It's quite ridiculous really. I've explored the backstreets of cities from Bangkok to Buenos Aires, but it took 30 years to venture into the Cape Town's sprawling townships just a few kilometres from my front door.
One of my assignments this year has been to review restaurants in the city for EatOut magazine, the country's foremost foodie guide, and one of the spots on my list was Mzoli's in Gugulethu.
For the uninitiated, Mzoli's started off as a simple butchery on NY115 in Gugulethu (a huge township just off the N2 on the way to the airport) but has grown into a popular hang-out for Gugs locals and tourists alike. The recipe is simple: Buy meat. Hand to braai-demons out back. Grab a table in the outside seating next to the butchery. Mark your territory with a few beers or helpful friend. Go back to the braai and collect your bowl of grilled flesh. Tuck in, to the sound of kwaito beats. Simple!
So, with a healthy meat appetite in hand my mate Simon and I set off to initiate ourselves into township dining. It didn't start well, and I blame it all on the directions, with us ending up on the wrong side of nowhere. One dodgy garage and much hand-waving later we had vague directions (see below for a detailed how-to guide) and found the spot.
In a nutshell Mzoli's is still just a butchery and if you're an Mzoli's virgin the meat counter is where you want to start. Select what you want to eat from the acres of chops, wors and chicken and the butcher will ring it up for you. And yes, you most definitely want to buy some of the delicious 'secret sauce' on offer.
Now before you ask where you collect the Greek salad and garlic rolls, forget it. Mzoli's is all about meat, meat, meat. You can get pap if you like (and bread/vetkoek from the spaza shop across the road), but that's as close to a vegetable as you're going to get.
Once you've got your bowl of meat (you order at the meat counter, but pay at the cashier at the end of the shop, where you'll also collect your wors and chops) head through the door at the far end of the meat counter where you'll find the braai area.
Hand over your meat to the guys behind the grids and then wander further out back where a dingy passage will bring you to the tables (plastic, of course) where the real action is happening. There's a DJ most days, and live music on others, ad if you're not there by 1pm your chances of getting a seat are pretty slim.
There's no problem with bringing your own beers (or any drinks really), but if you don't have drinks there is a handy shebeen (look for the two houses with low walls on the Stellenbosch side of Mzoil's) across the road where you can buy quarts of Pilsener for the princely sum of R8. Bargain. The spaza shop just to the right of the shebeen is a good spot to grab a half-loaf (R3) or vetkoek (R1.50) to mop up the secret sauce the meat comes bathed in.
And that's it really… a meat-feast for two strapping whiteys came to 50 bucks, but only because we went for the expensive lamb chops, so you could get it cheaper for sure.
The vibe was awesome, the super-friendly locals seemed chuffed to find two umlungus chilling at Mzoli's on Youth Day and there was an awesome relaxed vibe to the place. If the kwaito moves you, just stand up and dance at the table… no problem.
You can't book, but Mzoli's is open from around 10am-8pm every day.
So now, you're looking for directions to Mzoli's.
To get there, take the N2 towards the airport. Take the Modderdam Road off-ramp and turn right, so that you cross the N2.
The road comes down to a large intersection with Klipfontein Road, with Manenberg Police Station at 11 o'clock. Hang a left here into Klipfontein Road.
Keep going for a kilometre or so on Klipfontein Road, until the road goes over the railway line. On the other side you'll see a petrol station on the left.
Go through this intersection and take the next left. Mzoli's is immediately on the left… you can't miss it. There's plenty of street parking, and Mzoli's apparently hire security guards to ensure there's no car trouble.
Enjoy!
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