Dining out in the Zulu Kingdom

The Zulu Kingdom is known for many things - its rich culture, fantastic beaches, game reserves, mountains and its seemingly endless list of activities on offer. But not many people know about the amazing gourmet getaways and incredible restaurants on offer - not to mention the incredibly high standard of service - in many cases at unbelievable prices. Prepare to drool!

KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa is a fantastic holiday destination as it has year-round good weather, fabulous beaches with a warm ocean temperature, mountain retreats, battlefields, culture (Zulu, Indian and Western) - not to mention loads of incredible game reserves.

It is also a 'foodies' paradise with a wide range of gastronomic experiences on offer - from gourmet getaways to 'hip and happening' restaurants, some of which are listed below. (If this doesn't send you heading for the fridge, nothing will!)

9TH AVENUE BISTRO - DURBAN
Voted in the Top 10 restaurants in South Africa in the prestigious Eat Out Restaurant Awards. Durban’s award-winning chef, Carly Goncalves’ skills in the kitchen are showcased at this stylish, yet simple restaurant that is consistently listed among Durban’s best.

The small menu changes regularly, depending on what’s in season. Layered tomato gazpacho with avocado and Cajun-spiced prawns, crispy duck on sesame pancake, perfectly grilled springbok loin on gingered carrot purée and even a seafood sausage, give some idea of this chef’s powers. Desserts are seriously interesting, a favourite being a fresh berry soup with honey and vanilla panacotta. Service is slick, informed and discreet. Wines are well chosen.

Where: Shop 2, Avonmore Centre, 9th Avenue, Morningside, Durban
Cuisine: Continental, Fusion
Main course: R69 - R125 (£4.50 to £8)
Seating: 80

ARTS CAFÉ - DURBAN
One of the most popular spots in Durban, the KZN Society of Arts complex is one spot where the arty and the not-so-arty mingle. Its design is cool and breezy, appropriate for an art gallery. While it has an inside eating area where you get to dine with the art and décor, you’ll find most people outside enjoying the sun and the cool breeze, and it’s child-friendly too.

The food is playful and tantalising. Options include smoked salmon and avo wrap topped with a coriander and sweet chilli cream, citrus grilled chicken breast burger with caramelised onion and fresh coriander mayo. A small selection of well-priced wines, mostly available by the glass. A great place to also buy gifts from the shop to take back home – fabulous curious, arts and crafts! nsagallery.co.za

Where: KZNSA Gallery, 166 Bulwer Road, Glenwood, Durban
Cuisine: Health, Light meals, Contemporary, International
Main course: R22 - R55
Seating: 120

BILLY THE BUMS -DURBAN
A beautiful old Durban building with stained glass doors and high ceilings, this is a favourite watering hole of rugby players, supporters and other manly types. Most nights, punters spill out onto a patio and drink, either to celebrate or to drown their sorrows. The menu is inspired by cuisines from around the world and Cajun chowder jostles for centre stage with nachos, chilli con carne, Thai green curry and pasta.

This comprehensive menu also includes man-sized burgers and man-sized steaks, a variety of ways with chicken and seafood and quirky dishes such as the platter with no name, which comprises prego beef strips, boerewors bites and Billy’s chilli served with tortillas and fries. Cocktails are served as well as a small selection of wines, with house wines by the glass.

Lunch: Monday - Fridays 12 noon - 10.30pm Saturday 12 noon - 3pm.
Dinner: Monday - Fridays 12 noon - 10.30pm Saturday 6pm - 10.30pm
Where: 504 Windermere Road, Morningside, Durban
Cuisine: Light meals, Fusion, International
Main course: R44 - R90
Seating: 75

CAFÉ 1999 - DURBAN
This venue is trendy and vibey, definitely a place to see and be seen. This is one of the places that offers two portion sizes, tid-bits and big bits. The interior décor is funky and stylish. The reason this restaurant is on the map is because of the innovative and creative preparation of dishes.

Try options such as kalamatas stuffed with ricotta, crumbed and deep fried and served with chilli and herb mayo, balsamic chicken livers with cashew nuts, the fettucine tossed in ginger, with grilled prawns and roasted red pepper sauce with cream, or the butternut and lentil curry served with Greek yoghurt and poppadums. The wine list is extensive.

