Monday 2 February 2009

Sushi and sunburn

What a cool weekend it was. Well, not literally. We finally had some sun, and of course I wasn't prepared for it and toasted my fair Irish skin to an alarming shade of pink.

But let me backtrack to the beginning of the weekend... Friday evening, TSC and I decided to try the Japanese restaurant down the road from us called Tsuyu for an early supper. It had been highly recommended to us and seeing we were both really hungry, we liked the fact that it was so close. At 6.30pm it was already packed, and we could only get a table on the sidewalk, which wasn't ideal, but we decided we'd put up with the nosy shoppers checking out our food as they passed for the sake of some good sushi.

They have some interesting things on the menu - proper Japanse dishes, not just the tame version South Africans are used to. TSC decided he'd like a hot meal and went for a rice dish topped with pork and egg. I thought it was really good, except that it arrived 30 minutes before my sushi did!

By the time my food arrived, TSC had tired of trying to be polite and had stopped waiting for me. He'd long polished off his rapidly-cooling food when my sushi eventually appeared. And it was the wrong order, so back it went.

When the correct order eventually made it to the table, I was so hungry it probably would've tasted like heaven-sent manna even if it had been old and soggy. But that said, it wasn't. My tuna nigiri was fresh and super-yummy. The crab California rolls were average, but my deep-fried-chicken California rolls (apprently for those who want to try sushi without the "eww" factor of raw fish) were a delicious surprise.

But all in all, I think we'll stick to the other Pinslopes sushi restaurant. I can't remember it's name, but it's next to Billy the BUM's and it's the best sushi I've had in Joburg. Plus, Tuesdays are buy two plates get one free. Yum!

Saturday was a spontaneous day - we had promised to entertain our British friend Ephraim from church, who has been in SA since Nov 08 and has yet to see any of the sights. He doesn't have transport and hadn't told us that he had been spending weekends and evenings sitting home alone. So we took him to the Joburg Zoo along with our friends A and R. Off we went, with a picnic packed for afterwards.

We had a cool time walking around, eating snow cones and trying to spot the animals (most of which were hiding in dark corners from the hot noon sun). But I must say, the zoo was way cooler when I was a kid. We had a picnic at zoo lake afterwards and I realised I'd once agian managed to get a weird-shaped sunburn. It looks like someone drew a semi-circle on my shoulder in sunblock, coz I'm burnt everywhere but there. Bizarre!

Then it was off to my boss's birthday drinks with Ephraim (poor boy) in tow, where we were accosted by several hammered people who each tried to convince us to do Jager-bombs with them. No thanks - hate Red Bull, hate Jagermeister. Not going to happen!

And then we went to see Rock n Roller, Guy Ritchie's latest film. It's not up to the standards of Snatch (one of my favourite movies ever). But since divorcing Madonna, it does seem like Ritchie is back on track and this flick way infinitely better than Revolver.

Anyone else seen it? It so, I'd love to hear what you thought. And your favourite quote form the film. Mine must be Johnny Quid: "Don't worry. He can't defend himself - he's got no head."

Still giggling over that one.

18 comments:

Janine / Being Brazen said...

Its really annoying when two people order food and one persons food comes a Looong time before the other persons.

I want to see that movie.

Janine / Being Brazen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
The Jackson Files said...

I HATE it when food doesn't arrive at the same time.

Thomas said...

It's called Taste of Asia and it's the BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love Taste of Asia

Thomas said...

Or is it Best of Asia? Maybe Best of the Taste of Asia?

Hayley said...

Oh so going to try 'best of asia' or 'taste of asia'...we love sushi, and being back in Jhb, we havent yet found a good place yet.

Cannot wait to see that movie...LOVED SNATCH....so anything by Guy Ritchie is worth seeing.

phillygirl said...

Oh I completely agree with tjf ... I HATE it when food comes ages apart. But I am now curious to try this sushi spot near Billy's ... hmmm, tomorrow is Tuesday :)

ps. missed you on Saturday.

Louisa said...

Shame, can't believe your friend's been home bound since November!

Anonymous said...

Haven't watched RockNRolla yet, but have been meaning to for some time - Snatch is absolutely brilliant, which reminds me of a funny incident that I won't go into here

AngelConradie said...

guy ritchie is awesome indeed...

Anonymous said...

Sounds like an awesome weekend. yum, love sushi, I haven't actually had any in ages!

po said...

Hee I also get random sunburn. The worst was at a cricket match, we were sitting under a tree and I got the light filtering through the leaves burned onto my legs. Millions of tiny patchy squares.

Unknown said...

I hope you didn't pay for your meal.

Tamara said...

Brazen: I know! And it's so much worse when yuo're both starving... He felt like he should wait for my food to arrive, so sat there starting at the food in front of him, and I kept trying to convince him to go ahead and eat. When he did, my stomach was groaning with pangs of hunger and jealousy ;-)

TJF: Yep - really unprofessional.

Thomas: You're obviously in my neighbourhood. Yes, it is awesome.

Hayley: You're also in my 'hood?! Cool. Snatch is still the best of his films.

Philly: Now I'm nervous that I've recommended it - what if you hate it?! Would've loved to have been there on Sat, but my boss changed the date and time of her party six times, so I couldn't put my name down in time for Bloggirls. But next month's at my place, so I guess I'll be there ;-)

Louisa: I know! So the poor man will now be stuck with us every weekend, dargging him around the countryside. he'll probably wish he was still homebound.

Christopher: Ooohhh... now I'm curious...

angel: i concur.

Jeannette: When it's good sushi, there's nothing like it!

Po: Hehehe... that would SO happen to me ;-)

Glug: We did. The poor waitress was so apologetic I didn't want to cause problems for her... It was the kitchen's fault, anyway.

Slyde said...

its hard for me to relate to a subnurn story when im sitting here in my office looking at a foot of snow pouring down on my car...

Sass said...

The food not showing up at the same time is so irritating...
That happened the other night when we made the mistake of taking three very hungry kids out to eat. For some reason unbeknownst to me, the server brought MY food a full 10 minutes before anyone else's. Annoying.

All that being said, you've now got me craving sushi. ;)

Ruby said...

I looover that restaurant too....but just like you i can't seem to recall it's name...hmmm, now it's going to bother me all day:(

Is that the same Ephraim I met?? dark hair? The poor boy...hope you guys plan to treat him to plenty fun things in the future:)

Ruby said...

We should get together before i start studying...erm...I'll mail you:)