Dinner in the neighborhood of Yeoville.
No one warned me..
When Sanza Sandile described Yeoville back in the day, it seemed like some kind of bohemian haven, a melting pot of cultures deeply invested in their art scene. He told us about the art galleries and musicians coming together. His hilarious anecdote about trying falafels for the first time - these vegan meatballs that, when chewed long enough you start to believe it might be real meat. And this expensive hollow bread called a croissant lol. This is what they be eating in Europe huh?
Sanza reminds me a lot of myself; we share a lot in common, from our backgrounds in TV to our love and careers in the food industry. He’s also shown the late Anthony Bourdain around SA so you know I was around food royalty out here.
Yeoville has undergone significant demographic and cultural changes.
What frequently came up in conversation was the fact that it was a predominantly Jewish area in the mid-20th century. Over time, the Jewish community became more affluent and started moving out of the area, making way for African, Middle Eastern, European, and Asian communities, as well this new artsy crowd.
Today, it is notorious for its high crime rates and poverty. While driving towards Yeoville, the Uber driver asked me if I had ever been to the area, and I said no. He said that there's too much crime, and he doesn't even like driving into that area. He reiterated this multiple times and as we entered the area, I understood what he meant. Yeoville is the jungle.
Yeoville feels like a mix between Baltimore, Dalston's Kingsland Market and the density of Delhi. The markets spill out onto the streets, it's bustling, people are all around your car, paying no heed to the cars trying to get through. There's music emanating from all corners, people were moving a bit mad, and there was a strong smell of marijuana on the streets. Which honestly I didn’t mind..
In the midst of all this chaos..
You find Sanza's supper club, hidden in a narrow alley up a flight of stairs. Inside, you discover a beautiful house adorned with ornaments from his travels.
I step into the kitchen and Sanza shouts, "Ah, you're the chef! You're late!" After a warm hug and a sip of my drink, Sanza put me to work - I felt like I already knew him. We begin taking dishes to the main room, I was genuinely impressed by the food that came out of that kitchen.
He is not only a great storyteller but also a fantastic chef. We enjoy delicious Pan-African food, including Moroccan lemony chicken, vegan egusi (which he calls "vegusi"), mango and aubergine achar, fried fish, stewed goat, puff puffs and so much more – the man can cook. And somehow all of it tasted delicious together, like real flavour bombs you know. He wasn’t holding back at all.Â
Sanza got me to help with dessert, it's so much fun. He whispered "I'm having you help because I don't really make desserts" we both laughed. He had me plate black rice as a base, cover it with caramel yoghurt, and top it off with delicious peaches that have been soaking in spices and juices for a couple of days. It's genius really. The dessert looks a bit confusing, like a tomato sitting on top of yoghurt but when you take a spoonful, it all makes sense. The nuttiness and texture from the rice, the smooth caramel yoghurt, and the sweet-tartness from the peaches – who taught you that?!
It was such a fun night, filled with laughter, jokes and such good company - Hiii new friends! After dinner they took me to Maboneng to check out a bar called Bertrand Café they all love. It kind of felt like the hub of creativity, it was really nice. It’s nights like this that will stay with me forever.Â
Huge thank you to Julien for inviting me all the way to Yeoville, what an amazing way to start my trip. And thank you to all the people who made my night.Â
The song I will leave you with today is Sizwile by SPAZA ft Ariel Zamonsky.
Love,Â
Rez x