Two Joburg spots at which to enjoy live music with Sunday lunch

OS TIOS RESTAURANT AND SKY LOUNGE

I always try to fight the creeping Sunday blues however I can. Going out for lunch at an understated, unpretentious restaurant with fun live music is one of the ways myself and my partner do this, and I have found it eases us into the week. 

We found such a gem in Honeydew, Os Tios Restaurant and Sky Lounge in Randburg. It’s a family-run Portuguese restaurant and has all those goodies on the menu that one expects — Mozambican-style chicken, espetadas, pork stews, peri-peri prawns, calamari, crab curry and platters of meat or seafood for two. 

I had the beef trinchado, succulent pieces of meat and chips with which to soak up a tasty, rich, peri-peri gravy. I asked for mild, which was enough heat for my taste buds. My partner had a beef prego — a crispy roll with a good slice of beef, topped with that same wonderful sauce. They should really bottle it! Instead of veggies or chips, he decided on the milho frito as a side. These are fried cubes of maize, similar to polenta fries. Dip them into the secret sauce or eat them as they are — pure crispy heaven.

But the kicker to the day was not just the food (the prices of which were reasonable — my beef trinchado was R110). Os Tios has an upstairs deck with incredible views — one can see as far as the Sandton skyline and beyond on a sunny winter’s day. 

Then there is the live music. On a recent Sunday, we were serenaded by a duo called Foolish Behaviour. 

These guys clearly know their music and they could sing, which is always a bonus! Their genre is soft rock and ballads, but the highlight was the two of them jamming Staying Alive by the Bee Gees, which I have yet to hear given proper justice by other singers. It’s a difficult song, especially the falsetto, but these old rockers nailed it.

Book early and ask for a table on the deck. We made sure we were not too close to the speakers because we like to chat while the music is playing. — Jennifer Platt

• Os Tios is open on weekdays and Saturdays from 11am to 11pm. On Sundays, opening hours are 11am to 5pm. To book, call 062 264 4370. 

BLIND TIGER CAFE 

The Blind Tiger Cafe in the quaintly suburban hamlet of Parkview is a cosy neighbourhood speakeasy, invitingly away from the rat race. Choose a small corner for two in the bar or join a table in the secret garden in the back.

The menu is California-inspired fusion, including legendary Korean-style spicy chicken wings, freshly-made guacamole with Blind Tiger’s tortilla chips, grass-fed beef burgers, quesadillas, tacos and delicious grilled Norwegian salmon.

In winter, Blind Tiger’s irresistible dessert is served — warm butter croissant pudding made with cranberries and a decadent vanilla bourbon sauce. The food is complemented by a full cocktail bar serving all the classics, including an old-fashioned whiskey sidecar, whiskey sour, margaritas, caipirinhas and Blind Tiger’s inimitable Bloody Mary, as well as variations like the Chernobyl and even something called Cocaine. The bar also offers Jack Black lager and ale on tap, a full selection of beers and an interesting wine list. 

For Blind Tiger regulars, the addition of live music on the last Sunday of every month is another good reason to venture out to the cosy bar with its great garden space. 

The Runaway Train Cult is resident, a folk band taking influence from Appalachian, Bluegrass, Gypsy Jazz, and New Orleans heritage. Its members share a love of acoustic folk and roots music, and the associated instruments — violin, guitar, upright bass, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, accordion, brass and percussion. The variety of styles has become so integrated that it’s hard to hear where one starts and another stops. Recently, hip hop and soul have crept into the mix, so the journey continues. — Andrea Nagel

• Join The RTC on the last Sunday of every month from 12.30pm. There’s a R65 cover charge, but kids 12 and under enter free. The RTC is followed by live jazz until 6pm. Jazz duo Influx (keyboard and sax) play all other Sundays from 3pm to 6pm. Book online or call or WhatsApp 076 030 4200.