Tuesday, July 27, 2010

EXTREME, BIZZARE AND RATHER HORRIBLE

My cousin Michele sent this to me - I am worried she is becoming a webtechnoholic - someone who is constantly scouring the internet, but its more likely to be her forwarding stuff someone else sent to her - either way I am delighted to be on the receiving end as otherwise how else would I get to see a TOILET RESTAURANT !! 
                               Now I am sharing it with you..

Not in a million years !!

ONE ON EVERY CORNER..

By now you are all probably sick of reading about me warbling on about how fabulous Vic Falls was, great food and amazing Chefs and I think in an effort to shut me up, I was invited (and went uninvited to others) to some of the new restaurants and Cafes that have opened up in Bulawayo over the past few week - Yes - Weeks!

Sam and David Jacobs, dear friends that they are, have opened the lovely Mojo - Lounge Bar.  Sam is very insistent I get it right so I haven't left off the Lounge Bar and just called it Mojo's.  The official opening was on Saturday and we weren't there because, you've guessed it, we were in Victoria Falls, so Sam asked me to call in and check it out when I got back.


How to describe something that is inside an average looking Sports Club with a disintegrating car park and some tired looking foliage - I would probably have to say its the most amazing surprise you're going to get in a long time.  Walking into Mojo's (sorry Sam) is like taking a quick trip to some trendy spot in the middle of a cosmopolitan city - out of this world!

 
Warm greys, maroons, silver, glass, mirror, huge paintings and private corners make this a complete contradiction, centering around a massive bar that doubles up as a coffee counter during the day.  I had a fab cuppachino and thought I was in Joburg.  Like any new establishment, the hard work is all to come, but judging by the complimentary chatter around town and the impact of opening night, I think they have a winner.  Make sure you book a corner on Saturday night - the excellent Jazz Band will be back..


Next on the list was the revamp of the old Roasted Berry.  Now this restaurant was a real enigma, as for some reason it won the Best Restaurant award for quite a few years and no one could work out why.  The food was fair, the setting lovely and the service very insipid - perhaps no one else bothered to enter?  It has now been taken over by Greg and the Lads from Bombela and renamed
26 on Park
First impression is that the setting is still lovely and more or less looks the same, but the perky menu board tells that dramatic changes have taken place and a real taste bud experience is about to happen - Light fresh meals.  Jane and I decided to share lunch - half her Salmon Bagel for half my Quiche.  All good food - for ladies not wanting to walk away feeling stuffed to the gills.  Greg let us in on his plans for dinners next month - something different for Bulawayo with tasting menus instead of solid meals.  Great idea Greg - but lets hope the hearty Beef Boys will have the nerve to to try it !!

My last stop of the day - by now I'd had so much coffee I was almost bouncing off the walls, was
Middy's Spot andwhateveryoulikeit (I kid you not).  This is a delightful little cafe, set on the very edge of the city centre, close enough to be considered a town venue but far enough away to be comfortable, after all, who wants to go into any city centre these days! 

Now this place is different - and I am not influenced by the fact Clive Midlaine and I went to school together (I didn't remember him but he seemed to know a lot about my school days, even the bits I was keeping quiet,  especially from my children)  Its different because their main aim is to keep their prices low enough to make their competitors sit up and take notice and because, if they can wake dozy little Bulawayo up early enough, they have plants to do happy hour between 7.30 and 8.30 every morning.. 

 Anyone who can come up with all these novel ideas (and they had lots of them), dress their waitresses in Cerise Pink Aprons and have the largest muffins I have ever seen, one week after getting their new Cafe ripped off and their TVs and furniture stolen - deserves to succeed !!!  I am going to reserve a permanent parking as its on my way to work and I can really see myself managing the early morning coffee grab and dash! (when its warmer that is..)