4Roomed eKasi culture makes 'best in the world' list

The much-loved 'casual dining experience under the township sky' is now one of the top 30 restaurants in the world

American Food & Wine and Travel &Leisure had food critic Besha Rodell visit six continents, spend over 300 hours in airplanes over four months to search for the best restaurants in the world. Two of the final 30 are proudly South African restaurants;4Roomed eKasi in Khayeltsha, Cape Town and Le Win Chambre in Johannesburg.

The proud and super-elated chef patron Abigail Mbalo-Mokoena says, ‘it’s an honour for the 4Roomed Ekasi Culture Group to represent our community of Khayelitsha and the beautiful city of Cape Town. The 4Roomed team is committed to using food as a tool to build the rural and township tourism economy.’

4Roomed offers traditional South Africa on a plate with gourmet flare. Its feasting table menu includes bright dishes made up of unique South African ingredients and is presented on ceramics designed by a local artist. Think mqa (pap with butternut, nutmeg and truffle oil, topped with a home-made - roasted tomato relish). iSonka samanzi, steamed bread topped with sesame seeds, umngqusho (samp cooked in coconut cream and tarragon) and mleqwa (fall-off the bone run away chicken slowly cooked with fennel flavour).

They also serve Moerkoffie (yes, that's what it's called), as well as home-made ginger beer that is served kasi style in enamel cups.

If you have not experienced 4Roomed Ekasi and you're based in Cape Town, what are you waiting for? And as for the rest of SA and the world, here is one more you can add to your travel foodie bucket-list.

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@crowneplazadenhaag thanks for capturing the moment... @abi_the_creative_4roomedekasi we are proud of you.. ・・・ No weekendplans yet and want to join our South-African Food Festival on upcoming Friday or Saturday evening? Call or e-mail us now via +31 (0)70 352 51 61 / [email protected]

A post shared by 4roomedeakasiculture(@4roomedekasiculture) on Sep 27, 2019 at 1:05am PDT

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#visitsouthafrica #meetsouthafrica #abigailmbalotheartist . . #Repost @visitsouthafrica with @get_repost ・・・ Trust us, it tastes even better than it looks. A flavorful history awaits when you #MeetSouthAfrica. South African townships are home to some of the best street food you can find. A fusion of African, English, Indian and Dutch influences combine to define what is traditional South African cuisine. At @4roomedekasiculture, every plate is a bite of rich culture. 📸: @nosipo_tisani . . . @meetsouthafrica @travelandleisure #abigailtheartiststable #abigailmbalo #abigailmbalopoppyhuis

A post shared by Abigail Mbalo(@abi_the_creative_4roomedekasi) on Aug 26, 2019 at 8:51pm PDT

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#4roomedfeastingtable #meetsouthafrica . . #Repost @visitsouthafrica with @get_repost ・・・ Have a taste of "soul food" in your home away from home. #MeetSouthAfrica Chef @abi_the_creative_4roomedekasi's creations may be unfamiliar to non-South Africans, but locally, her dishes embody the heart and soul of a nation. "Township cuisine" is what everyday South Africans ate on a regular basis, with heart-warming servings derived from recipes passed down for multiple generations. 📸: @ziziphodyubeni

A post shared by Abigail Mbalo(@abi_the_creative_4roomedekasi) on Aug 26, 2019 at 8:10pm PDT

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@get_repost #Repost @4roomedekasiculture with @get_repost ・・・ True SA Food & Wine pairing is about understanding international palate, dishes, traditions and cultures that you are about to serve food & wine. Then pair this knowledge with your knowledge of South African cultures, traditions, food and modern lifestyles. Only then you think of pairing the actual food & wine of which you also need to understand their origin, flavors and story... The work and journey that few artists will choose to be involved with... Thanks to @abi_the_creative_4roomedekasi she has chosen to be one of those few artists... . . #abigailmbalotheartist . . . Now we are pairing. @nederburgwine #exclusivefoodandwinepairing #exclusivefoodanddrinks @proudly.sa . @augustcollective , @qhubeka and @siyabonga_mbaba , Ride2Empower... #abigailmbalosmicrophone #abigailmbalotheartiststable #abigailmbalopoppyhuis #4roomed #4roomedfinediningekasi #4roomedekasiculture #abigailmbalo #abigailmbalowikipedia @denzilswartz @siyabonga6504

A post shared by Abigail Mbalo(@abi_the_creative_4roomedekasi) on Sep 8, 2019 at 12:15am PDT

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