This week's Love Box is a special one for us, so there’s a little more pre-amble than usual. Restaurants are really interesting work environments. Your coworkers often become this weird pseudo-family you get paid to spend time with. One of the best pseudo-families we’ve ever worked with was the team at Stoneface Dolly’s. This coming week marks one year since the last time we got to see our big family of weirdos, so we wanted to do something special.
In honour of all those lovely people from the staff to the customers (some of whom have followed us here), we’ve decided to do a South African themed Love Box. For those of you who never got the chance to line up for a meal at Stoneface, the owner Bob Russell is originally South African and he loves food. But he also loves people, and that’s something that you may or may not have known. On the restaurant floor he was constantly scooping up babies, taking them on walks around the restaurant, giving weary parents a much needed break. He would never think twice about pulling up a seat at somebody's table to check in and chat about what was going on in their lives. All in all, he was an awesome “restaurant dad,” as he has been referred to by many of the people who’ve walked in and out of the doors on Preston St.
Now that the restaurant is closed, Bob’s still a huge influence on Anna and myself. He’s taught us a lot about what to do and not to do. And when he made the really tough decision to close the restaurant, he went out of his way to make sure that Anna and I were set up to break out on our own. We really wouldn’t have been able to do what we’re doing now without our whole Stoneface family.
So thanks a million, you guys are awesome.
Beef Bobotie
A cornerstone of every Stoneface Dolly’s menu, this South African curry is made from ground beef and mild curry spices with a hint of apricot, and a light sprinkling of almonds and raisins. It is then topped with an egg custard (very similar to the topping of Greek moussaka). If you haven’t tried it, you really should.
We will be doing a separate nut-free batch, so if you have an allergy please let us know by Tuesday.
Raita
A cucumber and herb yogurt topping for the bobotie.
South African Yellow Rice (Geelrys)
This vibrant yellow rice is seasoned with ginger, turmeric, raisins, and a touch of sweetness. It's the perfect companion to bobotie.
Chakalaka
We’ve taken the recipe for this South African staple and tweaked it into a light, crunchy, and fresh warm curry salad.
Malva Pudding
This South African bread pudding is a favourite of Bob’s, and I’d often end up having to make them every time Bob or Jeff (Bob’s son and the owner of the Riverside location) would do a South African night. It’s similar to a pouding chômeur, or a light sticky toffee pudding.
Tofu Bobotie (Vegetarian Alternate)
We’ve swapped the meat out for a rich blend of silken tofu, tempeh, and firm tofu to perfectly mimic the texture of the beef based version.
As usual, we can do a half-vegetarian, half-meat box so everyone gets fed. Just include a note with your preference at checkout.
Order cutoff is 3pm Wednesday March 17th, with free local delivery Thursday March 18th, between 11am and 5pm.
Never hesitate to send us an email regarding any dietary restrictions, or questions you may have before you order. We love to feed people and always do our best to accommodate.
