The Neighbourhood Goods Market

So Saturdays. Saturdays are awesome. In Cape Town, Saturdays would have started with a run along the Sea Point Promenade to Camps Bay, followed by two cappuccinos and goats cheese omelette at Loading Bay. Sea spray, mountain, micro-roasted blend and protein. In my mind, that's the way all weekends should start. Like you're on holiday. For real.

But now that there's no sea - what to do? WHAT TO DO?

So my cousin and I went for a run in Greenside. And let me tell you - Greenside lives up to its name. Tall oak trees and roadsides of creeping red soil, dew-damp and scattered with leaves. After 12 hours of no-traffic, the air smells clean - exfoliated by the night's thunderstorms, and alive with the mating calls of the african bird chorus. The sun's light dapples tar, loam and grass with unprejudiced abundance of colour.

Fifty minutes later, we were home. And the voice in my head went "Suitable sea -view replacement - check". The post-shower thought gravitated toward breakfast, and I began the venue conversation with "I am NOT going to Mugg and Bean". And then I suggested that we try the Neighbourhood Goods Market.

For those that don't know the famous Old Biscuit Mill institution in Cape Town - it is the original Neighbourhood Goods Market. That's its official name - but Old Biscuit Mill is the venue. I know it as "OBM" from many an sms and facebook status. I love it for three reasons:

1. It is the home of Espressolab (the supplier of Loading Bay's coffee). Espressolab has given me two of my best coffee experiences. The first was one of their Christmas blends, which honestly tasted like gingerbread (and that was just the way it was blended - there was no flavouring syrup!). The second was a Yemen coffee roast, which tasted like fresh hay. I mean - it's not like you want coffee to taste like straw per se - but the fact that they could do that to it left me in awe.
2. It is the home of Kitchen Cowboys, who make one of the most incredible fillet steak rolls ever. And their onion relish could almost make me weep.
3. It is the home of not one, but two professional photography stores. I used to go in to look at the panoramic canvases on the walls. Breathtaking. Both in beauty and price. But free to look!

So when I heard it advertised that someone had brought the idea to Joburg last October/November, I suddenly became a whole lot happier about my Joburg move. And the first Saturday I could (Saturday last), I was off to Newtown (NewTown? New Town? Braamfontein?) to check it out.

And I discovered that I really am a big concrete city boy. Old buildings, reclaimed timber, raw concrete, cityscapes and the giant cumulus clouds above the joburg skyline. It also turns out that one of the women who helps run the Neighbourhood Goods Market (hereafter known as NGM) is a friend of the cousin's! After a somewhat awkward moment where I shouted at her across a street (to attract her attention, of course), she came and spoke to us while we were having breakfast.

[Sidebar: breakfast was an egg and bacon roll, made with homemade mayonnaise, rose tomatoes, secret sauce and coriander. I'd agreed to chilli as well (freshly diced little red ones) - but I won't be repeating that. People can talk about "pleasant afterburn" all they like. At some point, you stop tasting the mayonnaise and the bacon. And then I'm left asking myself what the point is. But once I'd removed all the chilli after that first bite, I was in breakfast heaven.]

She tells us that there's actually quite a strict review process in order to have a stand at NGM. They need to be impressed by taste, food presentation and stand decor before they'll let you in. And you know - you can tell. That place is a little immaculate. None of that burned oil smell from the chip-roll caravan, or braai smoke from multiple boerwors and burger tents. It smells upmarket and fresh, with herbs and spices and barista-made coffee. Love it!

Also, there's an upstairs eating area that looks out at the Joburg skyline, framed by the buildings of Newtown. And best of all, there was room to move around (Cape Town's OGM becomes impenetrable after 8:30 am - this one was free-flowing when we arrived at 9:30, and stayed that way until we left at half 11!).

Saturdays are still going to be awesome.

I'm so ready.