NV-80 Grill & Bar has an unusual name, the two letters representing the brothers Naldo and Victor Gonçalves, and the 80 for the year in which they started restauranting together in Johannesburg.
My visit to the restaurant was in the worst of restaurant times last month, a few days before our President lifted the alcohol ban, with fewer persons than normal in the restaurant, we were told by Manager Shaun Gonçalves, son of owner Victor Gonçalves.
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Due to the Corona Virus Lockdown in our country, the 2020 SA Dairy Championships Award Ceremony was held virtually for the first time in the 187 year existence of the Championships. Lactalis SA’s Président Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese was named the 2020 South African Dairy Product of the Year, winning against 974 other brands from 74 manufacturers. A total of 23 brands received the Qualité mark of excellence of top achievement (see list below), and 107 were named SA Champion. Continue reading →
Yesterday it was the 30th anniversary of the release of the late Nelson Mandela, after being incarcerated in three prisons in Cape Town and Paarl over a period of 27 years. The celebration of the anniversary of the monumental event on 11 February 1990 is a memory for many of us Capetonians who stood outside the City Hall, to hear Mandela address us on that day. The anniversary celebrations took place inside and outside the Cape Town City Hall yesterday. For many it was a sad reminder that much of South Africa remains divided, perhaps more so than it was on this date 30 years ago. Continue reading →
Having spent close to a month in Havana in July, I saw many a cocktail list, and noted that these separated standard and traditional cocktails from Cuban cocktails. My focus in this report is on Cuban cocktails. The majority of these have rum at the heart, the national alcoholic beverage of Cuba. Continue reading →