Water Mush Chillas Lounge Shisa Nyama welcomes you in Maboneng

By Edward Tsumele

It is a Saturday afternoon, and the weather is perfect for an outing. Music is pumping, and people are streaming in through its door where a security guard gets everyone to sanitise before they are allowed into the establishment. Once you are in you are hit by a lovely smell of meat that is being bra-aid on an open fire.

Welcome to Water Mush Chillas Lounge in the heart of Maboneng. This is the latest business to open in this busy place. The brain child of local entrepreneur, Owen Dube, who along with other strings of businesses run from Maboneng, also owns the bottle store next door.

This is a place that is set to attract people from far and wide now that Covid 19, restrictions have been relaxed, allowing certain levels of social interactions in the country. International borders have also opened, offering an opportunity for the Covid19 battered tourism sector to heal and probably recover.

Water Mush Chillas Lounge only opened a month ago, and was launched on Saturday, October 3 as a fully licensed Shisa Nyama in pumping Maboneng. With their very reasonable prices on their food menu, that includes a  braai dish and stew offering served with pap and salads, Water Mush Chillas Lounge is bound to attract  both local and domestic tourists through its doors because of its Kasie (township) feel, but still offering a polished sophistication expected by an urbanised  city sleeker. Its simple, minimalist and understated but sophisticated interior decor gives the place a rustic, artistic feel. It is perfect for a sophisticated urbanite in the concrete jungle of Johannesburg, looking for an alternative, chilled atmosphere away from the imposing malls of Joburg North.

“Our idea is to give people a home feeling once they are here. It is minimalist furniture and furnishings that do not intimidate people as they feel at home here. Our main attraction is the quality of meat, which is strictly A grade meat, our diverse cocktail menu that gives our customers  a wide variety of drinks flavours to choose from. But most importantly, our spices on the meat have proved to be a top attraction,” says Dube.

Dube however revealed that the place was meant to open in March this year, but when COVid-19 happened, he and his team had to postpone the launch until now in level 3.

“This is our second month but already, the business has shown its potential and the patronage so far is pleasing, and it keeps on steadily growing,” Dube said in an interview.

Water Mush Chillas Lounge, which has a mezzanine floor as well as the main dining area on the ground floor, is situated at No 5 Beacon Road in the Access City Building. The building is well liked by tourists for its artistic facade that is reputed for among other art works, hosting the Mandela The Boxer mural, created in 2013 by Freddy Sam and taken from the famous photograph by legendary Drum photographer Bob Gosani, of the late former President of South African Nelson Mandela sparring in his other life before going to prison for political activism in 1964 after the Rivonia Trial.

And so next time you are in Maboneng, and you feel hungry, make time for Water Mush Chillas Lounge Shisanyama for a spicy and high quality meat dish at a reasonable price.

. Water Mush Chillas Lounge Shisa Nyama is at No 5 Beacon Road in the Access City, Maboneng, Johannesburg, east.