Keeping it scrumptiously elegant

 This briefly helped stop the chill seeping up from the cold floor. One place that is warm is the car, especially if its been parked closed up in even faint sunlight. On Monday I had forgotten what a bad day it is for restaurants and when I planned to meet a colleague for a quick lunch at Da Eros. By the time we realised it was closed, we were stressed for time and ended up grabbing a Bakers Inn hot dog US$2 – (it was worth the extra 50c to avoid the queue outside Spar) and having our meeting in the car. We were happy to be warm though the car smelled of barbecue sauce for days afterward.
A couple of days later I was huddled at a tiny outdoor table at Vali’s bakery in Kensington, sheltered from the still chill wind by outdoor canvas. It’s a quick and convenient place to eat and we chose welcome hot chocolate (US$2) to drink. Speciality is fresh baked pies US$3 if you are sitting at a table – less to take away. Cornish for me and chicken for my friend, hot enough to burn the tongue, with a side helping of crispy salad – helped us keep warm.
Friday night found us more upmarket and escaping the cold at Meikles Hotel in the city for the launch of Dudu Manhenga’s new album – Ngangiwe – ‘I have been Embraced’ .Dudu is about to tour Italy with her band Color Blu and the evening was a farewell for the group as well as an album launch. It’s a brave decision to launch an album at a five star hotel – and I think a first for the local jazz scene.  But Dudu has never lacked courage to push the boundaries and take her music and her image to new levels.
‘Keep it Royal ‘is her slogan – and she does. This launch was in the Stewart Room decorated almost all in white – which felt a bit chilly to start, but as the evening got going I warmed enough to take off my coat!  US$30 bought us dinner, the new CD plus entertainment from stand up comic Carl Joshua Ncube as MC and a performance from Dudu and her band.
Dinner was a substantial buffet, not my favourite form of dining.  Plates get so messy piled up with all sorts of food one wouldn’t normally mix. And you have to queue for a buffet. But it was all very nicely cooked. A cold section of starters included ham, salads and chicken livers – which were really creamy and delicious. I am more used to hot chicken livers – but these worked. I had a taste of beef curry and rice as well as some roast beef and gravy, and although it wasn’t a combination I would ordinarily have chosen the curry was authentic and the beef perfectly roasted.
A pretty selection of desserts included trifle, fruit salads, chocolate éclairs and sweet tarts. The service was what you would expect from Meikles, discreet and stylish – no disappointment there.
More than anything the evening was fun and heart warming. Carl Joshua kept us laughing and Dudu can be quite a comedienne herself.
We remembered the launch of her very first album – Out of the Blue – eight years ago at the Zimbabwe German Society.  You’ve come a long way sister. Go Dudu!
– g.jeke@yahoo.com