Welcome to Citylicious, a guide to what's hot in Jo'burg.

STEAK-OUT!
Sometimes healthy rabbit food just doesn’t cut it anymore and no matter how hard you try to convince yourself otherwise, all you crave is a big, juicy steak. But if you want the best steaks in town AND a pumping, friendly vibe, you don’t have to look further than Turn ’n Tender in Parktown North.

It’s one of my fave restaurants and my man and I are regulars. No matter what day of the week or what time you pop in (we like 3pm on Sunday for lunch!) there’s always a warm welcome and a delicious meal waiting for you. While other restaurants on the block limp along with a handful of customers on Mondays and Tuesdays, TNT is always cooking, excuse the pun. Smokers and diners spill onto the pavement, while others prefer to sit inside with its 70s-style orange light fittings, open grill and artworks decorating the walls.

TNT patrons are an eclectic mix but the young and trendy are regulars. It’s a great place for birthday celebrations and work functions. But what I love is the lack of snootiness that you get at many Jo’burg restaurants. There’s no looking you up and down when you walk in and no sneering from the waiter when you order your steak well done (as has happened to my man on more than one occasion).

You get great service from friendly waitrons who seem really happy to be working there and know their stuff. In particular, I remember one hottie waiter (apologies, my love, but I couldn’t help noticing!) who wowed us with his suggestions of cocktails and desserts unique to TNT and his overall fab service. It was only at the end of the night that we found out it was his first day!

Right, now moving on to the food. Choose your favourite cut of steak and, er, beef it up with a blue cheese 'n vodka sauce or a Jägermeister sauce. The latter is a TNT exclusive! And they don’t only do steaks – there’s also beef ribs, chicken, duck, lamb, game and fresh fish. The salads are to die for like the smoked duck breast salad with a chocolate balsamic reduction.

Veggies are always fresh and tasty – unlike the mush that’s been cooking in pot all day that you tend to get elsewhere, the vino selection is fab, and there are interesting desserts on the menu like the chocolate crème brûlée and BAR-ONE cheesecake.

The prices are really good and the portions are on the big side, so skip the starters or you’ll be sorry (as I’ve been). Unless, of course, you want a takeaway for lunch the next day.

TNT says their philosophy is to make everyone happy and you know what? They really do.

Parktown Quarter
Cnr 3rd and 7th Ave
Parktown North
Johannesburg
011 788 7933
www.turnntender.co.za
Open from 11:30pm Mon to Sun

Pics courtesy of www.turnntender.co.za

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Wine on the go!

Drostdy-Hof has launched four of their wines in three-litre slimpacks - the 2010 Chardonnay, 2009 Merlot, 2010 Sauvignon Blanc and 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon. These "box wines" are perfect for picnics, taking along to a braai or just having at home and they're really good value for money. You get the equivalent of of four bottles for the price of three! The white wines sell for around R76 and the reds for about R84 in leading supermarkets. Go get your wine on the go!



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Join the global party!

We’ve just heard about the launch of The Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Project and it’s off the hook! Fourteen countries - South Africa, USA, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Lebanon, Poland, Thailand, Ireland, Great Britain, Australia and Venezuela will work with celebrities to uncover the best of their country’s nightlife. Yup, we’re in there with the best of them.

Their ideas will be captured online, packed-up in a crate and turned into exciting event experiences. November 27 will be the grand finale, where each country will exchange the best of their nightlife with that of another.

And Smirnoff has included the public in this world party, because well, that’s just how they roll. You’re invited to make suggestions for what you think best represents our nightlife. All of these ideas will be captured on www.facebook.com/SmirnoffSA.

Feeling stuck for suggestions? Think music genres, local drinks, our street fashion, whatever sums it up for you. When all the suggestions are in, local experts in each country – called the “curators”, decide on the best ones. Better yet, Smirnoff South Africa has confirmed that they’ll be working with our fave DJs – DJ Fresh and DJ Euphonik as South Africa’s curators. We couldn’t have chosen better ourselves!

On 22 October 2010, the ingredients of South Africa’s nightlife will be revealed. Then we’ll exchange crates with one of the other countries on November 27. Wonder who we’ll get and who gets ours? Talk about suspense! Our crate is already touring Johannesburg, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, collecting ideas, so be sure to look out for it!