KanaJang, a new restaurant situated at Maun’s Nhabe Museum’s, is a new art gathering for food enthusiasts.
LifeStyle caught up with owner Malebogo Busangwho described the place as “a creative space that has something for everyone”.
Kana Jang?comes across as quite a peculiar name. Busang, who started her restaurant journey after an epiphany to follow her passion, says the name was inspired by her free spirited nature: KanaJang? came during a conversation over coffee with a friend. In essence, the name is meant to create conversation, especially with its different expressions and meanings in Setswana.”
Given its location at the museum, with d├®cor that is both contemporary and eccentric, the space is set up to celebrate Maun’s enigmatic scene as well as its blossoming creativity.
“Our restaurant is warm and has ambiance, and I would not think of it any less than encompassing, especially with collars of other artist organisations based in Maun and surrounding areas.”
The menu reflects Busang’s creative outlook on food, and is “mostly a fusion of Tswana cuisine with a modern twist,” she says. “Cooking is an art and we use food to create something delicious. Apart from traditional dishes such as bogobe with seswaa, we play around with our local snacks as I grew up knowing them – your option of phaphatha stuffed with seswaa served with a side salad, or a mouth-watering fat cake with pilchard-stuffing. One can also pop in for a quiet time cup of tea or coffee with a slice of cake, compliment of our free WIFI. We also have an engaging magazine library for a lazy afternoon.”
With two months on after the restaurant opened, Busang says they continue to get a warm response from locals and tourists: “We have had amazing support from the local NGOs and local authorities. We also have a great relationship with some of the tour operators and have been blessed with customising our menus for international tour groups.
On her vision for the restaurant, Busang states that KanaJang? is the beginning of a long term dream: “I would like to tell stories through food.She hopes to open up franchises throughout the country.Our target is to launch the first international outlet by mid 2018. I would like to take food tourism to the next level, especially here in Maun. Brace yourself for what will soon become Maun’s heartbeat,” she enthuses.
