Johannesburg – Instead of simply travelling to Fordsburg (home to the Oriental Plaza) to sample the food, a group of us, all foodies, wanted to know a bit more abut the area and decided to incorporate a walking tour into our food adventure.
Our interest had been piqued by Jo Buitendach of Joburg walking tour company, Past Experiences, who has a specific interest in archaeology and graffiti.
The vision of a Joburg for all people, its architecture and owning the city in a specifically proudly African way, appealed to us.
Fordsburg has always been a part of Joburg that opened its heart and arms to divergent groups of people, from the Malay community which has become synonymous with the area to the poor white farmers given government housing in this enclave.
There were different opinions about the two-hour walking tour among our group.
The most critical ranted about the lack of sufficient information about the buildings, but those who felt less harshly thought it would serve well as an introduction to the area. They agreed that perhaps this was the kind of tour for people who would never venture into these streets on their own.
Even though I have shopped in the area, what I liked about this closer acquaintance with Fordsburg was that I was given a feel and understanding of the suburb rather than a history lesson.
It’s as if the suburb was put into context and the residents operating there given a face.
I now know where to buy the best sweetmeats. I discovered a few more shops, some on my own and others via the tour.
I learnt more about the artwork under the bridge between Fordsburg and Pageview which has sadly been neglected by the city. And I discovered a community thrilled at the prospect that I could lose my heart to some of their culinary delights.
We could have done it on our own, but I liked this more intimate introduction to a place that I had passed through but didn’t know as well as I should.
The real treasure for me was the food which I had heard much about but hadn’t sampled personally.
We were going to have lunch but when we arrived at about noon, we had to stop for something to drink and discovered what can only be described as a liquid dessert at House of Schwarma.
It included avo, dates, a squeeze of lemon, crushed ice and milk and was sublime. Because of the avo’s texture, and the crunchiness and sweetness of the dates, it was a drink to die for.
They also had other delights like a Nutella falafel as well as the more traditional falafel options. We marked this as a favourite stop.
Our main stop for food was Dosa Hut, a South Indian restaurant at 53 Crown Road. I hadn’t tried a dosa before but had heard about Dosa Hut from chefs who are familiar with their food.
It’s described as a fermented pancake made from rice batter and black lentils and then served almost like a wrap but in different ways.
I had a creamy mushroom mix (R55), someone had mutton (R65), another opted for the paneer (cheese) combo and how could we resist a curry?
I found my pancake wafer thin and crispy. It is served in various ways, including a rolled-up family dosa or one without a filling that’s presented almost like a hat on the plate. All of this comes in a canteen-type steel platter which has compartments for condiments like a chutney, atchar, some yogurt, and spicy dhal, which all add flavour.
It’s obviously hugely popular because on a Saturday at about 2pm, when we sat down for our meal, the place was packed with especially young people, mostly Indian.
We were welcomed, and patrons were delighted to share their cuisine with those of us who wanted to know more.
We weren’t finished with the delights of Fordsburg. Variations of fruit drinks are common. One of them was ice colas similar to slushies but that have a healthier feel with flavours like mango, orange, rose and lemon.
Each one is made on the spot when ordered.
Shalimar Delights was highlighted by our tour guide as one of the best places for sweetmeats. And it certainly looked like it, but once you get to know the area better, you might pick your own favourites.
There’s a bakery that has found a home in an old church that’s quite extraordinary, with enticing eats on display.
Street food – like the samoosas we had at Dosa Hut or some brinjal chips – is another attraction.
Or pop in at the market which has a whole section for food.
It was the tastes and scents of the day, and the people – a baker from Syria, a young African making rotis on the street – that made one feel enveloped in a textured and treat-filled world from the Middle East with its extraordinary flavours that lingered on the palate.
That’s what I most enjoy about food, experiencing with friends new adventures, and being overwhelmed by excitement.
DETAILS OF THE SPICY TOUR
The Spicy Fordsburg Tour costs R200, or less, depending on the size of the group. For details of this and other tours, visit www.pastexperiences.co.za.
Past Experiences says, on its website, that it will “guide you on a walking tour taking in the history, culture and gastronomical delights of Fordsburg. We recommend that this tour takes place on a Saturday afternoon; we can include a visit to the famous Fordsburg Market”.
They include this quote by Essop Bahana from The Joburg Book edited by Nechama Brodie:
“We have a variety of people living here – from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Syria and now even from other parts of Africa. The lovely thing about all this is that everyone brings a bit of their culture, and it’s all blended and works well together here in Fordsburg. We have what we call the ‘square’, which is the hub of commercial activity.
“Here you will find shops owned by people of different nationalities. Fordsburg was always multi-layered and very cosmopolitan, and in that sense it hasn’t changed much. It’s a very mixed culture, and it makes you see a different side to South Africa.”
The Star