The White Hat Guide to South African food stores & ingredients in Melbourne

South African (or RSA) food doesn't have a high profile in Australia. This is surprising since we share a similar latitude in the Southern Hemisphere and we we both love a barbecue and there are large numbers of RSA ex-pats in Oz. We are of course familiar with biltong, even though we are more likely to call it beef jerky. But most Australians are probably unaware that the Nando's chain of fast food outlets is a South African franchise. The connection is obscured because they specialise in Portuguese peri-peri chicken. [see feedback below regarding this statement.]

If you're having a South African barbecue, then you will have to build it around the wonderful boerewors sausage. These are available from the shop below, but also from specialty sausage shops such as the one in Glenferrie Road Hawthorn. To this you will need to add traditional South African chutneys and atchars (all strongly influenced by the Indian population) as well as having some mealie meal on hand.

The South African Shop
Shop 7 & 8 Upper Level Templestowe Village Shopping Centre
112 James Street, Templestowe
(Mel ref 33 D4)
Tel: (03) 9846 8322
Also
461 Hawthorn Rd Caulfield South
Tel: (03) 9523 7633

They stock items such as Boerewors - Pronutro - Biltong - All R.S.A (Republic of South Africa) Beers - Castle, Windhoek Hunters etc. - Frozen R.S.A. fish - Ceres, Liquifruit. Fanta grape, and other kinds of R.S.A. cool drinks- plenty of R.S.A. sweets, chocolates, dried fruit and preserved fruit, tinned fruit and jams.

Le Gourmet Delicatessen
5 Church Street, Middle Brighton

Watson's Gourmet Butchers
720 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn

Makers of Boerewors.

Reader feedback

"Dear Editor,

Thank you for the information re South African shops in Melbourne.

There is a comment relating to Nandos chicken and that the South African connection is obscured because they specialise in 'Portuguese peri-peri' chicken.

There is no such thing as 'Portuguese peri-peri' chicken. I have travelled to Portugal on a number of occasions, and Peri Peri Galinha (Chicken) is not Portuguese fare. It is in fact, Mozambican. In 1975, the Portuguese left Mozambique quickly and many of them settled in South Africa.

For years and years, Maputo (Laurenco Marques) was a holiday destination for wealthy South Africans who would return time and again to experience the food and culture of, as they termed it, LM...the seafood, and the Peri Peri Galinha.

I must write to Nandos and ask why they cannot give real credit to where the mainstay of their outlet food originated from...there is a vague mention of Africa..but no direct credit to Mozambique.

I have travelled extensively in South Africa and can attest that, the only place to find Peri Peri Galinha is within a Nandos outlet. Whereas, in Mozambique, it is on almost every corner and....so much better than Nandos! Nandos tried to run a franchise in Maputo, in Avenida Mao Tse Tung. Not surprisingly, it is no longer running....why bother...when the real thing is better and cheaper and...everywhere.

Yes, Nandos is a South African based franchised food outlet started by some ex Portuguese people. No, there is no such thing as Portuguese Peri Peri Chicken...Peri Peri Galinha is Mozambican. Ask Albino from the Caulfield South African shop...he used to work in Maputo.

Cheers,

John"

29th December 2008

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