Hillside Tavern – Lynnwood – Pretoria

Long ago a friend of mine asked me if I liked pork ribs. I do… it’s the next best thing to a fantastic steak for me. He recommended I try out Hillside Tavern in Lynnwood.

Upon arrival at this establishment it looks a bit… humble… not a place you’d think a restaurant everyone raves on about… even entering the establishment, the impression is a bit on the gloomy side.
The friendly welcome from the staff brightens up the place six fold which immediately changes the mood.
Décor is very homely with a lot of earthy wood.

Being recommended for the pork ribs… that is what I homed straight in for. I’ve had ribs before in Johannesburg at a place called GrandSlam (mention on here too) and they were my benchmark.

The ribs appear in tow flavours on the menu, Portuguese style and “normal”. I’ve tried both and recommend sticking with the “normal”. The “normal” ribs were mind blowingly fantastic with the flesh easily peeling off the bone in one move. You don’t need to gnaw into the meet like you do when eating regular ribs elsewhere. These guys have a secret and you HAVE to try it. Definitely a recommend

Other things to try is their Carpaccio… you can’t go wrong there…

I do rate this establishment, parking is no longer an issue as there is a parking lot across the way from the restaurant. Booking is recommended as they do fill up fast.

Business hours are a bit random, I tried to take a friend there for lunch one day and I was turned away as they were closing to prepare for dinner service.

Despite that I give Hillside Tavern a 4 of 5

Hillside Tavern
320 The Hillside Rd,
Lynnwood
Pretoria
012 348 1402

Coimbra – Glenashley

After speaking to some friends and having a chat to Lee and Shelton, we (Jivika and Jeremy) decided to give Coimbra Restaurant and Bar in Glenashley a try for a quiet night out. We started planning this evening well in advance. Having become parents months ago of a bouncing baby girl, we arranged for Zia to spend the night with Jivika’s parents.

Upon arrival at Coimbra, we received a friendly greeting and were asked where we would like to sit. Since we had a reservation (which seems wasn’t needed cause it was fairly empty) I expected to be taken to a table that has been reserved for us. The manager however took us to a table right at the door and the massive windows overlooking Glenashley and the Indian Ocean with the ships waiting their turn to enter the port. Most certainly one of their best tables. The music playing set a really nice atmosphere making you feel almost like you’re holidaying in a Mediterranean country. Sadly the the decor is a complete let down with the only thing even remotely resembling Portugal being the wall mounted photographs.

After ensuring we were seated, the manager left with the promise that our waiter will be there shortly to look after us. The waiter arrived and Jivika asked whether they serve cocktails, to which the reply was that he’s not sure, but he thinks they only do Margaritas. After some convincing, the waiter left to ask the barman what he could make. Once he returned, he confirmed that he did ask and Margaritas is the only cocktail available. With that, we settled on a bottle of JC Le Roux Le Domain, which arrived promptly. The waiter retreated into the shadows while we enjoyed the bubbly and looked through the menu.

Seeing as the smoking laws in South Africa no longer allows smoking in restaurants, I (Jeremy) decided it’s about that time and got up to go and have a smoke outside. As I was about to get to the reception desk, I noticed another waiter walking with a tray and two cocktails on the tray. I stopped him and asked him if they are indeed cocktails and he explained that they were in fact a Sex on the Beach and a Cosmopolitan. This got me slightly upset and I asked him to please inform our waiter that they do serve cocktails. The Manager noticed this and hurried over and simply said that he will get it sorted, no apology offered whatsoever. Returning to the table I finished my glass of bubbly and decided I will have a Long Island Iced Tea to see how it compares to my first ever Long Island Iced Tea I had in the Big Apple, leaving Jivika to polish the bottle of Bubbly. I motioned for our waiter who scoffed closer, we also decided to order some starters.

Starters
I (Jeremy) decided to have the Portuguese Sausage (Chourico) and Jivika settled on the Garlic Snails (Caracois). The starter of Portuguese Sausage came with a little bit of a surprise. I never noticed that the choice on the menu says “grilled or on the flame” and our waiter neglected to ask how I want it. It came literally on the flame! The dish arrives on a specifically made “bowl” with a layer of oil of some sort set alight and the sausage placed on the “supports” over the flame. The sausage itself (mixture of meats) tasted amazing. It reminded me of the cheese griller’s my late grandmother made back in the day. The snails was as good as they can be, drenched in garlic butter, served with cut up slices of bread. Very Good!

