𝐀 𝐊𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐌𝐈𝐑 𝐊𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐍, 𝐑𝐄𝐁𝐔𝐈𝐋𝐓 𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐄𝐀 𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐓 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇 𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐃

A Kashmiri cook, a Cape Town comeback, and a tandoor on wheels.

I’ve been back to my neighbour, Riyaz Mir, who’s launched his own-designed beautiful food truck in Sea Point, tucked beside the SABC building.

It’s called The Tandoor, and it’s the real deal: a fragrant, fire-licked homage to the tastes of Kashmir. I took some more photos, here they are.

The menu offers marinated chicken, prawns, paneer, and a generous spread of vegetarian and vegan dishes, each a nod to a distant kitchen and a granny and mother’s hand.

He told me in detail how all the food is prepared, but that will have to wait for the review I’m writing, I can’t give all the secrets away. I got into the new truck, what fun, everything shiny and shimmering.

Riyaz was born in Kashmir, in the north of India, and grew up by his granny and mother’s side in the kitchen of their home in Srinagar.

“In Kashmir,” he says on his website, “men aren’t supposed to cook, but my early years, watching her tend steaming pots with care and intention, taught me the quiet alchemy of spice, herbs, and fresh ingredients. More than that, it taught me to share my culture, through food, with friends near and far.”

(By the way, when I once interviewed Ina Paarman, she told me how her granny inspired her love for cooking, same thing, watching her in her kitchen cooking, and cooking.)

Riyaz arrived in South Africa in 2004 with a suitcase of stories and recipes and soon found himself working at Masala Dosa in Long Street, Cape Town.

In 2016, he bought the restaurant and began shaping it in his own image. For four years, Masala Dosa was a Cape Town favourite until the Covid crisis forced it to close in July 2020.

But the kitchen called again. And so, The Tandoor was born. A food truck, yes, but also a continuation of a journey that began in the mountains of Kashmir and now unfolds in Sea Point from a chic truck, wrapped in the scent of cardamom, chilli and charred cumin.

As I said, Riyaz’s food is generous and rich in vegan and vegetarian options and always grounded in flavour and craft. He also delivers via Uber Eats. But do yourself a favour: go in person, if you can. Eat standing up, with sauce on your fingers and spice on your lips. That is the spirit of The Tandoor.

By the way, there are seats and tables. And they do Uber Eats deliveries. Laat waai Meraai!

Info: THE TANDOOR

Open @ 211 Beach Road, Sea Point

From 12:30 till 8pm

Monday to Saturday

📞 065 245 5355