Bucket Scene: Wish on Florida

Last night saw the grand opening of Durban's latest hot spot, Wish on Florida. Situated in the middle of Durban's most popular roads,  Wish on Florida offers an upmarket Italian experience, specializing in gourmet pizza, pasta's and canape's as well as boasting a bar which stocks the finest local and international champagnes and wines as well as great selections of cocktails and a wide range of premium spirits. Having attended the launch last night, I was blown away with the attention to detail that went into the deco, as I was quite familiar with the space before and how the owners along with their team of interior decorators manged to transform it into what it is now is just stunning. The use of different textures and lighting really enhance the atmosphere and gives the diner an opportunity to chose from various styles of lounging. 

Wish is the beginning of a dream, a dream which was the brainchild of two young black entrepreneurs, both Durban locals who wanted a place that not only offered a unique dinning experience but also one that inspired young black entrepreneurs, to show them that dreams do become reality with hard work and perseverance. Those two men being Benny Maverick and Wayne Ndlovu, Benny who needs no introduction as he one of the countries prominent house DJ's, who never had things his own way at the beginning as his story of success was shared with all those in attendance last night. His passion for what he believed in as well as his fight to be recognized made him into the person he is today. Together with his partners they have created something truly special and something to give back to the community. People who visit Wish get the opportunity to purchase Wish tokens to toss into the wishing pond, each token purchased is a contribution to the Wish Foundation to help aiding young Durban entrepreneurs in their business ventures.

Onto the evening, after being warmly welcomed and seated, with our welcome drinks were were offered canapes which consisted of cajun chicken wings and chicken and mushroom pizza. Both were delicious and flavourful with the pizza not shy of toppings. For mains I opted for the Ocean Fresh Pasta which honestly was my highlight of the evening. Beautifully cooked seafood which consisted of plump prawns, tender calamari and steamed mussels cooked in a creamy tomato base sauce, mixed in with al dente tagliatelle and topped with crispy squid heads. The aromas from the pasta get you salivating instantly to dig in, the textures from the crispy fried squid heads adds that crunch element that you didn't realise was missing in a seafood pasta. For dessert I opted for the classic tiramisu, it was a bit different from your conventional one, with the sponge biscuits being changed for a sponge cake but still maintained that soft decadence that you would associate with a tiramisu.

Wish on Florida, officially opens for trading on the 13th of December 2019, trading from Monday to Wednesday, 12pm till late and from Thursday to Sunday from 12pm to 2am. 

Wish is located at 198-200 Florida Road, Durban

For bookings, call 031 205 9135

Instagram: wishonflorida

Bucket Scene: Tigers Milk - Suncoast

Life and Brand Portfolio are thrilled to be welcoming the first Tiger's Milk to Durban (and KZN) this September right on the beachfront at the newly revamped Suncoast Casino, Hotel and Entertainment World. 

The new, sunny Durban location has some exciting events and plans in the pipeline. Patrons can expect live DJ's from Friday to Sunday to carry them into the weekend with the best tunes. Perfectly paired with the 2 for 1 happy hour special on house beers, wine and selected cocktails between 4pm and 7pm. For those looking to get out earlier in the week, on Mondays you can't beat the 2 for 1 burger deal - so pop in for lunch, dinner or sometime in between to take advantage. Every Tuesday get Mexican as you dig into 2 for 1 tacos - a choice between fish, pulled pork, pulled beef or chicken.

"We're so excited to be introducing Tiger's Milk, a brand entrenched in Cape Town and Johannesburg's restaurant bar scene to Durban. Something completely unique for the area, we are positive that the community will love what the young, nostalgic and energetic brand has to offer Durban" says Group Marketing Manager, Tahlia Bester. 

To celebrate the opening of the store, in true Tiger's Milk fashion, they plan to dance on the tables with MiCasa live on the 12th of October so save the date and be prepared to show your best moves. Don't worry, entry is free, so there is no excuse not to catch the wave straight to the front door. For more killer specials and to check out more of the big events, head to Tiger's Milk Facebook page (@TMSuncoast) where they will share all the juicy deets. 