Main Course
Jeremy ordered the Portuguese steak (Bife a Portuguesa) and Jivika ordered the Frangui Prawns (Galinha e Camaroa).
The steak came exactly as ordered, medium! This is something I’ve started giving up on in recent times since it seems no-one knows anymore how to prepare a steak medium. The steak was topped with bacon and a baked egg. Caution though, the bacon itself is salty as hell, they then add salt to the steak and egg during the cooking process. Still though, it was a really good piece of meat. Succulent and juicy, you get the choice of rice, veggies or chips (any two of these). I opted just for the veggies, butternut and spinach. Both of these were prepared amazingly well with the butternut being sweet, but not too sweet and the spinach being earthy yet tasty and not boiled to a pulp.

My Frangui Prawn dish was a combination of a grilled half a baby chicken and 4 grilled prawns – both cooked in a delicious spicy Portuguese marinade. I chose to have mine with a side of rice and a Garden Salad. This dish was cooked to perfection and served with a tangy (fairly hot) peri-peri sauce in a little separate bowl. I very carefully just added only a few drops of the sauce to my food as I was keen on enjoying it and not dying from way too much heat! lol  Just a word of advice for those of you who, like me, expect this to be a good amount of food for one – that half a “baby” chicken is more like half a fully grown chicken! As this was just a little too much for me to finish, but also too good to leave behind, I asked for mine to be packed in a takeaway.

On a side note, NEVER order Madeiran Skewers (Espetada a Madeirense) if you’re a fussy eater. Instead of using the world recognized hygienic method of the meat arriving mounted on a stand, its carried in by the waiter at waist level, with his hands being full of everything else he’s serving.

We opted to shy away from the desserts unfortunately as we were way too stuffed and shortly after our meal I received a call from my mom who couldn’t seem to handle a fussy baba who wanted her parents. And that folks is how our evening out came to an abrupt end. Next time out little Zia feasts out with us. 🙂

On a side note and to explain why we’ve decided to remove a few stars here:

1. The service was really and truly disappointing, with the waiter not knowing much about the menu or what they’re actually capable of; not to mention him needing us to prompt him to ask us the “normal” questions.
2. When Jeremy excused himself to visit the little boys room, he returned explaining how he was very suddenly sobered by the heavy scent of Jeyes Fluid in the toilets. Strong enough to make him have to breath through his mouth.
3. To wash down his meal Jeremy ordered a glass of Coke, and after sipping from it noticed that there were tiny little black ants floating around in the glass. Upon complaining to the waiter, he apologised and removed the coke. When we’d asked for the bill, it appeared that we were still charged for the ant infested coke!

Therefore we award Coimbra a disappointing 2 stars on this review. Should the owners decide to beef up the decor, service and maybe supply people with an actual cocktail menu Coimbra could be the next 5 star review for us. It certainly has what it takes to up their stars in the review.

You can find Coimbra at Glenashley Views, 36 Newport Avenue or contact them on the following numbers:

Tel. 031-562 1415 or Fax: 031-562 1417 click here for their website

Cranks – Rosebank

This is an eatery that I do not get tired of. If it’s Thai and Vietnamese food you after, this is THE place to go to.

I got hooked on this place when years ago we had a party there. Their mussels are legendary… and that was the beginning of the end of me…

The décor is quite something… giant mechanical insects… mis-matching tables, plastic crockery and Barbie and Ken getting jiggy all over the place adds to its Thai-sex-captal-of-the-world ambiance.

Menu’s are presented on giant laminated cards… and some of the things (despite my frequency to this establishment) I still have no idea what I’m ordering… but that adds to my fun as I am the adventurous type.

If you are unsure what to order, the manageress is always eager to help you decide. Pad Thai noodles are a favourite… but what makes me purely addicted is the Red Curry Thai Oxtail. This is a special and is not on the menu, it appears on the special board as The Red Bull… often confused with the drink.

If you’re ordering a starter (we received complimentary veggie spring rolls) It is emphasized that ALL the garnishes are fresh, well presented… and I couldn’t help myself but eat them.

