Moveable Feast Michele Witthaus
BEHIND the dusty, unimposing exterior of 25 Alexander Street, Ferreirastown, are a myriad curious objects on shelves and in glass cabinets. Gaudily painted statuettes share space with miniature Oriental houses, white rabbit sweets, ginseng remedies and “stop smoking tea”. A sign on the wall informs one that “The Chon Hing Restaurant is celebrating its 34th anniversary” and thanks patrons for their support over the years.
It only takes a couple of parties of diners to create a crowd in the tiny space and it’s probably been the same ever since 1960.
This has all the signs of being a magical place — the most magical thing about it being that no matter how hard you try, you will find it impossible to spend much money here. You can eat from the a la carte menu for under R10 a dish. On one occasion, my friend and I tried hard to run up a Johannesburg-sized bill, but had to admit defeat. After we had each had a five-course set meal with helpings that we couldn’t quite finish, the bill was still only R70 including wine and tip.
Diagonally across from John Vorster Square, the Chon Hing radiates Oriental calm, no matter what is going on outside. I was once there for lunch when a large crowd marched on police headquarters. The woman who runs the restaurant with maternal firmness popped her head outside, muttered a little and came back in to serve the next course. Nobody felt the need to barricade the doors.
This lady is one of my reasons for visiting the restaurant. She is small (appropriately, for a restaurant that has only seven tables on streel level and about the same in the very, very cosy basement), she makes everyone welcome, and she radiates a belief that hers is the best Cantonese kitchen in town.
On quiet weekdays, children return from school and sit down at a free table to do their homework under her watchful eye. A television is always on in the corner, screening the latest Chinese skop, skiet en donder movie. When it gets busy (which happens remarkably quickly as one o’clock strikes), the service speeds up and staff deliver orders from the extensive menu in the shortest possible time. The patrons include off-duty police, local residents, stockbrokers, journalists and tourists, and some fascinating conversations are struck up between tables.
My usual order is tofu, bamboo shoots and bean sprouts with crisp vegetables and rice, but you can go in for the set menu: Won ton noodle soup, kingklip in lychee sauce (tender and delicious), chicken spring roll, sweet and sour pork, bowties and tea. The shark fin chicken soup was pronounced excellent by my friend, as was the Peking duck.
The atmosphere of this eatery may be esoteric, but the no-surprises Cantonese cooking can be relied upon, as can the affordable prices. But don’t all rush at once or the cops will think it’s a riot.