For months I’ve driven past On A Roll in Durban Road, Mowbray and I’ve been keen to check it out. I then saw they were one of the food stands at Rocking the Daisies last year but I didn’t manage to try their dogs. So when a friend sent me their girls’ night poster on Facebook, I was super keen to visit! Mrs Kitten D kindly booked us a table and 6 of us squeezed into a booth in the smoking section. What’s so great about the smoking section? The karaoke, say what?! I’ve sang here and there but never karaoke, in public, on a Monday night, no getting hammered, I was driving, YIKES!
Well after a toot or two, the day’s drag starts dissolving from one’s shoulders, one can’t help but start feeling braver than usual and singing doesn’t seem like the scariest thing in the world anymore. On A Roll provides numerous books with modern and classic pop and rock music so there’s lots to choose from. Even though my girlfriends listen to rock and metal, we couldn’t resist telling On A Roll what we “really, really, want”. Plus, it’s easier to be a Spice Girl than a Whitney Houston. 😉 On A Roll offers each girl a pink shooter after every song they sing and trust me, it wasn’t pink Brutal Fruit!
On a Roll’s food is fresh and enjoyable. They offer freshly popped pop corn once seated and their menu offers an array of gourmet dogs. They bake all their own rolls fresh in house so make sure you order early before they sell out. I ordered the ZZ Top (one of my Dad’s favourite bands) which is a slider option composed of 3 mini hot dogs: the Big Oink (crispy bacon, butternut and sage cream), the German Shepard (mustard, apple and sauerkraut) and the Durban n All (mango achar and cucumber).
My least favourite was the Durban n all simply because I hate curry flavours and it had too much cucumber on, having said that, the others enjoyed it. I thought it had way too much cucumber too – four slices and then some, it wasn’t necessary. The German Sheperd reads well but the cabbage wasn’t really sauerkraut so the German flavours didn’t really shine through. The Big Oink, however, was delicious! Each hot dog comes french fries and 3 salsas (chilli and garlic, a gherkin pesto/relish and prego sauce). I think with a little more finesse these dogs could really “rock”.
We ordered a corn dog as well which was really crispy and well cooked except that they didn’t have any mayo which is my favourite. I don’t blame them as they have every other sauce! I used the in-house mustard instead. Their take away boxes are also really cute. You could literally cut a head and feet out and put a dog in it HAHA (Joke)!
On A Roll is designed like a rock n roll American diner with records on the walls, sweet vending machines, checkered floors and bright lights. Lots of girls from around Cape Town to join the karaoke fun and, hell, even a few boys rocked up and gave it a go (pick up chicks much?!). Monday nights have half price on hot dogs for girls so I really recommend having a girls night, having a bite and a laugh in the small corner of Mowbray.
P.S And for those of you who want to watch you waist line, take a look out for the bun-less hot dogs. It’s served on roasted tomatoes with fresh rocket leaves.
