The Johannesburg dining scene has experienced huge changes since the first Covid-19 lockdown. Restaurants and coffee shops closed their doors and vanished from shopping centres and suburban retail space. Despite this attrition, the past six months have seen an extraordinary burst of new investment. The most visible signs of a return to some form of pre-Covid normality are, unsurprisingly, in the city’s northern suburbs.
The “strip” in Parkhurst is more vibrant than ever, with patrons spilling out of restaurants and watering holes onto the pavements from midweek through to Sunday evening. Low infection rates coupled with spring weather have infused social spaces with a vibrancy not seen since the festive season of 2019.
High-profile dining places are running to capacity. Nowhere is this more evident than at Tang, Nicky van der Walt’s new venture in Mandela Square. Opening in May in the once cavernous space occupied by Wangthai in a now-forgotten era, Tang with its edgy, glitzy look and feel has brought a new kind of Asian fusion food to Sandton.
The décor is striking yet restrained and cleverly designed to convey a sense of volume while still retaining intimate nooks and crannies for diners who have come for the food rather than the jet-set catwalk of seeing and being seen. The dominant colour is black, from the stone walls and floors to the furnishings. There’s nothing gloomy about it, however: it serves the purpose of a stage and set where the patrons are the cast, and the show is anything you want to make of it.
The menu reflects exactly the same spirit, with options ranging from multiple small servings from which to compose an eclectic meal of unexpected flavours and taste sensations to main courses designed to assuage the hunger of a trencherman.
The izakaya plates offer an extraordinary breadth of choices: scallops from the robata grill, Wagyu tataki or yakitori chicken; you can also open with a starter serving of short ribs, spare ribs or pork belly. Steamed dim sum are an option, from the trio of scallop, lobster and caviar to an assortment from the complete dim sum menu.
There are a number of wok dishes — essentially stir fries with ingredients ranging from lobster to Sichuan beef with cashew nuts or crispy chicken in a pine nut sauce. The robata fire offers a selection of high-end steak cuts for carnivores: two different grades of Wagyu as well as so-called Angus and good old-fashioned local beef.
Among the signature dishes — served as main courses — are the famous black cod (at the suitably premium price of R650 per serving); peking duck; salt and pepper calamari; and fabulous crisp (sometimes too crisp) soft shell crab. The less adventurous will find a wide sushi and sashimi selection, readily followed by easily understood desserts: salted caramel fondant, chocolate cardamom tart and apple tarte Tatin.
There’s no doubt that Tang has taken off. Service is slick, the staff well trained, friendly rather than obsequious, the food well presented, delivered to the table on time, and satisfying enough to entertain even the most jaded palate. It provides all-day dining, with a kitchen which keeps going until curfew intervenes and sends the partygoers off to bed.
Of course there are cavils, but they come with the territory. It’s impossible to find a quiet corner. The music and buzz, which are part of what Tang is about, will always impose. Nor is it easy to find an undressed dish, though many of the sauces and sticky condiments are served on the side. You don’t go to Tang for plain food, but if that’s what you want, you can opt to avoid the bits and pieces the chef considers intrinsic to his creation.
I think the menu and wine list offer real value. Unless you choose the high-end signature dishes (like the black cod or a Wagyu steak) you’ll come out at about R400 per head before beverages. The wine list offers ample choice, with a number of very good wines at under R300 (and more than a few at over R5,000, if you have an urgent need to dispose of hot cash).
At some stage the ever-present Van der Walt will need to get his chef back to the drawing board. Not because there’s a lack of choice but because the more dedicated patrons will need something new in time. But that might be the length of summer away. In the meantime the fans keep on queuing and there’s no sign they leave disappointed, or have anywhere better to go.
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