Yeoville Dinner Club — Restaurant in Gauteng

Eating here is not even close to being about the ingredients of the dishes, but rather the ingredients of who the marvelous chef Sanza is. This place is to be felt and lived. Coming here will make you feel like you've just had one of life's great culinary experiences, as if you were on one of those foodie shows where they spotlight something you'd never otherwise find, an intimate attraction that nobody has heard of, but by episode's end you contemplate booking your next trip to that country just to share in that experience. (And in fact of the celebrities he has fed, Anthony Bourdain fittingly was one.)

Let me begin by explaining that this is a hole-in-the-wall. There is not even a sign for it on the outside. You must arrange the meal in advance, and when you arrive you NEED to call because otherwise you will think you are completely lost, and quite frankly you may likely feel worried for your safety. I say all of this because Yeoville is not considered a safe neighborhood anymore. It is full of life, and mixed full of many African cultures thrown together, and as the chef Sanza told us tonight, "when people see White men and women arriving nearby they know it must be either for the Dinner Club or for drugs". And sure enough, we arrived in our bus, could not find a sign anywhere, and many smiling faces tried to wave us to the side but there was no obvious parking, and we had no idea if our GPS had sent us to the right area until Sanza himself approached us, and led us into his Dinner Club, a location that is a single room with a long table, and littered with decorative items all around you. It is as if you have just entered Sanza's own home, and he has invited you as his guest. And this feeling of intimacy continued when he introduced himself and talked about his love and mission for bringing hope and love and safety and togetherness to this otherwise rundown neighborhood, utilizing what brings so many people together over the millennia of time: food.

His passion is unparalleled. His joy is like a lightning bolt that fills up the room. His smile did not wane for the hours we were with him, as he was so excited to share his love for food and Africa with us. It was a good 15 minutes of discussions before he went into meticulous descriptions of each dish, put before us to share family-style. When we finally were ready to dig-in, WOW, the food was incredible. Be ready for most dishes to be spicy, and appreciate how much flavor is in each bite. Other than the fish and the yogurt served with the dessert, everything else was actually vegan, and our large group of 18 different difficult Americans were able to eat as much as we wanted, and there was still tons of food leftover that he promised would not let go to waste. He created everything himself, from the delicious beer-infused bread to the best cole slaw I have ever eaten. And for worried tourists like myself, even the ice is safe to drink as all of the water is first boiled prior to freezing it.

I heard one friend say it was the best fish she has ever eaten. He approached another friend who was pausing and not eating that moment, but was reassured that he was simply taking a moment to appreciate that this was the single greatest meal he had ever eaten. Sanza stayed with us, moving around the table, sitting with us, drinking with us, laughing with us, and treating us as friends, not customers. He walked us to our bus, and hugged everyone once or twice, and we each left each running to our computers to help spread the word about a culinary gem of a human being in...

On Thursday last we went to the Yeoville Dinner Club for a meal of delicious pan-African dishes. The proprietor, Sanza, is a neighbour of ours and when cooking sauces at home, sends out these heavenly, slightly spicy fragrances that make your mouth water. Sanza has collected recipes from about 27 countries in Africa and slightly fine-tuned them for local foodie palates, getting plenty tips from the richly cross cultural restuarants in the vicinity. Simple, subtle and wonderful flavors across about 10 dishes of which about 8 were vegetable based and 3 custom drinks. The opening cocktail was excellent, a ginger post dinner drink sublimely ‘world-class’ and a sorghum beer and palm wine sampler to round off was strange, but good and I had a second. Wine is BYO, with reds probably best suited to the food flavors. The crowd was eclectic with about 50% local and 50% tourist, lively and chatty with a wide range of experiences, lots of chat and laughter. I think 2-3 couples were repeat diners, bringing friends and visitors. We were met at the Uber by one of Sanza’s friends and escorted upstairs to his restuarant, while a taxi was arranged for our drive home, so felt safe throughout. All in all a great evening and one we will repeat. The restuarant seats 14 and is currently heavily booked, out to mid-January! A GREAT taste of Africa, not...

There's a hidden spot in Jozi that's definitely worth checking out. Now, I'll be honest, the area may seem a bit rough around the edges, but hey, it's home to many and it's full of character. Just get an Uber to drop you off and bring your own drinks.

Here's a pro tip: give the host, Sanza, a call when you arrive. He'll come out to fetch you. And don't stop at the initial chat with this guy, he's a goldmine of stories and will make your night even better.

The food here is nothing short of amazing. Yeah, it's a tad salty, but the flavors are like a world tour mixed with African traditional dishes - something you won't find anywhere else in town.

Some might say the place feels touristy because they focus on making it an experience rather than just a meal. But let's be real, if this was in Camps Bay, wouldn't we all be raving about how cool that is?

So here's the deal. This place is an absolute must-visit. It's more than just dinner, it's an adventure, an experience you won't forget. So, get on the phone, get that Uber, and get ready for a food trip...