African restaurants: genuine african food
To sample genuine African food, you don't have to venture any further than downtown Johannesburg. It's a trip worth taking, says Anna Trapido.
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In the aftermath of the recent xenophobic attacks, it is easy to overlook the fact that Johannesburg has always thrived on the dreams and dynamism of immigrants. Each wave of newcomers has infused the city with a layer of cultural and culinary diversity. And so it is with the post-1994 influx of African immigrants.
Le me say right up front that the Ethiopian and Ivorian restaurants described below are not everyone’s cup of tea. Every time any one of us heads for any restaurant, we make legitimate personal choices about our own preferences and comfort zones. Don’t go to either restaurant if being in the inner city or sitting on plastic garden chairs bothers you. Otherwise, read on…
Amsale’s restaurant is situated inside what is known on the street as Little Addis. It is agonisingly hard to find and having the address will get you only so far because almost everything in the block is numbered 220. For those who knew the Jo’burg CBD in a previous incarnation, you are aiming for what was once The Medical Arts Building. For those who didn’t, your best bet now is to look upwards because you will know that you have found your target when you see a large painting of Haile Selassie attached to the first-floor balcony.
Inside the 1950s office block, from the spice shops to the Internet cafes, people can and do live entirely Ethiopian lives. The second floor is home to chef Amsale Nekatibeb’s charming restaurant. The menu is in Amharic script and the chef’s English is tentative. You will need to arm yourself with some core Ethiopian culinary terms because, while Nekatibeb will tell you what she has cooked, she can’t tell you what it is in English.
The absolute minimum you will need is the word , which refers to the fermented tef flour pancake upon which you will be offered a range of -spiced stews – is chicken, asa wat fish and misir lentil. Berbere is aromatic rather than hot, especially when combined with the clarified butter base and ayeb cheese toppings. Those who don’t do raw should know that is a spiced steak tartare.
An and portion of wat sufficient to feed two hungry diners will come to R15. Add an Ambo Ethiopian mineral water to your order and you are looking at R30 all in. Ethiopian social style is such that those around you will be friendly but non-intrusive. It will be up to you to initiate conversation if you want to talk to your fellow diners.
In contrast to the gentleness of Amsale’s, House Ivorian has a gregarious, somewhat macho, bar vibe. It would be beyond kind to call the décor minimalist. Both the floorboards and chairs wobble. Phone ahead and chef Etienne Gaba will set time aside to advise you on your culinary choices. He can also arrange off-street parking. But even if you don’t want to protect your car, it is advisable to call him because in recent months the stove has been playing up so sometimes he doesn’t cook.
Whether you feast on aloko (fried plantains), carp with roasted nya nya (aubergine sauce), or attieke (fermented cassava couscous), the flavours are as robust and friendly as the people who make them. Most customers drink beer but bangui palm wine is available. No one is ever going to get thin on this food, as peanuts, coconut and palm pulp constitute the core flavourants. A meal that will leave you full to bursting will come to around R100.
For first-time diners, Amsale’s and House Ivorian present unfamiliar tastes to be acquired. But remember that both olives and truffles are acquired tastes that we are all very glad we learnt to like. Besides, Johannesburg itself is an acquired taste.