"We are thrilled to welcome Tiger's Milk to Suncoast and extremely proud of the fact that it is the first in KZN," says Louise Howell, Suncoast Marketing Manager. "Since the recent development, Suncoast has attracted top-class restaurants to the city, further cementing Durban as a destination and giving more reason for Durbanites to consider Suncoast as their first choice for Entertainment." added Howell. 

Bucket Scene: Cattle Baron - Pearls Mall

There was a time in Durban where there were not that many grill houses around and one had to resort to the basic chain restaurants which while are okay, doesn't give you that same satisfaction that one of the more premium ones give when having a meal. Fortunately times have changed and grill houses are abundant with us spoiled for choice to be honest. The recent opening of the Pearls Mall in Umhlanga has seen one of the big names in Steak Houses occupying a prime location on the malls roadside front. Cattle Baron has a great heritage in the Cape and it's nice to see it opening on the East Coast of SA. I've never eaten at one before so my first experience was at the new store in Umhlanga. 

With the Pearls Mall being marketed as a high end lifestyle center, the introduction of this restaurant is quite welcomed, the decor is modern and the store is spacious but still has the warmth to it that you expect from a grill house. It can accommodate large groups of patrons and also has intimate couch seating for couples and small families. Being on the sea facing end of the mall, there is also an out door balcony seating area which I tried when I first visited, unfortunately with Durban's temperamental weather, it began raining soon after we were seated so we had to move indoors. 

So far I've visited the Cattle Baron at Pearls Mall twice so far, once just after it opened and the second visit was a month ago. While there were slight issues on my first visit in terms of service, I did understand the place was fairly new and long as the food was great, that was all that mattered. Apart from the great wine selection as one would expect at a grill house, they also have a good collection of whisky's which I was quite happy to see. Other drinks on the menu do include beers, ciders, cool drinks and hot drinks. 

While I do frequently visit Steak Houses, I do not eat steak due to religiously reasons but the Cattle Baron does have a variety of cuts and options to chose from. On my first visit I opted for a poultry dish, the chicken parmesan which reads of the menu as "deep-fried chicken breasts layered with bacon, smothered in cheese sauce, sprinkled with Parmesan shavings and topped with toasted onions" enough to make ones mouth salivate. The dish was awesome, chicken was succulent, the cheese sauce was not too over pouring, the onions were light and sweet and the salty, crispy bacon brought all the elements on the plate together beautifully. 

On my second visit I went with my stock standard order at a grill house, Lam Loin Chops. For me the make or break to a good lamb chops is its basting sauce and how it's prepared. I asked for it to be done medium to well which they got right to the t. The meat soft and tender which just melts in your mouth and the basting sauce was superb which found me licking my fingers. It's nice to see that apart from the regular starch that's always offered to a meal, the Cattle Baron also provides a complimentary hot veg for the table as I found myself going for a few helpings of the cream spinach. 

Also compared to other steak houses, the Cattle Baron has quite a few vegetarian options which I found great. 

The dessert menu is also quite extensive and features many of SA's favorites including malva pudding and cheese cake. I settled for a creme brullee and coffee. The sugar top was just the right thickness, I find some places over do it with the sugar and you spend more time try to get shards of sugar out of your teeth than enjoying the custard. Overall both dinning experiences at Cattle Baron Umhlanga were great and satisfactory, with the place having a welcoming atmosphere and keen prices, the staff and owner who made a point of coming to greet each patron added a nice touch and even offered a free dessert to one in our group because her mains arrived late.

