Meat

If you are a vegetarian, you might want to skip this post. I fear that if you read it one of two things might happen. First, you might be grossed out or offended and vow never to read this blog again. Second, you might decide you must eat some meat right away, run out and have a steak, and then blame me for your tumble off the wagon.  Read on at your own risk.

One of the things Mr. Deep was very excited about when he learned we would be living in Africa was all of the exotic game he would be able to taste. Mr. Deep loves to take his "rightful place at the top of the food chain." Yes, I am quoting him.

When I say exotic game I mean meats like eland, kudu, springbok and such but it turns out that you can't buy exotic game in the regular grocery stores. I have heard that you can order it from certain butchers and meat stores so I will have to look into that.  In the meantime, several people told us about the Carnivore Restaurant and we booked a Sunday lunch there. By the way, how cool is Sunday lunch? You plan it for right in the middle of the day and you make eating the focal point of your day. Just like my favorite day of all time, American Thanksgiving. Brilliant.

Similar to Thanksgiving, you have to employ an eating strategy when you dine at Carnivore. You can't fill up on bread, soup and salad. There were a few Thanksgiving holidays where I didn't save enough room to eat adequate amounts of turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing and believe me I have learned from my mistakes.

At Carnivore, they started us off with a pumpkin soup and honey bread which I only tasted. Next, came a tray of all different kinds of salads and sauces to go with the meat. The staff pointed out which sauce was for which meat but it all happened so fast that I really couldn't remember the pairings. Luckily I don't think any harm comes to you if you put eland sauce on pork.

Because I had a plan to save room for meat, I only had a little of the green salad, the tomato salad and the zucchini salad. I have to eat salad because I was taught by my mom that salad is a critical element to a healthy diet and you must eat it frequently.

The waiters then came around with all kinds of meats on giant swords. If you want what they are offering they used another sword to cut a piece onto your plate.

This is called pap. It's made from corn and is similar to grits. It is a staple part of the diet of many South Africans. I thought it was kind of bland but the sauce of onions and tomatoes that goes top makes it taste really good. 
I think the sauce is called "train smash." 

Below is the menu showing all the meats they offered the day we were there. I tried all but the crocodile. I would have tried it but my plate was full when they came around and then Mr. Deep said it had a lot of bones so I didn't bother. Oh and no chicken livers for me. I am not a fan of liver. Venison I believe refers to any kind of deer such as kudu, antelope, etc.

The crocodile

Waiters working the braai (grill)

A few important safety tips you should know if you visit Carnivore. One, give your firearms to the manager to hold while you eat. Two, watch out for swords. 

When you can eat no more you lower the flag on your table in surrender

Yes, Carnivore was a little hokey and Disney like but the food was good and it was a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Most importantly we got to try a bunch of unusual meats like zebra and impala.  If you live in the Joburg area and if you have meat eating guests come to visit I definitely recommend Carnivore for a fun dining experience.