A South African in London recently ran into an old friend from home that comforted local longings—Ocean Basket! South African reactions ranged from shook to ‘I’m on my way’.
Global (18 August, 2023) — A South African in London recently got a taste of home after spotting a rare sight for longing local eyes: an Ocean Basket!
Sharing the moment with the viral TikTok sound “this is the land of your people” (which is used to imply that something is of cultural importance, usually in a humorous way), user @sydneyvonvino (Jaime) confirmed that the ‘landmark’ served the sound aptly.
@sydneyvonvino The land of my people #oceanbasket #london #thisisthelandofyourpeople #southafrica #expatlife ♬ land of your people – EJ Essentials
As any South African foodie loyalist would, Jaime had to see if the Bromley Ocean Basket (which opened just last year) was as good as home, and from her review, it passed the test.
However, many South Africans couldn’t believe that Ocean Basket had snuck its way to the UK, and (as is often the case for South Africans discovering local gems overseas) the reactions ranged from excitement to surprise and hilarious concerns.
SA Reacts to Ocean Basket Spotted in the UK
“They mixed up East London with London,” shared one user while others shared that they’ve missioned to that part of the UK before just to experience a taste of home again.
Others humorously noted that the UK is up to its old antics (‘borrowing’ from other cultures) by copping various SA food chains (like Nando’s). Many couldn’t believe that even Ocean Basket had become something of an expat.
All in all, the video served as another reminder that South African food favourites are one of the many ‘I miss home’ factors that can’t always be beaten by mental strength alone (as we recently saw with how many expats went wild over cheesy chips). Luckily for South African seafood cravers, they likely won’t be met with the same plight as expat marshmallow egg diehards who risk breaking the internet to get their taste of home fix.
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