Mzoli's

On Sunday I went to Mzoli’s, a well known braai (barbeque) in the township (you should know the definition by now) of Guguleta. I don’t ever think I’ve seen so much meat! For about $2 per person, your table is served with a massive bowl of marinated steak, chicken, and sausage, pap (white porridge), salad, etc. Silverware, plates, napkins are not included which amounts to messy faces and dripping hands devouring hot food fresh of the grill. Very delicious. One downfall was that we arrived around 12:30PM and waited until 4PM for our food. We were told this was because Andrew, our landlord’s helper for lack of better terms to describe his position, didn’t give the cooks a big enough tip. Mzoli’s is only on Sundays, and what it is essentially is a celebration, a time for drinking, eating, and socializing. You are situated outside at big picnic tables with people sitting, standing, dancing, and walking around. Although most liquor stores are closed on Sundays in South Africa, the liquor stores in the township are open and you can buy beer, wine, etc. and enjoy before the food is served. There are people of all ages and races, from families with babies to grandparents to international students to locals. Many people were dressed up because they had just come from Sunday church service. It was explained to me that this was a celebration to look forward to after being forgiven of your sins and cleansed at church. One man at the table next to us asked if we would stand up and take a picture with him, because he wanted to be in a picture with white people-no joke. The food was tasty, the people were friendly and the atmosphere was great.