Lunch: 12 noon - 3pm Monday – Friday. Dinner: 6.30pm - 10.30pm Monday - Saturday
Where: Silvervause Centre, Cnr Silverton and Vause Roads, Berea, Durban
Cuisine: Contemporary, Fusion, Mediterranean
Main course: R45 - R95
Seating: 80

PIZZETTA PIZZERIA - DURBAN
Just 14 gourmet pizzas, seven salads, a few well-chosen wines and a large terrace overlooking Durban’s trendiest new dining area, Davenport Road… its simplicity is its success. Except when it comes to any preconceived notions of what goes onto a pizza! Try prawns, chorizo, rocket and avo; gorgonzola and onion marmalade; camembert, sesame seeds and chilli jam; and even the latest creation of roast lamb, feta and mint. The whole tomato, basil pesto and mozzarella salad is a must.

With pizzas coming in two sizes, bambino and grande, you can order the whole menu and pass it round the table, or in such a sociable atmosphere, the next table. Simple and reasonable wine list takes in some top names.

Lunch: 11.30am - 10.30pm Tuesday – Sunday. Dinner: 11.30am - 10.30pm Tuesday – Sunday.
Where: 139 Davenport Road, Glenwood, Durban
Cuisine: Pizzas
Main course: R9 - R62
Seating: 60

SOCIETY - DURBAN
This is one of the most beautiful restaurants in Durban, located in a listed building known as Hollis House, with original wood floors, pressed ceilings and stained-glass doors. The décor is eclectic, eccentric and divinely over-the-top. Upstairs is a bar and lounge area which host events and live music. Downstairs is a small bar, a dining room and a covered veranda.

Options include sushi, an à la carte menu and an Asian tapas menu. This offers tempura options, dim sums, spring rolls, rice pancakes and Vietnamese spring rolls, which are reasonably priced and very filling (ideal for sharing). The main menu changes seasonally but expect the likes of gourmet tuna burgers, Szechuan duck, venison with a mango and tamarind relish and calamari dusted with Chinese seven spice and served with avocado and spicy cashews and drizzled with a sweet-chilli sauce.

Desserts are also taken seriously here. Think poached figs folded into crêpes with vanilla-flavoured mascarpone. A good selection of 40 or so South African wines inspired by John Platter. All wines including champagne (apart from Dom Perignon) served by the glass.

Lunch: Tuesday - Friday 12 noon - 2.30pm Saturday 12.30pm - 10.30pm.
Dinner: Monday - Friday 6.30pm - 10pm Saturday 12.30pm - 10.30pm.
Web: Southislandsociety.com
Where: Hollis House, 178 Florida Road, Morningside, Durban
Cuisine: Tapas, Sushi, Fusion, Asian
Main course: R60 - R120
Seating: 70

THE MAD ITALIAN - DURBAN
Durban North is going mad about this Italian, and some are even crossing the river for its blend of no-frills hospitality and authentic cooking. It’s a spot where you can take the kids or some mates on a weekday night and you won’t break the bank. The menu is simple – the fresh fish with pesto flies out of the kitchen, as does the calamari.

While the gutsy gnocchi puttanesca has more anchovies and capers than most, the potato dumplings are light and delectable. Seafood linguine, prawn and Napoli spaghetti and a range of thin-based pizzas give a taste of what’s on offer. Daily specials add interest. The simple, earthy wine list is undergoing a revamp with Italian varieties such as pinot grigio taking pride of place.

Lunch: 12 noon - 2pm Monday – Friday. Dinner: 6.15pm - 10pm Monday – Saturday.
Where: 66 Kensington Drive, Durban
Cuisine: Italian
Main course: R36 - R70
Seating: 85

ELEMENTS CAFE BAR – UMHLANGA
Light and airy, sitting on the deck looking out over the Indian Ocean, you could almost be on a millionaire’s yacht sailing the Med. Here people meet to drink wine and feast on plates of meze, snack platters, cheese boards and elegant trays with little bowls of interesting dips and plates of bread. The menu is light. Think calamari with sugar peas, soy and chilli jam, salad niçoise, ginger, rocket and prawn salad with deep fried noodles, or a top-hat bunny chow.

