NOSTALGIC RIDE TO POSH ESTATE

When I tell my kids the stretch between Woodmead and Kyalami was once largely undeveloped land, they think I am making it up

When I moved to the northern suburbs of Joburg in 1998, I would take leisurely drives in a general northwesterly direction over weekends, swooping past Kyalami, Lonehill and beyond. It gave me the impression that I had left the city and was in the country. The road was bounded on both sides by open land, and there was animal life.

Today, when I tell my kids the stretch between Woodmead and Kyalami was largely undeveloped land, except for an equestrian estate on the left, they think I am making it up. Last weekend, I took a nostalgic drive along this route. The stretch of land is unrecognisable, with the posh Waterfall and Kyalami estates and the Mall of Africa having radically transformed it. While the sentimental part of me decries the erosion of rustic beauty, one positive aspect to these developments is the appearance of some elegant restaurants. People must eat. With my niece Luyanda in tow, I nosed our car into the vibrant Waterfall Corner, which boasts several upmarket shops and restaurants.

We headed for Daruma by Oskido, a Japanese restaurant we’d spotted on a previous visit to the centre. When we got there at about 7pm, the place was already rocking. Wait staff were running around like headless chickens, taking orders, delivering drinks and generally keeping the diners happy. The clientele was culturally diverse, with many Asian faces huddled around the sushi bar. People of other ethnicities could also be seen spread across the establishment.

Thankfully, there were several tables on the outside terrace. That’s where we settled. From our vantage point, we could watch the parade of cars and humanity on the open square. There was music thudding loudly from the decidedly young and loud La Parada. The grill house next door was also doing brisk business. The general vibe was infectiously mood-enhancing; you couldn’t help but be happy.

As soon as we sat down, my niece ordered a 2017 Boschendal merlot. Because the menu was confusingly large, we decided to settle for something that was simple but would give us a taste of as many culinary offerings as possible.

Our seafood platter consisted of two crayfish, two prawns, two mussels, four calamari rings, a piece of salmon, hake, stir-fried veggies and noodles, which we chose instead of fried rice. It was a meal and a half. Every bite was tantalising.

When it got nippy outside, we were offered a table inside. We were just in time for the band, which turned out to be Kwela Tebza, a group I first saw perform back in the 1990s in Yeoville, when it was still a haunt of personalities like Tito Mboweni, Pallo Jordan, Eric Miyeni, Naomi Campbell (yes, the international model) and many others.

Daruma is part of a franchise owned by the Shibuya family from Japan, with branches in Umhlanga and Durban. The Waterfall branch is owned by Oscar Mdlongwa, the DJ popularly known as Oskido.

I did not know this until I spoke to my waiter, Mkhungo. I was pleasantly surprised that at a restaurant where the cooks and most of the waiters are Zimbabwean, my waiter was from Chesterville, the KwaZulu-Natal township where I was born. You can understand why I gave him a generous tip. Jokes aside, he was professional and pleasant without being too chatty and familiar. I definitely will be going back.

I was pleasantly surprised that my waiter was from Chesterville, the KwaZuluNatal township where I was born

Daruma by Oskido, Waterfall

★★★★★ Shop No 5 Waterfall

Corner, cnr Woodmead and Waterfall Drive, Waterval Corner, Midrand

Tel: 010-109-0936

★★★★★ Noxolo Grootboom

★★★★ Zweli Mkhize

★★★ Mogoeng Mogoeng

★★ Jessie Duarte

★ Ace Magashule