HERMANUS WATERFRONT
6 | EXPLORER
25 March 2020
Alley Market: Street food at its best 1
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he Alley Market at Village Square, now rebranded as Hermanus Waterfront, offers both residents and visitors a unique opportunity to enjoy a delicious grab-and-go meal in the heart of Hermanus’s busy town centre. The eclectic variety of stalls offers everything from coffee, pastries and sweet treats, to drinks, snacks, sushi and hearty, home-cooked meals. In keeping with its street food vibe, several vendors specialise in authentic African cuisine, like Cape Malay Foods, The Fish Box and Jojo’s West African Cuisine, while Little Italy, Taco Twister and Jay’s Sushi Bar add a cosmopolitan flavour. Customers can tuck into their purchases in the courtyard, where the walls have been adorned by local artist, Tertius van Dyk, and on Saturdays they can relax to the tunes of live music. “We are very excited about this venture, which broadens our offering and is an added attraction for tourists,” says Kijl Resandt, marketing manager of Hermanus Waterfront. Locals will also be pleased to know that everything at the Alley Market is available as take-out. Simply contact the vendor you’d like to order from and pick up your food a little while later. It’s as easy as that! Find the Alley Market at 104 Main Road, between Mr Price and De Jager’s. Meet the vendors: The Fish Box (4) is a joint venture by Freddie Mathews and his partner, Christa Visser. Freddie is a ‘Weskusklong’ who grew up among the fishing culture of the Cape West Coast. After 18 years in the SAPS, he relocated to Pringle Bay, where he managed a fish ‘n chips shop called HakeAway. Christa is a bookkeeper who also loves cooking, and the couple were looking for an opportunity to open their own business together when they heard about the Alley Market. “It is difficult to find premises if you want to start small,” says Freddie, “and this concept is ideal for entrepreneurs who don’t want to be burdened with huge overheads.” The Fish Box uses a secret recipe and a unique blend of spices for its hake and calamari, which Hake-Away gave Freddie permission to use. The batter is thin and crispy, and halaal-friendly too, as it’s water-based and not made with beer. Anything from The Fish Box’s menu can be ordered for take-out by calling or sending a WhatsApp to 060 965 1535.
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A 10% discount for pensioners is available every Wednesday. Jojo’s West African Cuisine (3) is one of the Alley Market’s top attractions. Owned by Jojo Bansen, a colourful character who hails from Ghana and his South African wife, Desireé, they serve authentic West African food that fuses pure Ghanaian flavours with South African flair. Having lived in Holland for many years, the couple settled in Hermanus with their daughter, Jasmine, six years ago. Eating healthy and balanced meals is something that the couple is very passionate about and their tasty meat, fish and chicken dishes are cooked in a novel air-fryer. Other exotic ingredients include yams, plantain, black-eye beans, herbs and spices, especially garlic and ginger. Jojo’s offers unique food that you won’t find anywhere else in Hermanus. A variety of vegan and vegetarian options are available, and don’t forget to take home a bottle of Jojo’s popular homemade Shito hot chilli sauce. To order a take-away, call 067 050 4712. Jojo is also available for private functions and catering. Cape Malay Foods (5) is the brainchild of Amina Gierdien, who is originally from Worcester and worked as a qualified beauty therapist at a Cape Town salon and the Caledon SPA before giving her love of cooking free rein. As a caterer her home-made food has been in great demand for many years, and can now also be enjoyed at the Alley Market. Amina sells a variety of traditional Cape Malay spices, atchar, samosas and koeksisters, along with her special meal of the day, which could be anything from a bobotie or roti to a Cape Malay curry or biryani. Suffice to say that it will be something irresistibly wholesome and tasty! Amina is available for private functions and catering. Place your order by calling 082 373 4786. Chef Jay’s Sushi Bar (7) is owned by Jaylor Boneyon, who hails from the Philippines where he was working as a chef in a large hotel when he was offered a job at a Japanese restaurant in Johannesburg. He was eventually lured to Hermanus by a previous owner of the Village Square to work as a chef at Lemon Butta (now Lemonicious) and has lived here happily for 13 years. Chef Jay’s extensive sushi menu offers every-
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thing from Maki, Temaki, California Rolls, Nigiri, Sashimi and Fashion Sandwiches, to his special Chef’s Inside Out Rolls, salads and rice toppings. His artistic creations are made from the freshest ingredients and are beautifully presented. Chef Jay also offers customised take-away sushi platters for those special occasions and celebrations. Place your order by calling 079 986 8623 or 072 556 2409.
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Mark Proctor of Taco Twister (6) has been in the hospitality industry for over 20 years. He first came to Hermanus from Johannesburg four years ago to visit his retired parents. In December last year he was back for good and looking for a business venture that would not cost him an arm and a leg. “I really liked the Alley Market, especially the laid-back vibe,” he says. As the name suggests, Taco Twister offers this classic Mexican dish with a variety of options, the idea being that customers can build their own tacos. Think chilli con carne, enchiladas, jalapeno slammers… with a choice of sides and toppings such as guacamole, tomato salsa, cream cheese, pesto, hummus… It’s unadulterated, belly-warming comfort food. And on Taco Twosday (every Tuesday) you get two tacos for only R50. Contact Marc on 072 807 8715. CEM Nuts (2) is reminiscent of an old-fashioned candy store and offers a range of treats that includes candied nuts, Turkish Delight and mouth-watering fudge. Owner Cathrine Mavuto has been joined in this venture by her partner, Samba Cox, who previously worked for Woolworths for 12 years. Little Italy specialises in pizzas and pastas, and its busy owners, Thomas and Sylvia Peter, are also opening a bar soon at the Alley Market, along with a take-away outlet in the Station Centre. The couple has over 40 years of experience as restaurateurs, having previously owned two acclaimed restaurants in Plettenberg Bay. They have only been in Hermanus for a month and clearly have big plans!
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Other stalls at the Alley Market include Yaeli’s, Burger Burger and Hot Shots Coffee & Pastries (1). There really is something for everyone. Don’t forget to swing by the next time you’re in town! - Hedda Mittner
PHOTOS: Hedda Mittner
