SPRING ON A PLATE
Phew! Alright spring, do your thing!
GYPSET STYLE AND HIRE
Rocking Horse Road, South Shore
Five out of five stars
Annabell Graham is the magical fairy you’d happily wish to find, mid flitter, at the bottom of your garden. She creates bespoke picnics for your outdoor pleasure, all from her South Shore residence. Gypset Style and Hire tailors a beautifully bohemian, luxe style picnic setting, elevating and pimping up the old school blanket on grass scenario. For your al fresco dining experience, she can suggest a list of decadent platter providers and caterers or allow for you to create your own favourite nibbles based on your specific dietary requirement. The picnic settings more than cover the rest. Think bubbles under the stars, hot soup and flask at the beach, or in your own back garden with PJs and blankets. It would suit anything from a proposal to an anniversary, bridal shower, kids sleepover or just a shindig with your pals. The package includes a combo of boho luxe goods; rugs, low tables, and table settings. Amp up the ambience with linen napkins, lights, lanterns, blankets, and cushions. There will be toetoe in the breeze and, where required, romance in the air. Packages are available for pick up or delivery.
TABLE OF MUNCHIES
Merivale Mall
4.5 stars out of five
Your plate will be empty after a visit to Table of Munchies. Head over with your tribe or vibe alone and watch the world swing by in the Vale of Meri. The dishes sing on the plate, creating such salivating intention, it’s almost food crime! Can I say ‘mouthgasms’? There, I said it. This is a banging Indochine menu with heaps of choice. The sticky chicken satay skewers are insanely good, enough for one or to share with a few dishes tacked on the side. Moving into spring, their fresh poke salad bowl – one of the best in town – is filled to the brim with a fabulous balance of crunchy spring greens, a choice of salmon, chicken, tofu, tossed in a punchy sesame dressing.
THE BIRDWOOD
76 Malcolm Ave, Beckenham
Five out of five stars
Time to burst your double bubble and head over to leafy, dreamy Beckenham by the river. This experience is worth the destination – a corner capture of exquisite Italian cuisine. It is an eatery serving stunning breakfast plates and elevenses during the day. As twilight descends, a wood-fired pizzeria dining room opens, and it’s all blown glass, dark booths, silky ribbons of fresh pasta, and pillows of light gnocchi. I was there for brunch and eventually decided on an exquisite seasonal dish; smoked salmon kedgeree, braised saffron rice, earthy beans, smoked salmon, poached egg, and fresh sweet peas. If I’m not cooking for myself, then I’ll happily feather my nest again at The Birdwood.
GRATER GOODS
105 Orbell Street, Sydenham
Five out of five stars
Turn that ‘no meat’ frown upside down. It’s all happy days at Grater Goods. This cornucopia of incredible, European-inspired vegan delights reminds us that plant-based is the ‘new black’. Flip and her partner Youssef have curated a wonderful deli to sort your pantry, plus plenty of chilled at home staples. In a cosy, rustic dining space, the menu tempts your tastebuds to grab an antipasti platter of pastrami, chorizo, pesto, cheese, and crackers. Chef specials range from pasta du jour or Swedish meatballs with creamy gravy, cranberry sauce, served with toasted sour bread. Sit in the sun and sip a glass of wine while Louis Armstrong reminds you that it is, in fact, ‘a wonderful world’.