Kitima Sunday Buffet @ Hout Bay

Started with cocktails

Bartender hard at work

Starter - sushi

Starter - chicken satay & dimsum

Main - thai courses

Elegant decor 

Sesame rice ball in ginger sugar soup 

Dessert - ice cream & cheese cake

We were fortunate enough to be at Kitima for a Sunday buffet with some friends. Kitima is rated as the best Asian restaurant by Eat Out Magazine and I can see why. Kitima is suited in an old 1670 farm house in Hout Bay and has been decorated with elegance. The design of the beautiful restaurant reminded me of Thai and Asian theme.

We were welcomed by the friendly bartender who made fantastic cocktails for us while waiting for buffet to be set up. The service at Kitima was excellent and every staff was very well dressed.

Starter - DimSum, Thai Starters & Sushi
Personally I think the starters were the most impressive and tasty. I loved the steamed buns, dumplings, chicken satay and sushi.

Main - Thai Dishes & Soup
The dishes were very good, lots of spice and flavors. However, the thing I love the most about Thai food is the noodle and Kitima's noodle was disappointing.

Dessert - Ice Cream, Cheese Cake & Sesame Rice Balls
We were very happy with the dessert. I have not had the sesame rice balls in ginger soup for a long time so was quite happy with that. Kitima had lemongrass flavor ice cream, which was interesting. I did not love it or hate it, it was just something new.

Overall I felt like the experience was very enjoyable. Being Asian myself, I would not say it is the best Asian restaurant in South Africa but one of the best Thai restaurants. Kitima is definitely something special with the whole package of food, decor & service. One thing is Kitima is pretty costly to the wallet, the buffet was R215/person. Not something I would do on a regular basis, times are tough you know!

Also note to book early, Kitima is very popular and often fully booked.
8.5/10 She Says

THAI KINGS' PHOTOS IN THE "VIP ROOM"

IMPRESSIVE EXPERIENCE!

SINCE MISSY GOT A LONG POST HERE I WOULD CUT MINE SHORT.

WE ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE SEATED IN THE LITTLE "VIP ROOM", PERFECT FOR FRIENDS GATHERING, AS IT WON'T BOTHER OTHER TOO MUCH, THIS IS A "HIGH CLASS" VENUE AFTER ALL.

WE WERE GREETED BY THE CHEF AT THE END OF THE MEAL, HE IS PRETTY COOL, AND HE KEEPS ON BRAGGING TALKING ABOUT HIM BEING IN THE TOP CHEF AND IRON CHEF. NOT SURE IF HE GREETS EVERYONE OR ONLY US BEING SPECIAL. BEST PART BEING AS A THAI CHEF, HE SPOKE CANTONESE TO ME!!! BECAUSE HE WAS IN HK FOR THREE YEARS. =)

THUMBS UP - THE SOUP WAS REALLY REALLY NICE, WELL SEASONED, GREAT FLAVOR!  AND SOUTH AFRICANS, THE PRAWNS IN THE SOUP ARE HOW IT SUPPOSE TO BE! FRESH AND CRUNCHY, AND NOT LIKE MOST SO CALLED KING OF PRAWNS' MUSHY PRAWNS.

VERY IMPRESSIVE DIM SUM, ESPECIALLY THE HAGAU AND SIUMAI.

THUMBS DOWN - VERITIES SEEMS LACKING, THE PADTHAI TASTED OLD.

SWONAL INDEX: 9.0/10.0 TO BE HONEST I THINK VALUE FOR MONEY, IT IS WORTH IT. IT WOULD OF BEEN THE PERFECT 10, HOWEVER THE LACK OF CHOICE AND THE OLD TASTE FROM THE PADTHAI DRAGGED IT DOWN.


-HE SAYS


Kitima
140 Main Road, Hout Bay
021 790 8004

Pork with Cabbage - Super Easy!

We were wondering what to make over the weekend as eating out is just too costly these days. While I was walking through Woolworths food store, I remembered the simple pork recipe from the Japanese manga -  "Genius Chef  Han Zou" (Japanese: おかわり飯蔵 & Chinese: 天才廚師飯藏). The "Genius Chef Han Zou" is about a young man with extensive food & cooking knowledge try help out people around him with food. "Genius Chef" offers very simple everyday recipes using ingredients that are available easily.

