Firdose Moonda discovers some Mexican appreciation — and some tequila shots — at a new restaurant in Illovo
‘Because Johannesburg needs a good Mexican place.” That is why Martin Jakoby and his childhood friend Thomas Hughes decided to start Perron, Mexican Appreciation Society. It’s not named after the former Argentine president, it translates to “The Big Dog”, which tells you everything you need to know about what they’re trying to do in this space — dominate.
Jakoby and Hughes are the same entrepreneur-chef pair who brought us The Loft in Melville and The Attic in Parkhurst. They continue to entertain at The Office in Greenside and The Griffin in Illovo, two doors down from Perron. For their newest venture, they’ve stepped beyond the boundaries of fusion cooking and gourmet pub grub and joined forces with Jakoby’s sister and brother-in-law, who fell in love with Mexican cuisine while living in New York, to concentrate on an ethnic cuisine and its most famous drink.
The first thing you will be offered at Perron is tequila. There are 16 different kinds to choose from, ranging from the regular Cuervo Gold to the three-year aged Centinela Anejo, which goes for R110 a tot. The waiters recommend you order a tequila with a sangrita — a non-alcoholic spicy tomato drink — and switch between them.
While you’re savouring alternate sips, you can snack on nibbles like pork scratchings, jalapeño poppers or pepitas (spiced pumpkin seeds) or head straight to the los pequetos, the little ones. These are the centrepiece of the menu and can be eaten as single snacks or tapasstyle to form a whole meal. Two to three plates per person are enough to fill you up and give you a sense of the variety of Mexican cuisine. There are interesting selections, such as the banana and bean empanadas, which combine tang and tartness; kingclip ceviche cured in lime juice; sweetcorn fritters topped with honeyed sweet potato, guacamole and tomato salsa; or side-plate-sized quesadillas or tortillas.
If you’re not into small stuff, try a burrito or a taco. If you’re very hungry, look to the classics. The chili con carne, served with either chicken or beef, also has a vegetarian option and is a warming, spicy dish. There is also the chancho muncho, a pork and rice main. The highlight, however, is the traditional chicken mole, prepared in a thick, rich sauce.
Keep space for dessert and do not look further than the churros — crispy fried dough served with either a chocolate or dulce de leche sauce. It’s an indulgence but it’s worth every calorie, especially since it will be consumed against the backdrop of Frida-Kahlo inspired splashes of colour.
Perron’s decor is what gives it its one-ofa-kind edge. Pink and red walls are snaked with golden leaves to invite the eye in. At the bar, three upside-down tulip-shaped turquoise lampshades dotted with fuchsia and yellow flowers hang over the waiting masses — and there are many.
Perron was booked out from the first day they opened — May 14 — and the only way to be assured of a seat is to ask well in advance.
Illovo Junction, cnr Oxford Road and Corlett Drive, Illovo, Johannesburg, 011 880 7296, www.perron.co.za. Open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner, Sunday for lunch, closed Mondays.