Few dishes in the world give a palpable sense of Russian roulette dread like the meatball. Whether they’re a la carte, buffet, or bought pre-packed from an overly expensive retailer, there’s a very real chance they’re going to be as dry as chalk. In some cases, if you’re lucky, they come with a sauce to mask the sin. Sure, the sauce helps a little but this not the way it’s supposed to be. We deserve juicy meatballs and it’s time for a revolution! It’s time for Yo! Meatball.

Yo! Meatball is the latest addition to Cape Town’s developing Americanesque diner culture. It’s small, independent and run by a passionate bunch that call themselves the Meatball Mob.

They’re on a mission to make it a right, not a privilege, to eat juicy meatballs. They’re firm believers of, ‘it’s what you put in’ that determines the end product. Their produce is ethically sourced and you can even see their supplier list written on the wall.

The thing I love most about Yo! Meatball is its simplicity. If you step inside and do a 180 with your arms stretched out, you can almost touch all four walls at the same time. There’s no room for frills and fancy, just great food and friendly faces. The menu is written on the wall and it’s all about the balls. First stop is to pick your meat and they’ve got everything from lamb, beef and chicken to pork, game and vegetarian options. From there you move onto a range of tasty sauces before hitting the sides.

My favourite combo is the lamb meatballs with a rosemary, basil and tomato sauce, with a side of sweet potato wedges. ‘Melt in the mouth’ is not a term you would think applies to a meatball, but that’s exactly what these little guys do. They’re baked not fried and they’re light, delicate and the meat is beautifully seasoned. The sauce is deep and rich in flavour and I could happily eat a bowl of it and call it chunky soup. The wedges are sweet and crispy and almost have a cinnamon candied-like flavour to them – an awesome sweet contrast to the herby tomato sauce.

Because I am a pig, I took this opportunity to add to my usual order and taste a couple of the other interesting menu items. I also got stuck into the chicken meatballs smothered in a Thai green coconut curry sauce, nestled in an edible taco basket. And I stuffed my face with bacon and Brie deep-fried mac and cheese with a tangy peach chutney. Both dishes were damn tasty and the best part is that they make up just a fraction of what is on offer.

It’s safe to say that the meatball revolution is here and Yo! Meatball is leading the charge. Say goodbye to every dry meatball you’ve ever had to chase with a beer to avoid choking, and say hello to the juicy and delicious world of Yo!

casual & cool