*all pictures from the website: www.cattlebaron.co.za

Bucket Scene: Robsons Brewery

Coming from a home that has a family business, there was a lot that I could relate to during my visit to one of Durban's latest hot spots. It's been open for just over a month now and already Robsons Brewery is fast becoming one of the places to go to in the city. Originally based in Shongweni, Robsons Brewery produces some of the finest craft beers in the land, with some winning major honors in overseas contests. Owned and run by a father, sons trio, their methods of producing the perfect brew is what keeps the originality to their beers. Using only the finest ingredients of which are sourced world wide, natural processes and zero artificial additives, bottled and hand labelled on site is what makes their handcrafted beer so special.

Craft beer became quite a hit in South Africa a few years ago, with many preferring the variants and tastes that came with them. Also there was this certain aspect of getting a brew that was not mass produced and artificially altered that made many take to it. Brian and his two sons Donn and Gary decided to take on this challenge of making their own beer up at their mothers Duck Farm in Shongweni. Brain, who is the master brewer will share many stories of how many times he tried and failed during his first attempts but once he got his winning formula there was no looking back. Because Robsons prides themselves on keeping their brewing process as natural as possible, with the various processes, thereafter allowing the beer to ferment and create it's own carbonate fizz, similar to the process used in the making of Champagne, it does take them longer to meet their ordered with many of the batches when are ready get sold and delivered in a matter of hours.

While their brewery was based a bit far up from Durban, the family decided it was time to move closer to the big city. Being a family that loves the water with Brian being a former National swimming captain, Donn, a National Water polo player for the past 17 years and Gary a skipper of the well known yacht, 'Spirit of Elan', it would make sense for them to set up shop near the ocean, at Durban's Point Waterfront. The Point district is notorious for a lot of things but with the recent upliftment and developments in the area, it's set to be transformed into one of the most sort after land in Durban. With major plans for upgrades to the area as well as investment from overseas investors, the landscape is about to be transformed for the better. Knowing this, the guys at Robsons saw this as the perfect opportunity to set up shop there.

Located in a converted warehouse, originally built in 1890, although renovated, not much was changed to the main structure of the building, help keeping it's aesthetical look but at the same time being modern and trendy. The venue can seat over a 100 people with seating available for large groups, intimate groups or if you just want a quick drink at the bar. There is also area's that can be cordoned off for private bookings as well as a beer garden to enjoy a cold beverage of you choice which enjoying the weather. 

Apart from the bar which has most of their range on tap, Robsons Brewery also features a restaurant with Chef Lyle Creamer heading up the kitchen. The creations on the menu are both a visual and gastronomical treat, ranging from pub fare with a twist such as panko dusted prawns, beer battered fish and chips, to the mains on the menu, of which include BBQ ribs (who some claim are the best in Durban), Grilled peri peri chicken, pizzas and some of the biggest burgers you've seen! All food on the menu has been specially crafted to suit the beers or are made from the beers that they produce, what you will notice on the menu is a lot of options that feature duck, of which comes from Brian's wife's Duck Farm in Shongweni.

During the media open night I had a chance to sample most of the cuisine and have to say I enjoyed everything! So much so I found myself back there the very next night with a friend. It's a great addition to the Durban scene and in an area that needed something like this to get people back down in that part of Durban. It already has been received well by most as I found the place pretty full when I got down there on Wednesday, despite the bad storm we experience. Their beers speak for themselves and the food is great, prices are keen to suit the Durban market and they got some great specials which you should inquire about from your waitron. Robson's also conduct Brewery Tours on a Saturday from 11am, booking is essential as this is very popular. Brian will give you a thorough experience on the brewing process and what goes into making the perfect brew. 

Details:

Robsons Brewery
72 Mahatma Gandhi Road, Durban Point
Times: Wednesday - Sunday from 11am till late. (Opening on Tuesdays for the festive season)
Telephone: 031 035 0827
Facebook: RobsonsRealBeer
Instagram: robsonsrealbeer
Twitter: @RobsonsRealBeer
Website: www.RobsonsRealBeer.co.za

Bucket Scene: The Hussar Grill

When I first heard that The Hussar Grill was opening a branch in Durban I was over the moon, I've heard a lot of this legendary grill from my mates in Cape Town but whenever I find myself in Mountain-land, I never got a chance to experience dinning at one of their many branches. Like most men, I love my meat, and whilst there's many grill houses already in Durban, not many keep that consistancy. One can easily cock-up a steak and it's never a pleasant experience especially if you're paying top dollar for it. 