The simple "Pork with Cabbage" is in book 1 chapter 8, here is all you need:
- Thinly sliced pork
- A few layers of cabbage
- Salt
- Cornflour
- Sake (1 teaspoon) or rice wine
- Egg (optional)

1. Chop the cabbage or tear the cabbage leafs by hand into medium to large pieces
2. Place the cabbage on the wok
3. Add a pinch of salt to the meat and mix it
4. Add a pinch of cornflour to the meat, make sure it covers all the meat
5. Put the meat on the cabbage, make sure the meat does not touch the wok surface
6. Add a teaspoon of sake & egg
7. Put the wok cover on and heat up the wok to mid-temperature for 5~7 minutes
8. WALA, the meat will be soft and tender - ready to eat!

The photo above is after I stirred as the meat must not touch the wok surface during the cooking process. This was very quick and easy, perfect for lazy cookers like myself.

Arnold's on Kloof @ Gardens

PAN FRIED CHICKEN BREAST -WITH MASH AND GRILLED VEGETABLE

SNACK BASKET

ARNOLD'S BEEF BURGER

CAPE TOWN'S FAVOURITE BREAKFAST HANG OUT.

THIS LOVELY LITTLE RESTAURANT OFFERS MORE THAN ALL DAY BREAKFAST.

THIS IS THE DAY THAT I WENT TO ASSIST VIP GUESTS AT THE MOUNT NELSON HOTEL, AND WHILE THEY ARE ENJOYING THEIR BIG MEAL AT THE HOTEL (BOTH WESTERN AND CHINESE) YES, CHINESE FOOD AT THE MOUNT NELSON HOTEL.

THEY ARE SO VIP THAT THEY HAVE THE CHEFS FROM THE SEA PALACE CHINESE RESTAURANT TO GO AND COOK FOR THEM THERE.

HOWEVER TO ENJOY THE SAME MEAL, WE NEED TO WAIT TILL ABOUT 3PM!

AND ME AND COLLEAGUE KEVIN DIDN'T EVEN HAVE BREAKFAST, SO WE DECIDED TO AND HAVE LUNCH OUTSIDE.  WHICH BRINGS US TO ARNOLD'S WHICH IS JUST OUTSIDE THE BACK GATE OF MOUNT NELSON. (I CAN STILL PICK UP THEIR WIFI FROM ARNOLD'S =P)

BACK TO THE FOODS!!!

I HAVE ORDERED THE PAN FRIED CHICKEN BREAST, KEVIN ORDERED THE ARNOLD'S BEEF BURGER THEN WE ORDERED THE SNACK BASKET TO SHARE.

AMAZING BASKET, BASICALLY HAS THREE OF EACH ITEM ON THE STARTER SECTION, GREAT VOLUME.

 WITH MY CHICKEN BOOBS BREAST, IT WAS ABOVE AVERAGE, BUT IT COULD BE JUICIER.

ONE THING I DON'T GET IS THAT THEY PUT BRANCHES OF ROSEMARY IN EVERY DISHES.

YES YOU HAVE READ IT RIGHT! BRANCHES OF ROSEMARY, WITH TWIGS ON THEM!!

ANYHOW, IT IS A MUST TRY IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN THERE YET.

MUST TRY: SNACK BASKETS, ANY BREAKFAST.

SWONAL INDEX: 8.0/10.0 THERE'S A REASON WHY IT IS SO POPULAR AMOUNTS CAPTONIAN.  TRY FOR YOURSELVES!

HE SAYS


Arnold's on Kloof
60 Kloof street, Gardens
021 424 4344
http://www.arnolds.co.za/

Klein River Cheese Factory @ Stanford

Cheese Shop open for public

Available Cheese on the Day

DIY your picnic basket or Pre-order & Pick up

Locally produced goods

Picnic menu

Growing up in an oriental family myself, cheese was only seen with sandwiches, pasta and pizza. Hence I cannot judge cheese from experience. I will however share our experience on visiting the Klein River Cheese Factory over the Easter weekend.

The Cheese Factory got a big playground with many cute farm animals, didn't expect that from a cheese factory right? I literally screamed when I saw the pony! Sadly I did not get a photo of the pony due to the rain. Instead, we walked in the Cheese Shop.

The Cheese Shop got a very homey farm stall feel to it, with all the cheese and goodies to go with the cheese. We grabbed some snacks to bring home & tasted a couple of different cheeses, it was interesting to see the actual factory machine behind the shop via a glass window.

Not far from the shop was the picnic shop where you pre-order the basket or DIY. The decor really tickled my fancy with a cute vintage feel. Even with terrible weather, food can still be enjoyed indoor under the ultra cute setting. The Klein River Cheese Factory is suitable for family outings, farm animal viewing or a romantic picnic - what a way to spend your afternoon!

Klein River Cheese Factory
Drive on R326 from Stanford for 7 km
GPS co-ordinates: S 34° 24' 57.9" | E 19° 31' 54.4"
028 341 0693
http://www.kleinrivercheese.co.za