The organic cuisine
Re ja setso identifies the niche
Lapolang and Bontle Chabi, and sister, Pinkie Mholo are very passionate about what they do. For a few years now, the trio have been serving scrumptious meals, but not just any other meal. Plying their trade at the now popular, Re Ja Setso, the trio clearly knows what they are doing, and they are in a whole new league. Re Ja Setso, a family run business is located along the A10 Highway, porpularly known as Gaborone- Kanye road, just after the Engine Filling Station before the Gabane Traffic Lights.
For the regulars on this road, they might have seen the home of Re Ja Setso, which is always packed with customers, craving their favorite traditional cuisine.
The success of this business is testament that with the right research and hard work, there is still more that many can do in the evolving culinary industry. Prior to walking into the business, with an influx and explosion of street food all over town, it is not difficult to dismiss them as just another business in the game. But lo and behold, that is further from the truth.
Style finally had a chance to visit and have a chat with the owners. And boy, were they blown away!
What one needs to appreciate about this business is how everything is made right here. The chickens are prepared every morning, as they understand the needs of their customers who only want fresh organic chicken. Lerotse is also made on the premises. On this particular day, in the late afternoon, they are already busy prepping the lerotse for the next day.
And to hear that the customers are diverse and come from all corners of
Gaborone and Tlokweng, as well as those who are enroute to various destinations along the Highway, you get to understand that the owners’ passion is paying off, and they are not about to let any challenge stop them from serving their customers. For our maiden visit, we were served Lebelebele, morogo wa Setswana ( bean leaves) and Setswana chicken, as well as pap, Seswaa sa kgomo ( pounded meat) and morogo with a kick of their famous peri peri. For this reporter, it was just so nostalgic to eat a Setswana chicken that tastes this good, reminiscent of late Grandma, Gorataone Kenyafetse.
Something that makes them stand out is that their chicken is not seasoned, strictly no spices.
They have only added salt and oil, and the salt is just perfect. Now the broth ( Moro) from the chicken will see one returning for the second and third servings of starch. It has the right amount of colour, and pairs very well with any starch such as Lebelelebele in this instance. Seswaa is also tasty. It is not every day that you find someone who can cook Seswaa this way. It is not dry, and one can finish a whole dish of just the Seswaa without any side dish, that is how it is. For someone who is an average meat eater, this is a big testimony.
Every day, they report for duty at 06: 30, and start serving lunch from 1100hrs until 1500hrs, after which they clean and prepare for the next day.
Speaking in an interview, Chabi explains that they established the business in August 2018, alongside his sister in law. In the early day, it was just a small business that has grown over the years. He notes that he has a background in the Food Industry, having previously worked for Grand Palm Hotel for ten years. His wife encouraged him to use his background in the Food Industry, and so they established Re Ja Setso. When they started, it was just an open space with just grass. They developed the structures over time and even have a shipping container which serves as a storeroom.
Explaining why they took the route of traditional food, he says that they realized there was a gap in the market. They wished to offer their customers a genuinely traditional food without any spices, simple but delicious dishes that will keep their customers coming back for more. Interestingly, some of their loyal customers have been with them as far back as 2018, and can eat there every day, even over the weekends.
They started off with dishes such as Tlhako, serobe, and offals. “After a year in business, we realised there was potential in the business, and we erected the wooden structure,” he said.
On January 2020, they introduced the popular Koko ya Setswana which is one of their best selling dishes. On average, they have around 15- 20 chickens daily, and can go even higher than that. They use about 15 kg of red meat for seswaa sa kgomo, and about 10kg of wild game. While many claim that they sell tswana chicken but in fact, sell Cornish chicken, he is very clear that they sell the real organic chicken. “We only cook it with water, and don’t add anything to it,” he explains.
Another favourite dish with their clients is Seswaa sa kgomo. “They are always curious to know how we cook our dishes,” he explains.
Other dishes on the menu include seswaa sa podi, seswaa sa kukama, seswaa sa phofu and tholo. For starch, and sides, clients can choose from dishes that include Bogobe jwa lerotse, mosutlhwane, dikgobe tsa lechotlho, phaleche, letlhodi, as well as ledombi. On average a dish costs P30 ( seswaa sa kgomo), P35 seswaa sa phologolo, and P40 for koko.
“On our menu, every day, you will always find koko and seswaa,” said Chabi adding that they pride themselves in selling fresh food.
One of their biggest challenges is securing chickens, and they often have to source it outside Gaborone.
He also shares that they wish to get a lease for the place so that they can build a proper structure, but that for now is only a dream, as they are yet to make any progress. The upcoming developments of a dual carriageway along the road is also another threat to their business.
According to one of their regular customers, Busang Busang, they keep coming back for the organic food.
“I love the fact that they sell fresh chicken which has not been refrigerated. Even the lerotse, they make it daily, and do not buy any of that processed lerotse,” he said.