This is where establishments like The Hussar Grill come in, with over 50 years of experience, they're regarded as one of South Africa's Premier Grill Rooms and with good reason too. They have a loyal following and the reason they keep coming back is for their award-winning speciality steaks and wine selection, along with their superb service an warm ambience. 

This week myself a few mates decided to go give The Hussar Grill a try, with a booking made, it was time to see what all the fuss was about. Upon arrival I was warmly greeted by their gorgeous hostess at the entrance and then escorted to my table. The decor of the place is great, the low lighting sets the tone for a relaxed lounge feel and the restaurants theme sort of an old school library / wine cellar vibe. They're known for their great selection of wines but I'm not a wine person as I prefer my whisky, our waiter for the night was quick to go through their extensive range of single malts and mixed blends with me, I was quite surprised with the selction they have as many restaurants just cater with the popular ones.

Once I had my drink it was time to study the food menu, I'll be honest I already had in mind what I was going to order as I had a good look at the menu from their website prior to arriving. While doing so, our waiter brought some sweet potato crisps and marinated olives to snack on, both of which got snapped up in a matter of minutes. For starters, everything on the menu looks great and you really want to order more than one but when you flip over to have a look at the mains, you want to keep space for that. I eventually settled for calamari as its a personal favourite starter of mine, it was light and tender, crispy on the outside and with the right about of lemon on it. The accompanying tartar sauce was just as exquisite. Even though it is a starter, it was quite a generous portion and could well easily be shared with someone. 

While taking a break with some more good quality whisky, it was time to decide on the mains, the Hussar does have specilas on the day so be sure to check with your waiter when you do visit. Otherwise their menu has enough for to cater for anyones taste buds, whether it be beef, lamb, seafood, poultry or even game, depending on the hunt. Our waiter brought through their meat board to show us the various cuts and explain to us how it is prepared and what is the best way to order it. The menu also offers guidlines to your selection of how you would like your meal grilled. I opted for something off the menu, as the waitor informed me they had lamb steaks, not often you would find this around, lamb is best done medium and it was basted with their rib marinade, served with a side of chips, creamed spinach and a cheese sauce. 

It was quite a decent portion of meat, 250g of lamb with just a sliver of fat, crispened nicely. It was full of flavour and most importantly, tender and melted in my mouth. I also opt for a cheese sauce and I enjoy the taste of it with the lamb. They say you know a meal is good when everyone at the table is quiet and enjoying their meal but its not always the case as with us, each of my mates were raving about their meal, insisting what they ordered was better than the next. There was only one way to settle this, as we all tasted a little bit from each others plates. I honestly couldn't fault any dish I tasted, as everything was prepared perfectly and tasted great. In the end we all agreed that there was no dish better than the other as all were pretty darn good. 

Already stuffed, the waiter brought the menu's again to have a look at the dessert menu and as tempting as it was, I just couldn't eat anything else. But one that did catch my eye was the Hussar Grill Ice Cream, it's described so incredibly on the menu that it almost hypnotises you to order it "This extravagant dessert is a beguiling combination of vanilla ice cream, peanut brittle, marshmallow, nougat, honeycomb and sprinkled nuts. Drizzled with our signature dark chocolate sauce. Sometimes more is better." I mean if that isn't worthy to get your drooling I don't know what is. 

Overall my experience at The Hussar Grill was everything I expected it to be, and a perfect location of a boys night out but equally can be a great place to have a quiet dinner with a loved one, family or even a business luncheon or dinner. Another thing to note as I have mentioned their selction of wines before but if you opt to bring in your own bottle, they do not charge you a corkage free! The prices are very keen when you look at the level of service and quality of food you're getting. I highly reccommend you visit the Hussar Grill to see for yourself why they're one of the best. 

