Shosholza is an authentic shisanayama restaurant in Duke street Glasgow.
Originating in South Africa shisa nyama, literally means burnt meat in Zulu. The term used in townships to describe where people make and serve street food cooked over coals. A tempting offer, attracting those from all walks of life, who gather around the fire. Originally starting as a way for township butcheries to increase their weekend sales. They soon became a destination for both up-and-coming urban professionals wanting to reconnect with their roots, as well as local township residents looking for company and a place to drink and eat. They very quickly evolved and are now much more than venues to eat braaied meat. It’s the experience of genuine street foods and traditional hospitality. The liveliness and authenticity within the heart of a township community.
Irrespective of whether they’re the CEO of a successful company or a general worker, if there’s one place that doesn’t grade one on who you are, it’s the local shisa nyama.
Today, it’s where you go to read the papers, floss the Range Rover while you get some young’ uns to wash it reverently, have meat braaied for you, listen to good local music, imbibe some fine single malts and catch up with your peers. Either those you grew up with or those who now live in suburbia.
There are no Jetmasters or Weber braais at shisa nyamas. There are actual coals, smoke and flames. It is this juxtaposition that seems to attract people to shisa nyamas in their hordes.
While all shisa nyama have meat, no two are the same. A car wash is a big plus but not always possible. The quality of meat is also important as there is no point in enduring some of the more basic places if the meat is going to be tough and tasteless. Amenities on offer range far and wide. They could include cable TV – usually for sports, live music, in and outdoor eating options, designer decor, ATMs, car washes (naturally), toilet facilities – and, of course, the ubiquitous single malt whiskey.
Despite the obstacles and formalities shisa nyama is a simple grassroots tradition that has made its way across continents and has taken root in the heart of Glasgow.