hemp
You’ve heard of lager, pilsener, draught and stout. Now there’s hemp beer. It’s called Hanf (“hemp” in German), made by Wdi Bru in Switzerland, and it’s finally available in South Africa (Cape Town and Gauteng only).
At the third birthday party of Pretoria pita bar and reggae club Tings an’ Times on October 10, local advertising company Delta Nine was promoting what they call “the best head in town”. Hanf is a refreshing change from the usual tipple, with a smooth palate and a subtly sweet aftertaste that goes down very well.
Also on the menu at Tings an’ Times’s bash were back issues of Bitterkomix, fanciful Meltdown candles in the shape of flowers, a free fruit and juice buffet and the ubiquitous drum-and- didgeridoo sessions. The place looked like a mixture between a reggae children’s party, with red, black, green and yellow balloons dangling from every available purchase, and a scene from The Crow, with waiters inexplicably face-painted with black- and-white skulls. The small room was packed with patrons of all ages, from two tiny babies, to schoolchildren and throngs of students, to a table of middle-aged reggae fans enjoying the vibe, the soccer on television and the good food.
Of course, being packed is nothing new to Tings an’ Times. And with a menu as different as The Tings Times (a four- page newspaper with reports on music festivals, the usefulness of hemp and the comings and goings of reggae personalities accompanying descriptions of the food), it’s no wonder. At least half of the items on offer are vegetarian, like the Feta Fungus starter (crumbed mushrooms stuffed with herbs and feta cheese) and the Leaning Towers of Brinjal (eggplant slices layered with spinach and feta).
The menu is built around a delectable selection of filled pitas, with salads and side dishes to fill up your plate. My favourite is the Pork Honey, a pita filled with strips of pork fillet panfried in honey, mayonnaise and lemon juice.
Also to be recommended is the Beef Brandy, strips of beef in a mushroom, cream and brandy sauce served in a pita with houmous, and Stir it Up, stir-fried chicken with julienne vegetables and tzatziki in a pita.
For dessert (“After Ate”) there’s Dahab for the Munchies, two pancakes topped with ice cream, fruit, syrup and nuts; Plain Jane, pancakes with cinnamon sugar; and Not So Plain Jane, pancakes with syrup and ice cream. And to end off the meal, have a Clockwork Orange – “Tequila and schnapps play chess in the orange juice, you’ll feel it tick” – or a Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster – “It’s the liquid equivalent of having your brains bashed out by a gold brick passionately wrapped in a slice of lemon.”
Tings an’ Times has long been the favourite haunt of students burning the candle at both ends because it is one of a handful of places in the capital city that stay open until the early hours of the morning.
Although the kitchen closes before midnight, you can always pop in for a post-rave mug of coffee, or get ready for bed with a long, cool beer after a long night’s studying in the University of Pretoria’s library – just two blocks away.
Tings an’ Times, Shop 16, Hatfield Galleries, Burnett Street 1066, Hatfield, Pretoria. Tel: (012) 362 5537