Food & Home Entertaining

is also popular and more people are
eating plant-based foods,” Danielle
adds. You’ll find Buddha-style bowls,
enduring wraps, leaner cuts of meat,
hearty bistro lunches, burgers, boards
to share and lots of delicious breakfast
choices on the menu. One dish that
has remained since the outset is the
salmon and crème fraîche scramble
(served with lemon wedges and
toasted rye). Other big hits are the
gluten-free chocolate brownies and,
according to one regular, the “life-
changing” (festive) mince pies.
The menu changes every three to
six months and, although Danielle
describes the cuisine as “progressive
South African”, you’ll find hints of
Cecilia and Danielle’s respective
Lebanese and Portuguese heritage in
the mix, but no firm leaning towards any
particular ethnic influence. “We use a
lot of fresh herbs, cauliflower, super-
foods, new grains and good-quality
olive oil,” Cecilia says.
As to where they source their
ingredients from, Cecilia adds that
as the trends are shifting, so is their

mindset. “We have always had the

philosophy that we support only small

entrepreneurs as we, ourselves, are a

small enterprise. We know how hard it

is to succeed as a small business, so

we acquire most of our products from

such suppliers. Our fresh produce is

slowly moving into supporting

individuals with home gardens, who

supply us with their excess; for

example, we get our spinach and kale

from a lady in Diepsloot, who works in

our area and brings them to us daily.”

Danielle, however, says other

initiatives are in the pipeline as

continuous supply in some areas is a

problem; so, they are trying to explore

better ways of managing the issues

like this with the local community.

Over the years, Cecilia has invested

in and helped to empower her staff –

those who show potential and talent

are mentored to further their studies.

“I don’t want to foster mediocrity,” she

states. The biggest success story is

that of Wilson Mphathisi Mkwanazi

(aka Mpumi), who will soon qualify as

a pastry chef from the HTA School of

Culinary Art in Randburg. “We call

him the ‘Cake Boss of the North’,”

Cecilia laughs. And, largely thanks to

this talented chef, Carmella’s novelty-

cake division has really flourished –

I learn that there’s great demand for

personalised or custom-made cakes

like chocolate Nutella, hummingbird

(a banana-pineapple spice cake),

vanilla citrus, and sticky carrot and

marmalade. As for what’s trending

on the party scene at the moment?

A gluttonous – or fat – unicorn cake,

comprising a rather overindulged-

looking unicorn sitting next to a full-

sized cake that has a chunk missing!

For Easter, Carmella’s is always

chocolate-filled, mostly in the form of

cakes and bakes. Danielle says the

restaurant always trends with its

chocolate-espresso cheesecake that’s

filled to the brim with colourful Easter

eggs and marshmallows.

As the business has grown, solely by

word of mouth, so has the size of the

seating space; but the comforting

decor remains serene, with its indoor-

outdoor sidewalk-restaurant location.

SEARED SALMON TERIYAKI ON WILTED

SEASONAL VEGETABLES

SPINACH-AND-FETA QUICHE

TOPPED WITH ROASTED VEG,

BALSAMIC TOMATOES AND

SWEET-POTATO CHIPS

JOBURG DINING

72 APRIL 2019