Sweetness exalted...

A brave decision by moi to attempt 7 days of detox this past week, rapidly downgraded into a 'no sugar' commitment, partly because I have no willpower with diets and mostly because I just hated the food on the detox menu - stuff like tofu, egg white and quinoa.....bleh, I just couldn't. So I did the next best thing, I snubbed le sucre for 5 whole days. That's a big deal for me, bearing in mind that I heart sweet things in a very big way. Yesterday I was at the Neighbourgoods Market at the Biscuit Mill in Woodstock (Cape Town) and in honour of my recent and short-lived sugary abstinence I photographed a repertoire of sweet things, some good for you, some not so much, all divine. Sugar rush images follow....the very bad and the very good - whichever way you prefer to see it. 


 We begin with the evil cupcake. My best.

Fancy tarts made by that guy who also makes those deliciously decadent Belgian waffles...

 The most amaze fudge, my favourite flavour too...

 Almond Croissants...

 Cake pops...this sugar comes cheap a R5 a pop (pardon that pun)...

 Happy face gingerbread men (I'm thinking of that GBM in Shrek right now)...

 Meringues with chocolate...

 The Creamery....they say this is the finest ice cream in Cape Town...

 Churros like none other...these can also be found at the Oranjezicht City Farm fyi...

 Macarons...

 Lemon meringue tartlets...suger presented in one of its most overpowering forms...

 Choc tarts with pears, only half evil...

And the good guys... honey ...

Raspberries and gooseberries, all that natural sucrose ...

Lemon, honey and ginger juice, made by On The Menu...

And cheesecake, because there's cheese in it (ha ha)!

See you soon at the fabulous Neighbourgoods Market, situated at the Old Buscuit Mill, 373 Albert Road in Woodstock...every Saturday from 09h until 14h00, come rain or shine as they say. http://www.neighbourgoodsmarket.co.za/cape-town

All pics copyright DIVA PR / shot on a Canon 600D w/50mm lens @AllisonFoat on Twitter and Instagram*

Japanese cuisine at its finest, in Cape Town...

There are gazillions of restaurants in Cape Town but not too many where the food is blow-your-hair back amazing and Kyoto Garden Sushi in Tamboerskloof is one such place. The food is in another league.

Sushi master Koshi Koyama from Tokyo delivered dish after dish of exceptional food made from the freshest of ingredients. He has been with Kyoto since it opened 7 years ago and is on top of his game. Owner Scott Wood recommended four starters for us, amongst which was the thinly sliced beef (wagyu), a more recent addition to the menu.  Also outstanding was the Ocean Delight salad and Miso soup with tempura scallops.

Kyoto is very well known for their cocktails - my date Lateral Paul was waxing lyrical about his Ginger Mizuwari - & pretty much all the fare that passed his lips on Saturday night. Kyoto also boasts a broad selection of Japanese Whisky and Sake.

The only downside for me is that we over- indulged on the starters, meaning there was no room for the sushi platter. On the upside, this gives us an excuse to return and I can't wait.

The interior, designed by Scott, who hails from the USA, is elegant and uncluttered. There's an atmosphere of quiet refinement to the place. Scott, who travels frequently to Japan, clearly has very good taste, right down to his choice of tableware, the food presentation and the design of the chopsticks.

I must mention that our waiter was so on it- he was clearly passionate about the menu and his attention to detail was impressive - always a huge plus for me. Let the images that follow do the rest of the talking...

Step inside and experience an ode to fine Japanese cuisine...

The Kyoto Cosmo, 'a variation on the contemporary classic' cocktail, with fresh lime, triple distilled vodka mixed with a strawberry Sake and a dash of Bombay Sapphire Gin      (R62)                                                                                                  

The Green Tea Destiny slayed me - Japanese green tea, a squeeze of fresh lime, Sake, Premium London Dry Gin & lemonade...                                                                                         (R58)

Beautiful decor features, soft lighting...

The menu awaits..

A few delicacies offered as we arrived... crab, octopus, mushrooms and more...

Even the chopsticks make their own statement...

Tempura tofu...the batter is light and the sauce, a sweetish soya, was divine - I was tempted to drink it from the bowl. I held myself back of course...                                                      (R75)

For moi, this is the piece de resistance of the starters, the tuna tartare. Exceptional is all I can say...                                                                                                                                    (R105)

Wagyu - thinly sliced Japanese style beef...                                                                    (R135)

Yellowtail ceviche with slivers of lime rind                                                                      (R98)                                                                                                                                                                           

 The Ocean Delight salad with prawns, squid & octopus in a light white dressing...         (R90)

Kyoto Garden Sushi is at 11 Kloofnek Road (next to Hallelujah and opposite Miller's Thumb) | 021 4222001 | @KyotosushiCT

All photos copyright DIVA PR, taken on a Canon D600 & iPhone 5 / @AllisonFoat on Twitter