I’m counting down the days to the last Friday of this month! Why? Because that means it will once again be time for the brand new Perfect March Food and Beverage Pairing Market! I popped into the exciting new roof-top market at the end of February and loved it so much I’m thinking of trying to convince the organisers to have it every week. Here’s why you need to make a plan to head through to the next one on Friday 28 March!
The Perfect Match Market takes place on the rooftop of 3 Desmond in Kramerville and is the brain child of mother-daughter team Anna and Roberta Montali. With its amazing views of Sandton and surrounds and its impressive collection of stalls, I’m quite convinced that very soon it is going to be one of the must-visit markets in Joburg. The market takes place from 16:30 – 22:00 on a Friday evening and visitors can grab a seat at one of the main tables on the deck area outside, pull up a chair at one of the bar-style tables inside or sink into one of the soft leather couches on the deck. I recommend getting there early to grab a seat outside so you can catch the glorious Joburg sunset. And, when the sun sets and there’s nothing to ogle at anymore, you can listen to the soothing sounds of live jazz music.
Besides the stunning views and location, what makes this market different is that the focus is mostly on enjoying yourself in the vicinity of the market itself and not so much about buying loads of stuff to take home with you. The evening market focuses solely on good food and great drinks and is an awesome spot for weary Joburgers to grab a glass of wine and unwind after a hectic work week.
What I love most about The Perfect Match Market is that it has a ‘best of’ sort of vibe going for it – meaning it has taken some of the best food vendors from the most-loved markets in Joburg and put them all into one super fabulous market. This includes The Counter (of Market On Main fame), Baha Taco Mexican Street Food (of Fourways Farmers Market fame) and Contessa La Cucina (of Jozi Food Market fame). In addition to the big players they have also included some new up-and-comers like Italian Salami (offering freshly baked giant pretzels and ciabattas and freshly prepared Italian Paninis with Salsiccia), Sweet Treat (selling an assortment of baked goodies), Cluck Cluck Club (peddling chicken wings made three ways – mojito-style, tequila-style and soy, and sesame seed-style) and Pappous Prego (offering traditional Portuguese-style Prego rolls and cheeseboards).
I decided to indulge in a delicious hand-made beef burger with bacon, mozzarella and handmade Harissa mayo (R60) from The Counter, a fresh pretzel (R10) from Italian Salami and a glass of Chardonnay from The Frisky Zebra wine stall (R20 per glass). The burger was absolutely sensational and if you find you only have enough money or enough tummy space for one thing then this burger should be your first stop. The Frisky Zebra Chardonnay is extra special because it is made locally in South Africa but is usually only reserved for export purposes. I loved it so much I grabbed a bottle to take home as well (R80 per bottle). The pretzel was also sensational and is definitely something to tuck into if you are just looking for something to nibble on with your wine.
Tip: Most of the vendors operate on a cash only system so make sure you take enough money with you.
By Crystal Espin
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