Details:

The Hussar Grill Gateway

Shop G003, Gateway Theatre of Shopping

Tel: 031 566 4047

Facebook: The Hussar Grill Gateway

Twitter: @TheHussarGrill

Instagram: thehussargrill

Bucket Scene: The Dutch - ReImagined

Many a Durban night goer would be familiar with the Dutch in the Umhlanga Village, popular for it's classic 70's style decor, live bands and great bar but the owners of this fine establishment felt that it wasn't what they had envisioned for the place. After a brief shutdown in February, the Dutch reopened it's doors to the public and I was invited to sample what the new look, well rather "re imagined" Dutch is all about. 

I get asked all the time for popular night spots for people to visit and dine at, and also places that offer live entertainment, whilst there are plenty of places in Durban that offer great food, there was a gap in the market for a place that offered both. The Dutch always prided themselves in hosting some of the best local talents on their stage but their food menu was limited to tapas like variety but that has all changed now. The team has been working tirelessly behind the scenes to bring you a menu that takes your taste buds on a gastronomical adventure. 

The Dutch now operates as premium dinning and entertainment venue, with them operating from Tuesday to Saturday with live entertainment scheduled for Friday and Saturday. Unlike before, booking is a must if you want to visit the Dutch as the venue can accommodate 100 seated guest and a few more around the bar. Since the venue is now a restaurant, crowd control is paramount to ensure that diners have the best dinning experience. Whilst still enjoying themselves to the entertainment on offer.

The night of my visit, Durban's very own Gangs of Ballet were performing live. With their performance scheduled for 10pm it gave diners ample time to enjoy dinner before the show started, speaking of dinner, it's definitely not to be skipped, the menu is a mixture of local favourites with a twist only the Dutch could pull off. One does not have to do a full dinner as tapas and cocktails can be had either at your table or at the bar. 

For starters I opted for the Prawn Samoosa, which consist of a generous amount of prawns and yellow potato filling served in 3 golden brown crispy fried samoosa's served on a bed of cucumber raita and paprika oil. It's the perfect balance of hot and cool, with flavours to awaken your sense for the next course. 

For mains they have seven options to chose from, whether you looking for something light like a burger or sliders to a fillet steak served on cheese polenta and red wine jus. They even one of the few restaurants I know of that serve Norwegian Salmon that is specially imported and prepared in miso and honey glaze, accompanied with umami courgette stir fry, sweet confit cherry tomatoes and wasabi spinach mayo.

Whilst the first and second course might be quite a mouthful, be sure to save some space for dessert! With the Dutch being from the same brainchild as Remo's and Old Town Italy who are both renowned for their pastries and desserts, most particularly the ever popular cronut, you know the dessert menu is going to be good. While I opted for the lemon brulee, which was more of a deconstructed lemon meringue, a friend at the table went for the coconut macaroons. Both of which were exceptional and left us wanting more.

With our hunger satisfied, it was time for us to settle in and enjoy the sounds of the guys from Gangs of Ballet who took us away with their wonderful melodies in a great unplugged set whilst enjoying our drinks for the rest of the night. It was truly a great evening out and an experience that was missing in the Durban night. Whether you go for dinner or just for a quiet drink, the Dutch will certainly cater for even the most distinguished taste. 

For  booking inquiries and more information,

Telephone: 060 588 5674

Website: http://thedutch.co.za/

Facebook: Dutchism

Instagram: the.dutch

Address: Cnr of Chartwell Dr & Lighthouse Rd, Umhlanga

Bucket Seat: 14 on Chartwell

Umhlanga's Chartwell drive, the ever growing buzz of the North just got another hot spot added to it. Well 14 on Chartwell has been open since last year November but I only got the chance to pay it a visit last night. If you were in Durban over the festive season you would know that the Village was the place to be, with the tourists visiting the warm beaches of the east coast, the bars and restaurants on Chartwell drive was the perfect escape for a bite to eat and a cold drink to quench the thirst. The place was buzzing and if you didn't have a table booked anywhere, chances were you were going to wait a long time or not getting a table at all. 

