Carne

Meat and Greet

I laughed out loud recently when I read a post on Twitter enquiring of vegetarians: “if you love animals so much, why do you eat all of their food?” I can’t remember who posted it, and in trying to find out who did, I laughed even more at the amount of times this statement had been re-tweeted. Clearly, I am not at all alone in my abhorrence of this ridiculous obsession of abstaining from meat. If, like me, you are not a celery sucker then I suggest you try an excellent Italian restaurant called Carne and satisfy your carnivorous cravings.

Aptly named after the Italian word for meat, this is exactly what they specialise in. If there was any doubt, a waiter swings by on arrival displaying all the cuts on their menu – big, juicy, red pieces of meat waiting to be cooked to perfection and for you to tear into it with your teeth like a rabid dog scouring a dark, back alley. Of course, although the atmosphere is relaxed and the ambience warm, it does encompass an air of elegance that would suggest you don’t rip into your sirloin or rump like a deranged animal.

Should you wish to try something that is not meat, there is a fine selection of pastas and salads. Although there are some vegetarian options (insert quizzical look and involuntary shudder) there are also some mouth-watering choices such as lamb shoulder ravioli with sage butter and parmesan cheese; and to add a local touch, a South African salad consisting of rocket, celery, apple, parmesan cheese, pecan nuts, olive oil and, of course, biltong.

My absolute number one rule when eating meat is this: give me a proper knife to eat it with. There is nothing more laborious than trying to saw through a piece a meat with a blunt knife and nothing more satisfying than a knife gliding smoothly through the meat, watching the sauce run over your plate and then slowly bringing it to your mouth to savour that succulent morsel. Specialising in meat, as they do, Carne ensures that you are properly equipped for your meal.

Even before the waiter showcased all the cuts, there was no doubt in my mind that I would order some or other form of meat and I went for a prime piece of rump, medium rare. As much as I may have been jawing off about meat, what took me aback was the superb “salsa Verde” I chose to accompany it – a green parsley sauce, its delicateness elevating the flavour of the meat.

Ending off with a delectable dessert is an absolute must, in my books. The hot chocolate fondant I had did not skimp on the hot or the chocolate and more than delivered on the “liquid chocolate centre” – the tiniest sliver into the soft sponge and the liquid chocolate comes gushing out, waiting for you to lap it all up, bringing you to the verge of snatching your plate off the table and licking it clean. However, as much as a classic is always a good way to go, there is much to be said for a dish that is unique such as the mixed berry salad with the mascarpone sorbet that my mom had. The sour gooseberries mixed with the sweet, creamy richness of the mascarpone is sheer heaven.

If you are a vegetarian and reading this, I sincerely hope you are converted. If not, I will mourn for you every time I check my chicken, fillet my fish or buy my beef; but, especially, every time I go to a restaurant like this.

Originally published on Dinner and a Movie

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