Having whetted our appetites with his Soweto tour, we hit the trail with Ek Se’s Lesika through Yeoville and Kensington, in search of a culinary experience that captures the richness of Africa’s diverse cuisine. For starters Lesika offers us a light history lesson on how Yeoville came to be and its transformation from a predominantly white community, to a ‘grey’ area and ultimately to its present character as a cultural melting pot for everything African. The suburb’s current makeup, a wide-ranging mix of residents from all over the continent, and the unsettling paranoia that still surrounds the city were an unlikely combination of ingredients that led Lesika to create the food tour. What he hopes to achieve is for visitors to leave satisfied from all they enjoy on the tour, but that they also leave with a hunger to discover more about Yeoville and the people of the various African nations who call it home.

First stop, Zara Afrika Food, a Ghanaian restaurant on Raleigh Street. We have not taken heed of Lesika’s warnings to come hungry and as a consequence things get very real. Very quickly. Before us is a delicious spread, and from the looks of it – one of everything on the menu. The chef generously discusses the overall characteristics of Ghanaian cooking and how the dishes he’s served are prepared, but ironically his handiwork splits our attention and all we can think about is how much we can’t wait to dig in. When we come up for air from our plates, we fail to find the words to describe just how incredible the food is.

Our route to the next eatery leads us through the Yeoville street market where a microcosm of West and Southern Africa greets us. Stalls selling everything from yams, fresh and dried fish, plantains, cassava, coconuts and an assortment of many other items flank us on either side as we make our way through the very place where a lot of the restaurants in the area source their ingredients.

Outside on the street we discuss the city's plans to refurbish parts of Yeoville, particularly the recreational facilities like the Yeoville Park, where the Pan-African composition of the neighbourhood has finally been highlighted with a newly produced mosaic mural of different African flags.

No more than a block from the park we arrive at an unnamed Nigerian bar and restaurant known to locals simply as Mamma Esther’s, after the owner and cook. Our host greets us with a menu of yams, breadfruit, beans, goat stew, her take on a spaghetti bolognese, and succulent fish prepared by a Cameroonian cook. Some Naija tunes play in the background and add that little-something-extra-nyana as we feast.

The walk back to the shuttle produces a conversation about how sitting down for a meal can be the first important steps on a journey to appreciate other cultures. Sitting down for a meal can take you out of your comfort zone, whether you’re tasting food that’s a little more adventurous than what you’re accustomed to or simply having a nourishing conversation over a meal. We drive out of Yeoville to Kensington to Abyssinia for a taste of Ethiopia. A variety of meats and vegetables prepared in a unique blend of spices are served on Injera, the Ethiopian sourdough flatbread. The food is traditionally served from a single large platter to be enjoyed amongst friends and family. The meal is followed by some Ethiopian coffee and not to be outdone; it flows generously with aromatic flavour that confirms its place amongst the world’s best coffees. With just a few delicious courses Lesika’s food tour has taken us on a journey that has started a love affair with west and east African food, all in one afternoon. And for that compliments must go to the guide.