Some of the dishes are more expensive, a friend of mine ordered a Thai seafood curry which had a price tag of R125 to it. But he enjoyed it so much he said he didn’t mind paying for that kind of quality. The Red Bull is not cheap either at R145… but I do vouch that it is absolutely tasty and fantastic…

If you’re vegetarian… no problemo… if there is anything you want on the menu… just tell the manageress (she’s the short petite Asian woman, thick Thai accent, trust me you can’t miss her, she normally takes your order anyways) that you want what ever dish… vegetarian… and she just leaves the meat out… problem solved…

One word of caution, their food can get spicy on the verge of hot… but that’s synonymous with Thai food anyways.
A reliable source says they make their curry pastes by them selves…

A huge recommend if you love Vietnamese and Thai food… and I’m giving this establishment a full score of 5/5 as I have yet to be disappointed with their food or service…

Cranks
Shop 169, Rosebank Mall Cradock Avenue, Rosebank
Tel: 011-8803442

Champions Sports Bar – Silverlakes Pretoria

On this day I was not going to our usual place for food, drink and the Formula One in Johannesburg, as our usual crew had alternative arrangements. So I headed down looking for a sports bar, I discovered Champions Sports Bar in Silverlakes.

The first question I asked them was if they were going to broadcast the Formula One live (they were showing the day before’s footage) and if I was going to have the sound on as the visuals were all on mute. They gave me reassurance that it could be arranged.

I happily tucked into the booth with a screen with the Formula One on and everything seemed very good.

The Décor was all typically sports bar with all sorts of sporting paraphanalia. There was an upstairs where the pool tables are located. Plush booths, and when visiting the washroom, there are TV screens there so you don’t miss a single piece of sporting action.

Everything seemed very good… service for my drink was on time and I placed my food order. I had ordered a steak.

Once that was out the way the Formula One was about to start. There was only two other table in the establishment at the time. The main big screen was rugby being shown and I asked if they could put the sound on for my booth.
A “waitress” showed up and told me that sound would only be available for the event on the big screen.

I told them, I had specifically asked when I walked in if the sound would be on for the Formula One and you had agreed that it could be done. The “waitress” apologised and said there was a misunderstanding. It was very clear I was there for the F1 as I has draped in F1 gear, so it felt like I was deceived from the word go just to get an extra seat in the house.

At this point, I couldn’t go anywhere as the race has started and to find a place to see the race in Pretoria, I could envisage was going to be a serious challenge in rugby country.

What highlighted this establishments unprofessionalism was an altercation that followed.

A nearby table of motorcyclists had a friend that left the table with a bottled beer. The waitress went after the friend to explain that the drink had to be consumed on premises. The Friend gave her lip in the car park and she meekly returned to the motorcyclists table and said that the remaining guest would be responsible for their friends drink as he left without paying.

A rather loud argument ensued with an exchange of colourful language. The “waitress” that came to explain things to me about the “audio” issues turned out to be the Manager of the day. The entire way the situation was handled brought this establishments reputation to a low. The Manager could not even defuse the situation and the table was livid and making their thoughts very well known to everyone in the establishment.

Our waitress tried to apologise for the disruption and asked if everything was okay with me, I voiced that apart from watching a Formula One race in silence when they promised me audio… I was not entirely happy but was fine.
The steak was fine… but I have had better, some credits is that it at least was not overcooked. But the service was poor.

As soon as the top ten cars crossed the line, I collected my gear and left. The bill was even settled early.
To my mind, the food quality, menu great décor and an awesome concept cannot help poor unprofessional service. Especially on the level of deceit.

For that reason and that reason alone and the unprofessionalism of handling unhappy clients. This establishment’s rating sinks to a low 0.05 of 5.

I will not be frequenting Champions Sports Bar again under any circumstances, as they were anything but their name sake.

Champions Sports Bar
Shop 32, Silver Oaks Crossing
Hans Strydom Drive
(012) 809 2307

Zanzibar – Westwood Mall

Due to the fact that Jeremy is to leave back to work tomorrow for a month, we decided to have an evening out for a meal. The closest place to us at this point was Westwood mall, and not knowing what we felt like eating we headed to Westwood. On the way, Jivika remembered Zanzibar, located on the roof area of Westwood mall. It was decided that we will head there for supper. On the approach, it seemed closed but we decided to go and see if it’s open. Bearing in mind that it was already past 8pm on a Sunday evening. It was open, parking was an absolute breeze that time of night at Westwood since all the shops were closed and obviously people in the area decided to head to bed early on this school night.

