UPDATE: As of April 2014, I am sad to report that Amamus Café is closed. Read about my new favorite croissant in Jozi.
Instagram of Amamus Café Bakery on 4th Avenue, Parktown North. Amamus means “We Love” in Latin.
Croissant and coffee at Amamus.
Amamus also offers a full menu of Mediterranean-style fare, with a North African-Cape Malay twist. Fatima, the owner and chef of Amamus, comes from Cape Town.
After my croissant and coffee on Saturday, I couldn’t stop thinking about the rest of the menu. I was back with more friends on Wednesday afternoon.
Moroccan lamb and cous cous.
A Turkish-style tramezzini called the Magic Mushroom Boat.
Almond tart.
Fatima has also designed an entire menu of gourmet burgers, which I have yet to try. I hear the pizzas are good, too. The prices are reasonable: If my memory serves, most items on the menu cost less than R70 ($8). I didn’t look carefully at all the prices but I know my mushroom boat was R45.
I don’t think there is wireless internet at Amamus. But if you like reading National Geographic (which I do), you can hang out there for hours and never get bored.
Entertainment corner at Amamus. The dog bowls are a nice touch.
Amamus is nothing fancy. It’s not trying to be something it’s not. It’s just nice. Nice food, nice ambiance, nice location, nice owner.
Fatima is the best thing about Amamus. She is an exceptionally lovely person with a fantastic sense of style.
For those who want to learn how to make the best croissants in Jozi, Fatima offers croissant-making and bread-baking classes. Call 078-011-3222 for more information.
I can’t be bothered, of course. I will just go to Amamus and pay R15 for a croissant and a free chat with Fatima.
Amamus is at No. 17, 4th Ave., Parktown North. It’s open for breakfast and lunch all week, and has extended hours for dinner on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
How have I never blogged about 44 Stanley Avenue, the coolest shopping and dining complex in Joburg, which is only five minutes from my house?
I guess it’s wrong to say I’ve never blogged about 44 Stanley; I’ve mentioned it countless times over the years (see here and here) when writing about specific restaurants or shops that are there. But I’ve never written a dedicated post about 44 Stanley as a destination and it’s about time I did – especially now, with the holidays upon us.
I’ve been dreadfully uninspired lately, struggling to think of anything I want to blog about despite having a long list of great ideas (many of which you, my readers, provided in September). I’m finding it hard to feel positive about life at the moment. But on Saturday Thorsten and I got the chance to visit Indwe Park, an indigenous garden and sculpture park in Braamfontein, and I knew I had my topic for today.
Given this week’s political nuclear bomb blast, it feels like a weird time to publish a light-hearted post about my recent (pre-election) jaunt through the United States. But I’m hoping you’ve have had enough of the U.S. election horror show – I know I have – and are ready (at least temporarily) for some wholesome American travel adventures. If so, please read on about my four-day visit to Maine, the northeastern-most state in the lower 48, with my sister, Susanna.
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It makes me smile, when I see it.