Fundiswa Nkwanyana tells us about the Asian street food and rock ‘n’ roll inspired restaurant located in Parkwood, Johannesburg, Saigon Suzy. The cost of travelling to exotic destinations to indulge in food and culture is costly. Because of this, I have resorted to eating in restaurants that give me insights into places that I hope to visit one day.
THE VIBE
As soon as I walked in, my eyes were captivated by Asian umbrellas hanging from the ceiling and portraits of Asian women on the walls. I fell in love with the décor because everywhere I looked; something quirky and interesting caught my attention. The patrons were mostly mature young adults catching up over cocktails and delicious food. I was pleased to see that the cool kids were not there because they can be loud.
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FOOD AND DRINKS
Before we could place our order, the friendly waiter asked us to write our rock star names on the menu. He then created a funny jingle using our rock star names which he sang every time he came to our table. I awkwardly laughed when he asked me to join him, and opted to order a potent Mango margarita instead. The freshly chopped chillies on top of my drink gave it a kick with an Asian twist. I’m not well versed with Asian food, and I could barely read or pronounce most of the words on the menu. The waiter spared me the embarrassment and gave me recommendations. For starters, I had a filling KFC Korean Fried Chicken Bao with spicy kewpie. For mains, I had the tasty broken rice barbeque bowl with house teriyaki, shredded carrots, Asian herbs, side of kimchi, fried sticky rice with chicken yakitori. Every time my food arrived, I got excited and shocked by the large portions. I tried using chop sticks, but they were slowing me down, so I opted a fork and knife and enjoyed my meal. The food was delicious and my taste buds were happy.
MORE THAN JUST AN EATERY
Apart from the main food hall and bar downstairs, there is also a No Tell Motel upstairs which has luxurious and private karaoke rooms with stunning wallpapers and lighting fixtures. On the same floor, there is also a cherry blossom garden with comfortable outdoor seating and a private indoor dining area.
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OVERALL EXPERIENCE
I absolutely enjoyed myself because I ate food that I can’t pronounce and was exposed to a bit of Asian art and culture. Considering that the cocktails are potent and the food portions are generous, the pricing is inexpensive. It’s an ideal place to treat your palette and your loved ones.