JOHNNY Guitar drive-in has opened its doors on Alberton Boulevard, once again bringing the signature roadhouse experience to diners in Alberton.
The owner of Johnny Guitar, John Kongos, is the son of the founder of the legendary Casbah chain of roadhouses, Sylvia Kongos.
“We decided to change the name to Johnny Guitar to differentiate this drive in from the other branches,” said John. John and his wife Shelley took much of the inspiration for the new name from their stay in America.
“We decided to call it a drive-in rather than a roadhouse because of the bad connotation attached to the term roadhouse in America. There a roadhouse is a dingy bar that is frequented by unsavoury characters.”
A brand new experience
Playing further on the concept of a drive-in, Johnny Guitar has a large LCD screen showing videos for customers to enjoy. This is also used as a platform for customers to get to know the waiters who are serving them.
Johnny Guitar is bringing a truly retro dining experience to a modern diner. The same trays that were used at the original Casbah are still being used by Johnny Guitar.
“We had to change from our original milkshake glasses to plastic cups, unfortunately,” John said with a smile. He explained that this was due to the tendency for customers to “accidentally” not return the glasses, but rather keep them for nostalgia’s sake.
The burgers and sandwiches that are such a big feature in many peoples association with roadhouses are available in a large variety at Johnny Guitar. A firm favourite and my highest recommendation go-to is the Blondie. This sandwich invented by Sylvia consists of a classic dagwood with an extra piece of steak. This goes perfectly with the many milkshakes on offer.
Johnny Guitar also offers a diner on the same premises. The diner is filled with pictures of musicians and nostalgic references to the greats of music. It will soon also feature a bar.
“We think my mom will be very proud to see that we are still delivering the same standard she strived for,” said John.
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