A limited selection of pastas are topped with Mediterranean vegetables, wild mushrooms and artichokes or slices of chorizo. Desserts such as berry romanoff or chocolate pecan tart will undo many a diet. A limited wine list takes in some of South Africa’s best, with everything available by the glass, but then it is the cocktail menu that sees many bunking work on a Friday afternoon. And, as expected from a five-star hotel, service is impeccable.

Lunch: 12.00 - 9.30pm Monday – Sunday.
Dinner: 12.00 - 9.30pm Monday – Sunday
Where: Beverly Hills Hotel, 54 Lighthouse Road, Umhlanga Rocks
Cuisine: Contemporary, French
Main course: R40 - R55
Seating: 24

BEL PUNTO - UMDLOTI
There is a feel of the Med at Bel Punto, a stylish spot with a large indoor dining area and an equally large terrace with uninterrupted views of the ocean just a stone’s throw away. It’s popular with locals, stylish couples with equally stylish bambinos and older couples with time and money to spare. The menu is extensive and includes antipasti, insalate and risotto options, a wide selection of seafood, and pastas and pizzas.

Butternut soup is finished with a chive froth, quail is roasted in the wood-fire oven with herbs, spices and fresh chilli; thinly sliced veal is topped with Italian tomato, spinach and parmesan shavings, and line fish is baked in the wood oven and served with garlic butter. Desserts are amazing, and the tiramisu is as mama makes it. A good selection of South African wines plus a cellar selection.

Lunch: 12 noon - 3pm Wednesday – Sunday. Dinner: 6pm - late Tuesday - Sunday
Where: Umdloti Centre, South Beach Road, Umdloti
Cuisine: Grills, Italian
Main course: R44 - R94
Seating: 100

ZEST - KLOOF
This comfortable but minimalist modern bistro is renowned for its good cooking and classic French and international style. The limited menu changes frequently, depending on what’s fresh and in season. Highlights include a spicy confit of duck on rosti, Cajun blackened fish or quail stuffed with celery on a pinotage risotto with black truffle oil.

Game, lamb and the best cuts of beef are available with intense saucing that’s deep and rewarding – the fillet with camembert being memorable. Desserts are definitely worth a whirl – no clichés here. A small select wine list more than complements the good cooking.

Web: Zest-restaurant.com
Lunch: 12pm - 3pm Sunday – Friday. Dinner: 6pm - 10pm Monday – Saturday.
Where: Shop 5, Maytime Centre, Charlesway, Kloof
Cuisine: Bistro, Contemporary, Fusion
Main course: R61 - R95
Seating: 70

RIVERBANK BISTRO - HOWICK
Michael Smith and Johan Swiegelaar preside over this charming venue overlooking a meandering river. The restaurant is cosy and stylish, thanks to the eclectic collection of Afrikaner furniture and quirky décor items.

The menu is small and changes every two months and is influenced by the seasons and availability of local produce. But firm staples are the rolled pork fillet wrapped in bacon and served with sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan, roast rack of lamb served with a red wine and ripe fig glaze and French-style onion tart filled with goat’s cheese and caramelised onions.

Salivate over homemade lemon ice cream with kiwi sauce in summer or be warmed by crêpes Suzette in winter. The interesting wine list changes regularly.

Where: District Road 369, Lion's River, Howick (Midlands)
Cuisine: Bistro
Main course: R65 - R89 Seating: 50

FABULOUS MOROCCAN - DURBAN
Fabulous is located in an elegant double storey home that has been lovingly transformed into an exotic experience of Morocco! The Harem rooms see patrons surrounded by beautifully draped rich fabrics and exotic cushions, with rose petals strewn on the floor and the aroma of the Hukah pipe wafting, as they sample the tantalising tastes of pure Moroccan delicacies. This is the perfect place for an intimate gathering. The lavender-infused crème brulee with pistachio nut brittle is not to be missed.

Dinner: 6pm - late Monday – Saturday. Lunch: From noon Fridays
Where: 37 St Thomas Drive Off Botanical Gardens Road Durban 4001
Cuisine: Moroccan, African
Main course: R100

For more information, visit Eatout.co.za and Dining-out.co.za.