We were greeted at the door by our waiter, Terence, and were told that we may sit wherever our hearts desire since we were the only patrons there. It was decided that we will have a seat down stairs so it’s easy for Jeremy run out for the occasional smoke. We were given the drinks and dinner menu with a laminated page indicating the specials of the day. We decided to follow the norm and place our drinks order first. Jivika opted for a Mojito and Jeremy opted for the Long Island Iced Tea.

The Mojito was nice & refreshing as always however, the use of lemons instead of the normal lime made it extra sour.
The Long Island Iced tea came in the standard tall glass, with cherries and lemon. The barman clearly knew what he was doing when he made this. The taste was exactly the way I remembered it from having my first one in NYC.

The atmosphere lacked a lot, however we will keep in mind that we were the only patrons there at the time. It was about this time that Jivika noticed the dirty table cloth. In our opinion an establishment like Zanzibar should either check and change these after each meal or do away with it completely. Their choice of music did not contribute to the “exotic island” feel at all that one would expect the find at a place called Zanzibar. On the plus side, they have very cleverly placed a big screen projector in such a way that the picture is visible from both the top and bottom eating areas.

For the meals, Jeremy decided on the Kenyan rump and Jivika went with the Morrocan lamb. It was at this point that Terence asked Jivika how she would like the lamb prepared. Now I’m no expert but as far as I know, lamb shanks should be slow cooked until the meat meat’s almost falling off the bone. No other way….. Both meals were served with a side dish of roasted veggies and a choice of coconut ginger rice or citrus cous cous. Jeremy chose the rice while Jivika opted for the cous cous.

Since the franchise belongs to the same owner as the Ocean Basket next door, you will be directed up their cluttered and slippery stairs should nature call. Hopefully you are still steady on your feet when this does happen, or you have a very good lawyer.

The meals were served within very good time, not having to wait more than 15min.The chef clearly knows his lamb shanks better than the waiter as they were very well done cooked in a tomato-based spicy chutney. Jeremy’s Kenyan rump was marinated in a black pepper coffee rub. While the steak did not come prepared to the requested “medium” it was still juicy and tender with the marriage of black pepper and coffee working perfectly together. The coconut and ginger rice really complimented a well prepared and presented meal.

For dessert Jeremy ordered the Amarula bread pudding served with custard (or ice cream if you choose). Jivika was way too stuffed by then for her own dessert, which was kinda sad considering the mouth-watering dessert menu we had to choose from. It took a few bites to taste the Amarula as it seems to be concentrated in the middle of the pudding, which you don’t have a picture of because of our greed (sorry). The custard was the distinct taste of Ultramel in a box, which we both love so it wasn’t a problem. The dessert, like the rest of the food comes beautifully presented with two mint leaves which again gives the the bread a slight minty – amarula taste.

All in all, we will be returning to Zanzibar again. Hopefully at a busier time to see how their service times and levels match up to tonight. They have a winning recipe going here, good food at reasonable prices, save for a few small things they would need to look at.

After some deliberation, we decided to remove one star for vibe. There was no vibe and this as mentioned earlier is in no way the fault of the owner or staff, another star will be removed for cleanliness, no-one wants to have a meal while staring at a dirty table cloth and it certainly did not do it for us. So to conclude, in our view Zanzibar scores a solid 3 out of 5 possible stars.

Zanzibar seems to be part of the Nino’s chain (according to the web research I’ve done). I therefore will link to the Nino’s page but provide the contact details of Zanzibar in the form a telephone number and address.

Website: www.ninos.co.za
Telephone Number: 031 266 3850
Address: Upper level (outside) Westwood Mall, Westville, Durban

GrandSlam Sports Diner – Edenvale

This establishment is a sportsbar… so definitely not a place to take a date… unless they’re sports junkies.
If it’s good food and the rugby you want to watch (or any sporting event) this is the place to go to.

