Welcome to Megaplex's monthly newsletter alerting the Sandton shopper to the new and interesting in Benmore Gardens, Bryanston, Gallo Manor, Morningside, Morningside Manor, Petervale, Rivonia, Wendywood, Woodmead and, increasingly, Sunninghill. Please feel free to support our advertisers! To subscribe, see our subscription page.
|
The Square in Sunninghill, off Rivonia Road Ext.The Square is one of southern Sunninghill's older and quainter shopping centres. Built on a steep slope, it was adapted to suit the terrain. As a result it is on three levels (four if you count the basement parking). This gives it a character lacking in centres where they simply bulldozed everything flat, and you more exercise if you shop there. The original building of the centre sits near the top of the hill at the corner of Navaisha and Leeukop Roads, with an entrance on each. The Sasol garage is on the corner, and the top level shops form an "L" around it. Shops at this level include Subway, which makes amazing submarine sandwiches to your specification, and 7-Eleven which does generous boerewors rolls on Saturdays and has a liquor outlet. Standard Bank is there too, Kai Flora florists, Happy Valley Chinese Restaurant, Scooters Pizza and, up the stairs next to Scooters, Dance Café who give Dancing classes. A level down in the old building is Santi's Mediterranean Restaurant. Also The Farmer's Pantry, advertising "wholesome goodness", but otherwise secretive about what they actually sell. Emerging from the old building at the lowest level, one finds oneself facing the new building and its car park. Echoing the upper level, the building also forms an "L" around the car park. The anchor tenants here are Nedbank and Checkers. Appropriately, next to what we affectionately call Nerdbank, is Dial a Nerd, the computer people. There's a pharmacy, and two clothing shops where they speak fluent Chinese, but no English. The lower level is supplied with eateries in the form of Ghazal Indian Restaurant and Take-Away, J's Café for salads, burgers, wraps, breakfasts, pizza, and more, including Lulu, a coffee shop also selling smoothies and muffins. Parking is free, and most copious at this level, which also has basement parking down the side. Megaplex's new web page for The Square Shopping Centre is here. Overheard:Our cat is on hunger strike: She won't eat unless I feed her.
New on the Block, Movers and Shakers Back to top
Restaurant Review by Judith Back to top*** Taste of Punjab, Sunhill Shopping Centre corner Corner Tana and Naivasha Roads, SunninghillThis restaurant is quite small and intimate. On a very cold night, we tried it out as Bosco was fully booked. They provided excellent samoosas in the new style - pastry triangles filled with vegetables, not the thin pastry style but more solid. However these were good. We then shared a half Tandoori Chicken which was enlivened by my request for lemon otherwise it would have been very dry. In London, the north Indian Restaurants did the most beautiful Tandoori Chicken served on an abundant salad with lots of lemon in the 1970s. Here lemons are cheap and so is salad - why don't we have a similar sublime food? Their service was good and the white wine by the glass more than acceptable. I would recommend it, just ask for lemon! Contact Details for Taste of Punjab. Whining and DiningJulius visited a restaurant and complained about the food. The waiter said: "I know your steak is frozen. I told you it would melt in your mouth, didn't I?" The Gone Dogs Back to top
Civic (Heart) Beat Back to topOn 30 July I gave my 111th blood donation, and tried Game Centre in Fourways for the first time. The Centre is not as bling as Fourways Mall, with which it shares the parking area, but neat, clean and functional. The SANBS Blood Clinic, just to the right of the entrance to Game, is small without being cramped, tidy, and well run. Staff were friendly and efficient. Giving blood does hurt a bit, there's no denying it, but it's worth it for the good it does. It's a shame that only 1% of the population donates blood, and blood donors are constantly needed. Anyone leading a clean and, preferably, monogamous, lifestyle is free to donate. The racial profiling that caused a spat some years ago is long a thing of the past, yet the majority of donors still seem to be white. Ironic since the majority of recipients, and all the staff at the clinic, are black.
The Philosopher at the CheckoutWhy do supermarkets have express checkouts for 10 items or less? Don't they want you to buy more? If so, shouldn't they have express lanes for shoppers with more than 10 items? |
Your name in print! Would you like to contribute a shop- or restaurant review, a joke, or something else for this Newsletter? Please e-mail us. You will get full credit (unless you want anonymity). Reach 2739 shoppers and shop-owners: Advertise in this newsletter! Editor: Rick Raubenheimer.