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Johannesburg City Guide

admin — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:39:00 +0000

Johannesburg is usually a cheap destination for foreigners and offers an exciting yet modern insight into Africa.

Plenty of people have the idea that Johannesburg has live animals walking around and no modern buildings, cars or shops. These same people are pleasantly surprised to exprience the large amount of huge casinos, shopping malls, vast variety of cars on the road and excellent restaurants and entertainment available.

It is a city so there’s not much to see during the day other than shopping, museums and perhaps a city tour. An incredible vibe at night as the city comes alive. Most attractions are one or two hours outside the city and very easy to get to.

Johannesburg is only as dangerous as any big metropolis, the important thing is to manage your risk and don’t make it obvious that you are a tourist - dress down, keep your camera in back packs and packs firmly strapped on.

If you want to go to the inner city, south or west of Jo’burg - best to go with a local but there are some areas that are to be avoided completely.

The local transport system is still catching up so if you’re coming from Europe or the UK - it is going to be hard for you to get around unless you have a car. But always, where there is a will - there’s a way and kind people to chauffeur you around.

Jo’burg, is filled with friendly people and entertaining new words by the locals. A trip to Johanneburg fills the visitor with humour, friendliness and warmth.

Oriental Plaza

admin — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:38:30 +0000

For decades local Indian tradespeople have offered real bargains on pretty much anything from hardware to electronics to toys at the Oriental Plaza in Fordsburg, Johannesburg although the real speciality is clothing and textiles.

Greenmarket Square

admin — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:36:15 +0000

Cape Town’s Greenmarket Square is a legend. Here you’ll find handmade clothing, shoes, jewellery and much more. Other craft and flea markets in Cape Town include the Khayelitsha Craft Market, Pan African Market and Waterfront Art & Craft Market.

Bruma Market

admin — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:34:28 +0000

Bruma Market in Johannesburg is reputed to be the biggest in the southern hemisphere. It’s enormous, and here you’ll find all manner of clothes, trinkets - whatever. There’s also the Panorama Flea Market in Mulbarton, and B&B’s Hillfox and Rosebank Rooftop Markets, both among the largest and oldest markets in the country.

Bus Factory

admin — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:29:39 +0000

The Newtown Cultural Precinct has a small market that operates daily, but the best place to look for indigenous handicrafts in Newtown is the shop at the Bus Factory, 1 President St., located in a 1930s transport depot that was revamped as part of the regeneration of Newtown. Administered by the Craft Council, under the excellent curatorship of Susan Sellschop, the Bus Factory showcases the finest crafts pieces available in the country.

Rosebank Mall

admin — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:28:18 +0000

Rosebank has plenty of outdoor areas to break the monotony of mall shopping as well as a good selection of essentials such as travel agents and music, book, fashion, and crafts shops. The rooftop at Rosebank Mall, which is open every Sunday and public holidays from 9:30am to 5pm, hosts the city’s best market.

Moyo

admin — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:24:35 +0000

In a few short years, Moyo has developed into a franchise, with a branch in Stellenbosch, and two more in Jo’burg. It’s generally considered the best African restaurant in the country, even if the location — in Eurocentric Melrose Arch — feels decidedly un-African. Frequented by locals and tourists alike, this is a great place to people-watch — even if you don’t eat here, come for the mango daiquiris and lounge around in the bar or on the alfresco couches, warmed by wood-burning braziers and blankets in winter. From the waitstaff’s bright cerise-pink headdresses to the huge Bushman paintings on the adobelike walls, this is African pastiche with a tongue-in-cheek twist.

Popular dishes include fragrant North African stews, slow cooked with ginger, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, and saffron, and served with couscous; the South African venison bobotie (a mild, sweetish curry); and the grilled ostrich, prepared with aromatic Ethiopian spices. If you’d prefer something light, the ostrich burger, served on sweet-potato-and-pumpkin bread, is a good option. More than a restaurant, Moyo’s is an experience, particularly at night, when music, dance, and other entertainments are on the menu.

La Cucina di Ciro

admin — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:23:08 +0000

Ciro Molinaro’s three-star Michelin experience in France’s Loire region simply honed his talent for home-cooked Italian fare that locals consider among the best in Jo’burg. It’s a totally unpretentious delilike venue (and small, so book), where the focus is firmly on the food: The menu changes weekly, depending on what’s in season, but if it’s featured, do try the roast aubergine and lentil soup, followed by cannelloni with butternut, sun-dried tomato, and ricotta. The menu usually features at least one fish or meat dish to satisfy the carnivores — and if you’re lucky, the salmon and spinach lasagna will be it. In summer, be sure to book a table on the pavement and enjoy the balmy highveld temperatures

Gramadoelas

admin — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:22:03 +0000

For nearly 40 years, Eduan Naude and Brian Shalkoff have entertained royals, rock stars, presidents, and audiences from all over Africa in this marvelously cluttered restaurant in Newtown’s Cultural Precinct. Not everyone enjoys the food, and the menu sometimes sacrifices excellence in favor of authenticity, but Sen. Hillary Clinton apparently loved the mopani worms (masonja), and the umnqusho, a mixture of braised beef shins, beans, and maize, is Mandela’s favorite. The mogodu, a black tripe and wild African spinach stew, is a hit with those looking for truly traditional fare. For the more timid, there are prawns and the mild Cape-Malay vegetarian and meat curries; ostrich filet and deep-fried crocodile are also worth consideri

Asia D’Afrique

admin — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:21:12 +0000

Cheekily proclaiming itself the “Ministry of Food and Drink,” this Norwood newcomer offers a menu full of creative potential. Understated decor blends Asian zen with African elements — and this is reflected in the mix of food styles, with truly tasty results from chef Wayne Burger. Starters include such exotic fare as sweet-potato and lychee soup, roasted red-pepper parcels (stuffed with wild mushroom ratatouille and glazed Gorgonzola), and a salad of biltong, avocado, Danish feta, and sun-dried tomatoes.

Mains sound less interesting but are delicious; try pan-fried ostrich medallions drizzled with an Amarula liqueur demi-glaze. Or try oxtail braised in Shiraz sauce with waterblommetjies (waterlily stew); it’s served in a miniature traditional African iron pot with mash. Finish off with green-tea crème brûlée or traditional African melktart (milk tart) with Kahlúa crème anglaise and green-tea ice crea