GrandSlam is open even in the odd hour matches, like the F1 at 6am or a Rugby Test match involving the ‘boks at 7am… the chances of GrandSlam being open is high…

The décor and floor setting is predictable for a sports bar with designated smoking and non-smoking areas… flat screen TVs everywhere, one big main wall projector screen above the centre bar but a wooden terrace (smoking area) with wooden bench tables outside with mist sprayers for those hot summer African days. Colin Moss and Tanit Phoenix was there once too…

Onto the food… The food served is phenomenal…
I’ve had three bad experiences of over done T-bone steaks of about the fifty times (plus) I’ve been there.

Absolute favourites are the Manny Specials (cubed rump cubes in a red wine sauce) served with chips. Optional is served with rice, but served with chips is better and more recommended. The soaked rice will be too strong on the pallet.

Another favourite is the rump espatada served with milho (deep fried miele pap). It’s the only establishment that I know that serves milho.

If you want burgers… this place has something called a Super Burger… and SUPER they definitely aint lying.
The bun is HUGE and so is the beef patty… its serious value for money.

The ribs are good… not as hood as Hill Side Tavern in Pretoria… but they come pretty darn close…
The oxtail is astronomical and definitely one of the best dishes that GrandSlam has going for it… unfortunately only served in winter…

The menu is unfortunately not available online… and there isn’t much for me to tell you to not have on the menu…

Parking can be an issue on days of big sporting events (Like UEFA Champions League finals) so make sure you get there early if you want a table. And a bit of warning that there is a HUGE Liverpool and Man United following in that area…

Dress code is definitely casual…

From a food perspective this place secures to notch points…
Service has had its moments and can get delayed on big games and events…
Décor is purely a sports bar setting… as the name suggests…

Overall GrandSlam gets a 4 of 5

GrandSlam Sports Diner
Corner Elm & Sycamore Str
Dowerglen
Edenvale

Phone (011) 4543700
www.grandslam.co.za

Montego Bay – Sandton Johannesburg

This World Cup Final weekend I decided to visit Sandton. My evening companion had a craving for sushi.

Our first choice was to go to CTFM, however upon arrival, all the tables were full with only one table near the cold entrance. If we wanted a table the wait would have been 40mins plus.

We then went to Montego Bay in search of a better table for sushi. Upon arrival there were more seats and in much better position than what was on offer than CTFM. And the ambiance felt good.

Once seated our drinks order was taken, to which some rather unorthodox comments ensued. My beautiful companion ordered a glass of hot water with a slice of lemon. The Maitre D who seated us had a surprise choice of words of “Excuse me, not to sound rude, but we charge for that, and we call it Mandela Tea…” With those choice of words… it did sound rather condescending. Nevertheless we let it slide.

We indeed ordered our sushi combo. A pleasant surprise was the butterfish sushi which was actually very good. Some other pieces were arguably fair and have had better at other places (CTFM). While ordering the combo though, we had an interest in the salmon roses, which only came in 6 pieces. We wanted to know if they could do a smaller portion of three or two, to which the waiter answered: “I just work here, and they only come in sixes…”

Wow… Not even the simple act of finding out from the sushi chef first before getting back to us.

We both agreed that with such poor enthusiasm and service we decided that our stay would be limited. So we can’t even comment on the other amenities. Once our dinner and drinks (which we were allowed to run dry for quite a while) were done… we called for the bill and did our graceful exit and had coffee elsewhere. The Mandela Tea, we didn’t mind paying for, although it appeared on the bill at R14, which to my mind, the cost needs justification for boiling water and a slice of lemon.
How does hot water and lemon come in at a cost of imported beer?

Overall, despite a seemingly more upmarket décor in comparison to CTFM, it seems that that day, we received a rather poor and stuck up service to match, which lead to a very touch and go experience, and us realising why there were more open tables at Montego in comparison to CTFM that night.

Montego Bay – Sandton gets a dismal 1 of 5.

Shop 31, Square Level
Nelson Mandela Square
Sandton
2196
http://www.montegobay.co.za

Outer Limits – Fourways

I know about this restaurant as I attended an event there once. Don’t ask, that’s not the point of this post.

Anyways, when I was there I did recall some fantastic finger food and a great evening vibe. Never having a proper sit down meal there, I was passing through and decided to give this place a try.

We, a lady friend and I, stopped there for an early dinner, parking is a breeze as the restaurant is located in a “Lifestyle Centre” shopping mall.

