11/05/2022
A SAVOY SPECIAL AND JOE – A 34 YEAR PARTNERSHIP
Any Reiger Park'er should know what you mean when you say “ek lus nou vir ‘n Special" (I crave a Special).
For those who don't, a Special is a traditional fast food “delicacy” made up of two slices of bread, polony, chips and atchar – you can also add vienna, russians, or whatever the menu allows.
But although it looks simple to make, buying it just gives it that authentic taste that you do not get when making it at home.
Just as most Reiger Park'ers will know what a Special is, when you mention Special, you can hardly ignore Savoy and then followed with Joe.
It will be difficult to find a person who've had a Special at Savoy without Joe being part of the preparation, or some part of the process in making that Special.
Joe has become such an intrinsic part of the Special tradition, that at Savoy @ 516 – 516 Cornflower Street, Reiger Park – the menu carries a Joe Special and other products named after Joe.
Joe started working at Savoy at the age of 16. This is over 34 years ago.
Four years ago he moved with the new owners of Savoy Take Away to where they opened at 516 Cornflower Street, Reiger Park, to continue his craft of preparing and supplying authentic Savoy Specials, as most know it from when they visited the old Savoy during their schooling years.
Joe told us that he still regularly visits Auntie Pat, the previous long time owner of Savoy, and she even visited Joe at Savoy @ 516 some time back.
Who would have thought that when Joe started preparing a takeaway meal 34 years ago that both that meal, the Special, and Joe will become an intricate part of the history and culture of not only Reiger Park, but anyone who now enjoys a Special.
Visit Savoy Take Away @ 516 Cornflower Street, Reiger Park, and enjoy that authentic and traditional Special, prepared specially by the legendary Joe.
Yes! We all know Joe!
(Picture: Joe busy preparing Specials @ Savoy 516 Cornflower Street)