Anyway, I walked passed 14 on Chartwell a number of times during my visits to Umhlanga and if you haven't seen it before, they've done a marvelous job with the decor, large windows let passers by gaze into the inside which is well lit, snazzy and has a lovely lounge vibe, it was always packed and made one quite envious if you were not inside. 

A friend of mine was down from the UK and wanted to meet for dinner, this was the perfect opportunity to check the place out. Thinking that most people are back at work, I didn't think to make a booking, silly me. The place is still buzzing and we had to wait for a table, the staff were extremely accommodating, allowing us to wait on a table outside whilst one freed up inside, alternatively one could have waited at the bar, which is the main focal point of the establishment and they have quite a nice selection of spirits as well as great Craft Beer of the menu. 

If you think the place looked great from the outside, the inside is even better! The layout is great with scattered tables mixed with lounged areas for large groups on the sides, as I said the bar is the main focal point in the center but the place has a nice flow and relaxed atmosphere. It may look fancy but it rather chilled, perfect for an evening of drinks with friends. 

Onto the food, the menu is of a substantial variety, offering something for everyone's pallet and pleasantly surprised that it is very reasonably priced! For starters I ordered the Asian Lamb Riblets, which were char-grilled sticky hoisin marinade with nam jim dipping sauce. They were done to perfection, just about medium and the meat tender and succulent. I quite enjoyed the dipping sauce as well, a mixture of herbs, ginger and garlic. 

It took me a while to decide on what to have for mains as there were so much on offer that I fancied, I eventually settled for the smothered chicken breasts. Two chicken breast, lightly grilled with spices, topped with a finger licking sun dried tomato, basil and parmesan cream sauce accompanied with pan fried gnocchi. It was full of flavour and that sauce was nothing short of exquisite, it had me wiping the plate with the last gnocchi I had. 

The desert menu seemed quite tempting but after those two courses I was stuffed but  I will be back for that Hot Fudge Sundae as it seems to be the popular one on the menu. Overall 14 on Chartwell is a winner in my books, it's a different and much needed offering to the Umhlanga scene. It's already quite a hit with the crowd and busy on most nights so be sure to book to avoid disappointment. 

Address: 14 Chartwell Drive, Umhlanga Rocks

Telephone: 031 561 1017

Facebook: 14 on Chartwell

Email: fourteen@14onchartwell.com

Bucket Scene: Lupa Osteria - Westville

There was much fanfare about this place "Lupa" that the people up the hill kept raving about, for most of you who don't know, the expression "up the hill" means the climb up that dreaded Fields Hill to Kloof and Hillcrest. Many who reside there don't venture down the hill apart from work reasons and many who reside down the hill don't head up for any reason! Now there are a host of top restaurants up there but the one that kept coming up in conversations was Lupa. So much so it enticed many to venture up the hill to try it out for them self and they were not disappointed.

Though if you were like me, lazy to make the travel, we were in luck as owners Chris Black and Guy Cluver decided to expand their eatery or "Osteria" as they call themselves, which in Italian means a place that serves wine and simple food, to pastures down the hill in close proximity to us, good thing to as I've been there 3 times since and each time provided something different so I thought I'd share my experiences.

The Westville branch opened late last year and was an instant hit in the area with most of the nights being fully booked. So after many attempts I finally managed to get a booking before the end of last year, albeit a stand by booking for myself and a couple of mates. Being on the waiting list we were asked to wait at the bar, but in truth I could spend the entire evening there with a pizza and a cold beverage. The setup is quite funky with low lighting, high tables and stools, classy bar setup with a variety of craft beers, commercial beers, an assortment of spirits and great selection of local wines. They also have a cocktail menu but for me, just a double whisky on the rocks whilst we waited.

