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs.

Hosts Wine Concepts will again stage the prestigious event at the Vineyard Hotel and Spa in Newlands, Cape Town on Friday 31^st May 2013 from 17h00 till 20h00 in the graceful Summer Room.

Guests will be treated to one of the most impressive selections of Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs ever seen in the country. 35 of the country’s top producers on the Burgundian varieties have been invited to showcase their fine wines complimented by delicious snacks suited to the style of wines. As an added benefit all wines presented at the festival will be on offer at a 10% discount for guests wishing to purchase.

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Wine events are usually my favourite way to spend an evening, learning more about different varietals and vintages, speaking to passionate wine makers and meeting different people with interesting jobs and perspectives on life. The Gugulethu Festival was all of this and more, accompanied by a pumping bass line, occasional roars from the crowd as the soccer (being screened in the festival tent) went the way of its vocal supporters, we walked around sampling the different wines. Where wine shows are often rather staid and imminently respectable, Gugs put on a show that was loud, local and all kinds of fun. In addition to wine tasting, there was hair styling, photo booths, face-bejewelling and more sparkling wine than I’ve seen in a long time.

We tried a number of our usual favourites – Pongracz, Krone, JC Le Roux, Creation Wines and Groot Constantia. And added a couple of new favourites to the list including the amazing GSM by Kanu Wine Farm (a Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre blend) and were reunited with our old favourite, the Chocolate Block from Boekenhoutskloof. We also did the blind tasting at the Cape Wine Academy’s table and with a score of 50% (one right, and one wrong) we happily concluded that we’re still a long way from knowing our wines – more tasting needed!

After a couple of hours we walked over to the DSTV media tent where Siba Mtongana (celebrity cook on the Food Network), Pete Goffe-Wood and Benny Masekwameng (Masterchef SA Judges) along with the inimitable Mzoli himself were in attendance along with a host of local celebrities. But none of that counted for anything as the music was turned up and everybody hit the dance floor to tunes by top local acts. Throughout the evening a myriad of different people walked up to us to introduce themselves and thank us for being there. The openness and hospitality of the event organisers was matched at every turn by the welcoming people of Gugs who were proud to show off their neighbourhood.

The Gugulethu Wine Festival this year was a colourful mix of culture, wine, laughter and dancing and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to go and be freshly reminded of the hope and progress that we are making in Cape Town.

Things to Do in Cape Town

Explore fun things to do in Cape Town, things to do with kids and keep updated with what events are happening each month.

Gugulethu Wine Festival – Things to Do in Cape Town is a post by Kath on Cape Town Insider. Check out
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Cape Town Restaurants in The Entertainer

What I’m most looking forward to is using the vouchers in and around Cape Town. The vouchers are usually a buy one, get one free deal, so for example at restaurants the voucher would entitles you to one free mail meal when you order a mail meal. What I love about the vouchers is that you can use them anytime, so rather than waiting for a Groupon voucher, or trying to remember which restaurants are offering what specials (and when) you can open up your book, choose a restaurant, phone them up and make a booking.

The other great thing about this book is that it offers discounts on some of my favourite restaurants such as Habour House at the V&A, Societi Bistro in town, Café Extrablatt in Greenpoint and Live Bait in Kalk Bay.

Things to Do in Cape Town: Using Entertainer Vouchers

If you’re looking for inspiration the book is also a good place to start, they’ve got vouchers for all kinds of crazy adrenaline sports (think helicopter rides and shark cage diving), rounds of golf, wine tasting and accommodation in the Cape Town area.

Get Your Own Entertainer

If you’d like to get your hands on a copy or if you’d like to find out more about this amazing book, please email Emma: emma@healthblogsa.co.za. Also, here’s the official website if you want to find out which of the incredible Cape Town restaurants have been included: http://www.theentertainerme.com/books/cape-town/entertainer-cape-town/

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Wacky Wine Weekend (7 – 10 June)

This is a firm favourite with Capetonians looking for a good time. With tickets costing only R100 for the weekend (valid for 4 days) ensures free access to all participating venues in Robertson as well as a tasting glass, festival programme and, most importantly, free wine tasting!

If you need more convincing or more information, have a look at their website.

Jive Funny Festival (11 June – 8 July)

Not to be missed – the Jive Funny Festival, hosted once again at the Baxter Theatre offers stand up comedy acts from some of the top comedians on the South African and international circuit. Note that there’s an 18 age restriction and some of the acts, if previous years are anything to go by, are likely to be quite rude! Baxter has all the info here: www.baxter.co.za

Cape Town Book Fair (15 – 17 June)

This is where all the cool kids (the ones that look suspiciously like book nerds) hang out. This year’s CT Book Fair is being held at the CTICC and promises an exciting programme of literary functions, displays, workshops and events. Get all the information on their site, or book on Computicket.

Hermanus FynArts Festival (7 – 16 June)

Support local artists in this 10 day festival of exhibitions, concerts, talks and interviews. Enjoy the art scene paired with fine dining and world-class wines from the Hermanus area including the Hemel and Aarde Valley. Visit the FynArts website to get the full programme for the festival.

