THE RESTAURANT
Sweet, spicy, exotic — and that’s just the customers. Wait till you try the food. By Bridget Hilton-Barber
‘M an, this is the best vegetarian food I’ve had in a long time,” a handsome man at the next table exclaimed. I was amazed and delighted, being keen on both vegetarianism and handsome men. In Limpopo, where I come from, most men wouldn’t dream of a meal without nyama or chicken.
It all felt very hip and happening at the Spaza Gallery on a Sunday afternoon in Troyeville. This is the edge of Jozi city, near Ellis Park and the Maboneng Precinct, ’hood of artists and groovy people. We sat outside in the gallery-garden, having a slow lunch among sculptures and artworks — all for sale and ever-changing — and a very interesting crowd.
IT WAS A REFRESHING CHANGE FROM THE YOGA MUMS OF PARKVIEW
“Andrew Lindsay has always collected interesting people,” a socialite and longtime friend of his told me, and so it seems with the Spaza Gallery.
Lindsay is the founder and creative director of the Spaza Gallery, whose Sunday lunches have become something of a cultural icon in Jozi. He sat watching the proceedings from a chair in the shade of a big old bamboo.
Inside the house on Wilhelmina Street is a gallery showcasing local art, craft and sculpture. Visitors walk through the gallery to get to a shaded bistro, where the food is served buffet-style, and also in the adjoining gallery garden. The main feature is a recycled-plastic-bottle tree and a gorgeous weathervane by the late, great David Rossouw. There is also a workshop on the premises, which produces things like owls, angels, trees and baby elephants. Lindsay has had a hand in many of the public artworks around the area and further afield in rural areas, too.
There were a lot of mixed couples and wild-haired children; there were poets and artists and foreigners and drunks. And some serious Afros. How I love an Afro.
Over the course of the afternoon, and quite a lot of wine from the honesty bar, I met Peter Makurube, writer and documentary-maker; artist Kay Hassan; and Justin Wells, metalworker.
I met a man who did the murals at Montecasino; a subeditor from the Daily Sun; an American NGO type; and a dreadlocked musician called Steve, who called me cutie-cutie, which was fabulous. It was a refreshing change from the yoga mums of Parkview.
Spaza very much reminds me of Núcleo de Arte in Maputo, which is a legendary culture spot — an artists’ collective, a gallery, music venue and bistro space. In the 1930s it was the Portuguese artists’ club and many of the old guard of the Mozambican art scene used to wait on tables and hang out with the artists.
Back in Troyeville, the food at Spaza, made by chef Sandile, is not always vegetarian but is definitely always soul food. I secretly admired the handsome vegetarian man and enjoyed the meal, which was kind of Pan African with a touch of Portuguese … a delicious chickpea salad, a spicy lentil dish, mango achar, rice, roti — mmmmm.
NAVIGATING THE MENU:
Drink: Wine and beer from an honesty bar; nothing wild or exceptional, apart from the honesty part. Standout dish: Spicy Moroccan lentil stew Chef/owner in the house: Both the owner and chef are on hand.
For food snobs: Definitely not a snobbish place; the food is served buffet-style on a big table and everyone serves themselves.
The maths: From around R150 for food & a glass of wine or two.
Ratings: ★★★★