Zen & The Art of Luxe Cuisine

PHOTOS Graeme Wood WORDS Zodwa Kumalo Valentine

We scoped out the design and sampled the Pan-Asian fare at Joburg’s much-talked-about new restaurant, Tang, which is now a finalist in the Restaurant and Bar Design Awards.

Clad in black and a mask, and sporting an enviable mohawk, the waitron pours warm, lemongrass-scented water into a ceramic vessel through a small hole. Two other holes are filled with small, tightly rolled towels. As I chat with friends over a chilled glass of recommended rosé, she instructs us to pop a towel into the water. It slowly blooms into a fluffy, bona fide napkin, and the table gasps with delight; we remark on how we’ve missed the little things – not least of them the pleasure of a midweek lunch out.

Apparently, many others have too, because Tang, the newest addition to Johannesburg’s restaurant scene, is surprisingly full. A group of businessmen converses jovially; tables dotted around the room are filled with couples canoodling; and elegantly dressed women laugh over sexy cocktails, bopping to Buddha Bar-esque sounds. The fare includes small plates, mains and bowls brimming with delicacies inspired by contemporary Japanese izakayas (similar to tapas bars) and Cantonese eateries of Hong Kong.

This means you get a taste of everything, from sushi, dim sum, tacos and salads to more substantial offerings in the form of a Robata grill (smoky cuts of meat prepared over fire, served with sauces and fries), decadent wok dishes and signature fare of Wagyu cheeseburger, soft-shell crab and Peking duck – a patron favourite. Chef de cuisine Wesley Chen, the former executive chef of Asian eatery Boudha Lounge, and chef Vixa Kalenga of Willoughby & Co fame are responsible for the menu.

Having opened its doors in May 2021, Tang has already earned its first accolade: the Hospitality Council’s Luxe Restaurant Award 2021. In keeping with this, owner and hospitality entrepreneur Nicky van der Walt has achieved a balance of luxe yet accessible dining.

With interiors by Tristan du Plessis, winner of Best Overall Restaurant at the 2019 Restaurant & Bar Design Awards, it’s an elegant, minimal environment with a darkly sexy energy – all marble, travertine, granite, timber and high ceilings, which are lowered by Dutch brand Moooi’s hanging basket lamps. There is no directional light in the restaurant, with a halo effect preferred to spotlights over tables. Nicky says he fell in love with the venue formerly occupied by Wang Thai restaurant, and spent many days imagining how he’d like to transform it. Inspired by Brazilian architect Marcio Kogan, who specialises in modern tropical design, Nicky wanted a pared-down space that’s not overly ornamental. “My brief to Tristan was ‘modern tropical’ – I wanted to bring the outside in, and create a jungle, Zen and luxury,” he says.

The covered courtyard overlooks Nelson Mandela Square, while the quiet all-white space with modular seating that flanks the right-hand side of the restaurant offers cosy proximity to the bar. Ask the barman to mix you The Sakura: gin, sake, cherry blossom, orange-flower water and lemon. “I wanted Tang to feel like you’re on holiday,” says Nicky. “It mustn’t feel like you’re in Johannesburg – or any city, for that matter – but rather that you’ve been transported somewhere that you can’t pinpoint…”

Looking for more on local and international design? Take a look a the shortlist of finalists for the Restaurant and Bar Design Awards 2021.