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Last night I attended the pre-opening of the recently re-done Bascule Bar at the Cape Grace. Over the years we’ve been to many events, functions and after work drinks at the Bascule. And it’s always been a convenient, beautiful place to stop. But the recent renovations have made a big difference, the interior which used to be quite dark and unassuming has been redone into something quite lovely. It’s still a traditional place to go for a whisky, but the silver and teal finishes work well to breathe new life into the bar area. Outside offers uninterrupted views of the mountain, harbour and Waterfront, but the tables have been updated and a lounge area installed to create a stylish relaxed environment.

Starting tonight, the official re-opening of the Bascule Bar, and for the next week, there will be live music and canapés to enjoy with your sundowner.

Artists Performing at the Bascule Bar

Whisky Tasting at the Bascule Bar

The Bascule Bar is also offering a whisky tasting, as well as paired whisky tastings and with over 500 of the world’s premium whisky’s available, this is definitely the place to learn about the different types of whiskies!

The Bascule Bar is open from 10am until 2am daily, if you need any other details, please give them a call on +27 (21) 410 7119, otherwise all the info is on the Cape Grace website!

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Last night I was invited to attend the opening night of Wilhelm Saayman’s exhibition at the Erdmann Contemporary Gallery. It was interesting to meet the artist himself and learn more about what inspires him and some of the ideas and emotion behind his work. I’ve included a couple of images from the event, but they don’t do justice to the colours and expression of Saayman’s work.

If that’s not enough – the exhibition is entitled “In Season 5 Everybody Dies”, and with the truth of that resonating with his audience, one is left open to the possibilities that his art conjures up.

The opening was sponsored by Viva Vodka, a proudly South African premium vodka. Viva Vodka have aligned themselves with other proudly South African offerings by hosting events in the art world and working to promote local creative talent – from oil painting artists to recording artists.

Thanks Viva Vodka for your commitment to the South African art scene, and congratulations Wilhelm on a successful opening and a noteworthy exhibition!

The exhibition runs from 15 May – 29 June 2013 at the The Photographers Gallery za & ERDMANNCONTEMPORARY, 63 Shortmarket Street.

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Some of my favourite stands from the evening included the Collison’s Stand, not least because they were holding a brandy cocktail making workshop hosted by this year’s Cosmo’s Hottest Bartender winner!

Peter from Laborie Brandy gave us an introduction to the art of brandy making, the history of brandy and the strict standards that are in place to ensure the continued excellence of South African brandies.

And to end off the evening our last stop was at Van Ryns where we enjoyed the chocolate brandy pairing and learnt a bit more about the different brandy vintages (as well as what chocolate goes well with them!)

The entertainment was great, hosted by ProVerb and supported by the professional acts of Ginger Ninja magician and Sterling EQ. A big thank you to the organisers of festival, along with all of the brands exhibiting – it was a stylish, trendy, interesting start to the weekend! I can’t wait for next year’s event!

Alex and I at Brandy Fusion 2013 (doing a little bit of crouching to fit in!)

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Explore fun things to do in Cape Town, things to do with kids and keep updated with what events are happening each month.

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Riebeek Valley Olive Festival (3 – 5 May)

Weekend passes for the food and wine festival are available via Webtickets.co.za (R100p/p, R80p/p for locals and pensioners only pay R50p/p) for  a weekend pass that gives access to all eight venues including a complimentary wine tasting glass, wine and olive tastings. There’s also a free shuttle service.

Get all the details here:

Phone:             +27(0) 22 448 1545

Email:              tourism@riebeekvalley.info

Website:          www.riebeekvalley.info

Elgin Cool Wine and Country Festival (4 May)

This fun day in the winelands is split into three sessions:

• Morning (9am – 11:30am)
• Noon (11:30am – 2:30pm)
• Afternoon (2:30pm – 5pm)

Festival-goers must pre-book three wineries – one winery per session – where they can spend the duration of each period. Tickets are available via Elginwine.co.za and cost R100p/p for adults,

You can get all the info here:

Phone:            +27(0) 21 848 9839

Email               info@elginwine.co.za

Website:          www.elginwine.co.za

Fine Brandy Fusion Festival (9 – 10 May)

A first for Cape Town; the Fine Brandy Fusion festival is being held at the CTICC on Thursday, 9 May and Friday, 10 May 2013. Tickets for Cape Town’s Fine Brandy Fusion cost R175p/p includes a brandy glass and Nespresso vouchers and can be purchased at Computicket.com

Get the details here: http://www.facebook.com/FineBrandyFusion

Mother’s Day (12 May)

And don’t forget Mother’s Day on 12 May! Woolies and Rubybox are offering some lovely Mother’s Day goodies, and Cape Town Magazine has put together a lovely list of places that are treating moms on Mother’s day.

The Good Food and Wine Festival (23 – 26 May)

This is my favourite festival in the Cape Town event Calendar. The atmosphere is great, and the combined selection of food and wine on offer (both to sample and to purchase) is perfect. Tickets cost R110 and can be purchased on Computicket.

Phone:            +27 (0) 21 702 2280

Email               info@fieramilano.co.za

Website:          www.goodfoodandwineshow.co.za

Tops Gugulethu Wine Festival (24 – 25 May)

The third annual TOPS Gugulethu Wine Festival happens this month, hosted on the rooftop of the Gugulethu Square Mall showcasing wines from over 50 estates (double the number of exhibitors from last year). Tickets are available via Webtickets.co.za and cost R90p/p for the Friday and Saturday pass.

Phone:             +27 (0) 794 5594

Email               info@gugulethuwinefestival.co.za

Website:          www.gugulethuwinefestival.co.za

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