Now I like to look at a restaurants menu prior to visiting, luckily Lupa have the entire menu on their website but even though I probably spent a few hours going through the menu on the website in my own time I still wasn't sure what to order once we were seated. I eventually settled for the Marinara Pasta. A selection of prawns, mussels and calamari, served in a rich tomato, chili and fennel sauce with a home made pasta of your choice, I chose the spaghetti. The meal was good, not great but good. The flavour from all the seafood was evident, none being overcooked, none over powering and it was a great melody tied up with that fantastic sauce. It didn't blow me away though but I did enjoy it, hence I thought that's why they called it "Osteria", simple food. The serving was quite large, so it definitely justified the price.

Upon my second visit I was tempted to try something from their Secondi Menu, I was sold on their Chicken Marsala. A crumbed chicken fillet, pan fried with a sauce of mushrooms, Marsala wine, Gorgonzola and cream. I'm one for fried foods so this was right up my alley, for my sides I decided against going for the usual starch of potatoes, though their Tuscan style potatoes are damn good! But I opted for the creamy parmesan fettuccine. I cannot begin to tell you how well it worked with the main. The chicken was done to perfection, crispy on the outside, soft and moist on the inside. The sauce was legendary and has me salivating for it as I type this. The fettuccine as I said was the perfect partner for this dish. All the elements blew me away and it was then I realised what the people from the top of the hill were talking about all this while! and all that for a R100 seemed like a steal compared to other eateries.

My third visit came not to long ago as I decided to have one of my many birthday dinner celebrations at Lupa Westville. It was my birthday so what the hell, went all out for 3 courses. To start, I shared the Rotolo of Spinach, with ricotta, mushrooms and a brown sage butter. Seeing that I was going to have a meat as my main I might as well balance it out with the veg starter. I love spinach and ricotta pies and this was very similar to that, the sage butter was the cherry on the top.

For mains I went for a combo, half a chicken peri-peri roasted in their wood fired pizza oven with pretzel dusted calamari. Priding themselves on organic chickens, I expected it to be on the smallish side but I was wrong, it was a healthy half a chicken with an equally healthy serving of calamari tubes.The calamari was excellent, I'm one for crumbed and fried but the pretzel dust proved to be a welcomed difference to the norm. The chicken was superb as well, strong peri- peri flavours and perfectly roasted in that wood fired oven. Again, instead of opting for potatoes as a side I went for the Zucchini fries. a healthy and tasty alternative. All that for R110, portions were more than adequate and could easily satisfy anyone without having starters or desert.

Speaking of which, desert, there was a lot to chose from, a salted caramel popcorn sundae caught my eye but being stuffed from the previous two courses  I opted for something small. Always been a fan of creme brule so I settled for just that. Many places stuff up on the sugar, some being too thick or too burnt but a layer as thin as film, crystallised just right as you break through to the soft, creamy cool creme underneath. It along with a cup of cappuccino was the perfect way to end the night. 

Out of my 3 visits to Lupa Westville I was never left disappointed, from the decor to the food and the service, it leaves one satisfied after getting good quality and a keen price. Which brings me back to the name Osteria and its meaning, "simple food and wine", yes while the food may be simple, it is great food and of good value, their vast selection of wines to chose from make the name apt. After the success of Westville they have recently ventured further to Durban North, which I understand is packed on a daily occurence. Another thing thats new to Lupa is that they now serve breakfast, another thing for me to try soon!

Various branches

• Hillcrest: 140 Old Main Road - 031 765 3059 - hillcrest@lupa.co.za
• Westville: 124 Jan Hofmeyer Drive - 031 266 8793 - westville@lupa.co.za
• Durban North: 6-12 Swapo Road - 031 941 1181

Website: www.lupa.co.za

Twitter: @lupa_osteria

Instagram: lupa_osteria
Facebook: LupaOsteriaSouthAfrica