Feeding Durban’s hunger
Lutho Pasiya looks into the city’s thriving street food scene
THE Smarket Street Feast is slowly becoming one of the events that Durban’s food lovers have to attend. A fortnightly event, it takes place at 8 Morrison Street in the Rivertown Precinct and it is a day when you can taste a lot of street food in one place.
Founded by Muhammad Seedat and Ameera Khan, the market’s vision is to bring a vibrant business hub to the city centre.
“With the variety of people found in Durban, the idea is to bring these cultures into the CBD of Durban to a market place; expressing the exuberance our great city has to offer,” Khan said.
“Situated in the heart of Durban central in a contemporary building, Smarket is the source of trendy fashion, cultural artwork, mouthwatering cuisine and live entertainment. These ingredients make for a culturally charged experience for businesses and the public alike to sample Durban’s unique personality,” she added.
The Smarket Street Feast started gaining traction a year ago and has attracted thousands of people and more than 30 traders.
Seedat said they found there was a need to give a platform to up-and-coming food traders to be able to sell their products at the market.
“We felt that to have a food market in the inner city, especially with the whole trend of people coming back into the inner city, this would be the best place to have it and it has proved to be a great success.
“As a market that runs every second Friday of the month, we expect great vibes, good food, drinks and good company.
“The market falls within our great ethos which is to develop entrepreneurs within the city and that excites us more than anything else.
“This is the perfect model for market traders to make a lot of money and learn from each other, with some progressing to a level of getting their own shops or permanent premises. It is almost the perfect breeding ground for traders to test their concepts without spending a lot,” he said.
Here are other street food outlets that Durban has to offer:
Afro’s Chicken
Having started in a trailer at East Coast Radio’s Durban Day at Moses Mabhida Stadium five years ago, Afro’s Chicken has become one of the most visited street food shops in Durban today. Three years ago, the first Afro’s Chicken shop was opened in South Beach, serving cyclists, walkers and surfers. Famous for their chicken strips and chips, the local chicken takeaway is aimed at bringing fresh, affordable and simple fast food to the people.
If you are not a fan of the chicken strips and chips combo, there’s always the chicken burger, chicken salads, chicken wrap and chicken livers.
As they serve both breakfast and lunch, customers are always walking in and out, being welcomed by a salutation chant from the workers.
Emil Venter, owner of Afro’s Chicken and selftaught chef said: “I have always wanted to bring a truly local chicken brand on the market as it is the biggest consumed protein. Street food has become a new trend as it is good value for money. It is essentially good food worth a good price.”
He said chicken strips were the most populat item at the restaurant.
Shisanyama Shandis
Shisanyama Shandis is one of the best street food places around town where one can visit with family or friends and find relaxation.
The restaurant, at 8 Morrison Street, Rivertown, only started as an event late last year and turned out to be one of the highly spoken about street food places in the city.
Thamsanqa Dlamini, founder of Shisanyama Shandis said: “When we started as an event in August not everything made business sense. We then decided to run something different and that is when we found 8 Morrison.
“On our opening day, it was packed. As much as we see a lot of shisanyamas in townships, some people are not comfortable going to chill in them, hence they look for the same vibe somewhere around town. Again it is also not easy for some to travel to townships and that is why I decided on Shisanyama Shandis.”
Shisanyama Shandis takes simple food and turns it into an urban version that will accommodate each and every type of culture.
It offers BBQ-based sauce shisanyama (braaied) brisket or chicken wings, grilled wors, which can be served with pap, steamed bread and chakalaka.
The Braai Pack 2 is the most popular meal. It is a platter that feeds up to six people. The place sees teenagers, working class and entrepreneurs popping in for lunch.
Mtolo’s Kitchen
Food caravans have made life easier when it comes to buying good food on the streets. They may be looked down upon, but food containers are bigger than ever, offering different kinds of dishes for everyone.
Located mostly near taxi ranks, this informal trading sector puts food on the table.
Nontando Mtolo, 40, who owns Mtolo’s Kitchen on Greyville’s First Avenue, said a lack of employment was the reason she started a food caravan business.
Mtolo started her kitchen in 2004 but business has been the same, she said, with her customer base neither growing nor declining.
“My husband and I were unemployed, that is why I decided on starting a street food kitchen.
“Sometimes we are busy; sometimes not, but seeing the number of people who come to buy each day, I can say people enjoy street food more than food that you buy from a top restaurant,” said Mtolo.
She arrives in the morning to prepare her meals so that by lunch time the food is ready. Mtolo’s Kitchen fare accommodates everyone, from taxi drivers, the public, business people and students to tourists. The best-selling dish is grilled meat and pap served with beetroot, coleslaw and onion chutney.
Mtolo’s Kitchen also serves grilled meat and beans with pap or rice; and chicken or beef curry. Mtolo said she never loved cooking but after opening her own street food restaurant, her love for cooking had developed and today she enjoys it.