Swish and zappy, with all the right ingredients

Benkei, Paramount Centre, 105 Main Road, Green Point. Tel: 021-439-4918

I’d visited Benkei in Norwood, Johannesburg, some years ago and was impressed by the décor and energy of the place, so when I saw that Benkei had replaced Go Mama Go, I was keen to try it. The Irascible Vegetarian moaned that the selection of Maki sushi rolls for vegetarians was inadequate and laboured the point with the owner. The healthy option for me would have been the Sashimi, which is practically fat free, but I opted for salmon, avocado and cucumber Maki Rolls (R40), which needed more mayo, but I enjoyed the vegetable Tempura.

Benkei is much more than sushi but on this visit I omitted the salads, which looked great, with the Sashimi salad (R52) catching my attention. The Yakitori and Teppanyaki menus also looked interesting.

They served an amuse bouche – a gift from the kitchen – before we ordered. This was a nice touch usually reserved for pricier establishments. Service, while far from Japanese, was swift and friendly. Although the owner told us that business had been slower than expected, Benkei, with its swish interior and zappy attitude, has all the right ingredients to make it as successful as its Josie counterpart.

Another upcountry export is Moyo. Their Melrose Arch operation in Johannesburg blew me away so I rushed to Spier as soon as I heard they were open.

Moyo at Spier, Stellenbosch. Tel: 021-809-1100

I can't find the words to express how wonderful Moyo at Spier is. In the literal sense fantastic, awesome, extraordinary, divine go some of the way. Together with the IV, I was joined by two frequent dinner companions – Gad Kaplan and Philip Thraves. Did you see a quote about the movie Thirteen, where the writer says “the audience feels the excitement of a star being born”? This best describes my experience at Moyo.

The vast lawns at Spier, adjacent to the walled Rose Garden, have been transformed into an African fantasy that I imagine the Kingdom of Mali looked like in the middle ages. Wrought iron gazebos swathed in rich fabrics, nomadic tents, dining platforms in trees, couches, opulent carpet cushions, enchanted lanterns and flaming braziers are the framework for the experience. 150 is the magic number. R150 eat-all-you-like buffet, R150 per kilo of food if you prefer to weigh your food, and R150 corkage. This annoyed Gad, who had brought a fine Australian Chardonnay. Gad and the IV opted to weigh their food and a single plate came in at around R95. Philip and I ate as much as we could.

Food is served from 10 or so stations around the perimeter, each manned by a chef to finish the dish and explain the offering. I suggest they label the food.

Africa on a plate

Moyo is Africa on a plate, with dishes from Cape Town to Egypt represented. Most of the dishes are flame grilled so if you enjoy a braai, you’ll love Moyo. To their credit, they finish cooking items while you wait and, unlike most buffets, if you want your lamb chop rare - that’s the way you’ll get it.

For fatbusters, Moyo offers both the temptation and solution – zillions of delicious salads, vegetables and fresh fruit as well as pots of saturated fat. I, as always it seems, was seduced by the grease. The oxtail potjie was to die for, (considering the cholesterol and fat in offal I’m surprised I didn’t) but the seafood tagine, although very tasty, had too many small bits to spit out. While I was very impressed by the quality of food given the vast quantities, be warned though that the cuisine is not the main attraction here. This is the kind of place where you can proudly host visitors - with interactive entertainment that includes face painting, fortune telling and calabash playing included in the price. We were enchanted by the ensemble performances that move to various stages throughout the evening. Visit soon.