The Love Story of marble and granite in Tashas Cafe’s

Strong relationships are often forged when those involved in a challenging task or project achieve success despite tight deadlines and seemingly insurmountable hurdles. Such was the case when Natasha Sideris called on Sangengalo Marble and Granite at the eleventh hour to install a feature piece in Namib Rose marble to Tashas Waffle House in Constantia Cape Town. Sangengalo’s team rose to the occasion and worked right through the night (all the while being plied with great coffee!) in order to complete the stunning piece in time for the grand opening. Natasha’s sharp eye for detail appreciated the comprehensive effort that went into the complex marble unit, with its bird’s beak joints and storage recesses. This led to further appointments for Sangengalo Marble and Granite within Tashas Cafe’s.

 

Besides the obvious passion for her unique, diverse and creative culinary fare, Natasha’s passion for natural stone comes through strongly in her restaurants. While the first Tashas store had mostly marble in the design, Natasha has begun a love affair with granite surfaces over the last number of years.

‘With granite there are so many different ways that you can apply the material to make it look contemporary and timeless. Granite has different looks: you can tumble, flame and polish it to different effect. I love that granite is really strong and how you can get such amazing, natural colours and patterns! I currently use it on counters and table tops, and I plan to include it in our upcoming homeware ranges too.’

 

Tashas V & A Waterfront Cape Town was next for the team at Sangengalo Marble and Granite. The brief from Interior Architect Neydine Bak was for antique flamed Artosha granite (quarried in Namibia) to the dining tables and cladding; honed Artosha granite to the preparation areas, and two 60mm thick feature tables with antique flamed edge detail. NB Designs paid close attention to the choice of granite, finishes, and edge detail – ensuring correct interpretation of her innovative and exciting design; which in this case was a Spanish tapas-inspired theme. Most flaming of the granite to create an antique appeal took place at the Sangengalo factory premises in Cabernet Road, Saxenburg Park 1, ensuring uniformity in the finish between upper surfaces and the edges. Many of the photographs in the recently launched Tashas cookbook (which displays classic café recipes) have the antique flamed Artosha granite as the background to the amazing dishes on offer!

 

 

 

 

 

When asked what her favourite surface was to work on, Natasha replied:

‘The marble counter at the Hyde Park store – The bread maker uses the marble surface to make bread everyday because the cold temperature is good for preparing the dough.’

Tashas Canal Walk was the next franchise roll-out in Cape Town, and Sangengalo Marble and Granite was asked to provide granite for all the counter-tops, as well as to fit marble to match existing columns in Canal Walk. After much deliberation on which granite to use, Interior architect and designer Neydine Bak opted for Kashmir Valley, which complimented every other aspect of the interior – and regular client images on https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tashas-Canal-Walk/1492794257635515 testify to the beauty and practicality of granite as a restaurant surface.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A new Tashas café will soon be opening in Mandela Square, Johannesburg, where up to 90% of the interior will be covered in marble and granite. Tashas enthusiasts can also expect two new waffle houses popping up in Bedfordview and Mandela Square, which will feature beautiful, natural stone surfaces.

‘We’re always looking to improve – that’s the thing that keeps us a cut above the rest. We never settle in the success,’ she says.

‘In South Africa we’re going to stop at 15 stores, but we’re about to start expanding in the Middle East.’ Natasha will be moving to Dubai for a few months to add more outlets to the existing one there, but plans to commute to keep in touch with things in SA.

Look out for new Tashas innovations, coming soon:

• The Tashas online store will offer Tashas kitchenware including glasses, ceramics, granite salad bowls and salt and pepper bowls made out of natural stone.
• The first Tashas cookbook displaying classic café recipes hit the shelves in February 2015; and the second Tashas cookbook is being put together already. The next recipe book will feature each restaurant’s signature dishes and some exciting waffle house creations!
•  Two new Tashas outlets will be coming soon to Bedfordview and Mandela Square

 

Photo’s courtesy of Rudi’s Choice. Wholesalers of Rudi’s Choice Marble and Granite.  www.rudischoice.co.za