Décor inside was great, very modern and very stylish. In the day time we had the option to be seated inside or outside. Being the late afternoon it was quite warm inside and we decided to sit outside. Outside there is a fountain and a jumping castle for you kids at heart.

Our drinks order was promptly taken and received… however there after service seemed on the slow side.

We browsed the menu and the prices seemed somewhat reasonable for the stereotyped “Fourways” area, although the lamb shank price (R150) reminds you that you’re in Fourways.

I was tempted for sushi. I’ve had sushi there before and it is excellent, however this time, I was dying for pork ribs… so that was my call for the day at a price tag of R85. Carla ordered the walnut, feta, butternut stuffed chicken breasts (R85).

When the food arrived… I can tell you this… we both gasped at the same time on the size of the serving! It was a heap of food. My ribs arrived pre-cut, so that was a great help. Unfortunately no finger bowl and bones basket to follow.

Carla enjoyed her food thoroughly and even from my angle… her order seemed better than my call. The ribs… I have had better at Grand Slam and Hillside Tavern. The basting was good, but the meat coming off the bone was on the tough side. Maybe it’s just me being spoilt by the way other restaurants prepare their ribs.

Over our early dinner, we were rather curious as to a beach bar setting in the corner. We later learnt that the restaurant was having a beach theme party later that evening. That explained the odd break in theme.

Overall, I think this venue is more enjoyable at night as it has a better vibe than in the day, unless it is the peace and quiet you’re after. If I go there again… I’m definitely trying what Carla had.

Outer Limits gets a three of five rating.

Outer Limits:
Shop 4,
Broadacres Lifestyle Centre,
Cedar Avenue,
Fourways , Johannesburg
T: +27 (0) 11 467 7938/39
www.outerlimitsrestaurant.co.za

The Grill House – Rosebank

Friends of mine highly recommended this steak house. They said they have NEVER had a bad meal there.

As the name suggests it’s a grill house… there are two branches, one in Rosebank and one in Sandton.
Firstly finding the place is, again, one of those “need to know” places.

The restaurant is lightly tucked away from a section of Rosebank Mall. I think for the mall disorientated, driving there and getting to the restaurant via the underground access parking off Oxford Road is better. Best to use your GPS for this one and be weary of the Gautrain road works.

My experience to this restaurant… The welcome was very warm… but as you enter you will notice that one of the floor laminates grabs your attention. Kind of a raised spring board out of the blue. I visited there in early January 2010, let’s hope they fix it by the time you check it out. The lighting is on the gloomy side though.

What I did find rather cool was the shop across The Grill House that sold braai paraphernalia. They had some really cool stuff in there like grill cleaners and condiment cellars.

At a grill house… I’ll order my personal favourite… a T-bone steak. They come in three sizes… 400g, 700g and 1kg. I chose the 700g, cooked medium. And for the price attached to it… I expected it prepared to perfection. I ordered the cream spinach and baked potato as an extra side. Note you pay extra for sides.

The rest of our party ordered their food… we were a huge table so I cannot remember who ordered what except for the girl across me who ordered a burger.

Her burger arrived and it was rather sizable… for a lady… she was going to have a challenge on her hands… pun intended.

When my meal arrived it looked awesome… so full marks for presentation. The cream spinach was perfect and the baked potato 100%… but what about the main event?

I tucked into the beef steak… and the first bite was over cooked. I then cut near the middle of the bone to see if it was medium… it was medium well… I was starving and was in no mood to wait for the fix…

T-bone eaten…

Although a tad unhappy on the experience as for that price… I know other places that get my steak order correct. At least the company at the table was better.

The washrooms are situated a walk away… and you walk past some “private rooms” and a bar with a flat screen TV.
So if you have a private function… that kind of facilities are available.

An event that does deserve mentioning is that one of my friends ordered a draft and they made an error on the bill by double billing but with a different draft.

The overall experience… I expected more, especially since friends have said they have NEVER had a bad meal at The Grill House. I guess there is a first time for everything.

For the money I paid and the experience I had… The Grill House scores two of five.

Will I go there again? They better get it Gordon Ramsay *f-ing* right if I do.

The Grill House – Rosebank
Tel: 011 880 3945
http://thegrill.co.za/index.html

Coimbra Restaurant – Durban North

Every once in a while you come across a restaurant that has been around for years but for some reason you always seem to pass it by. Well Coimbra Restaurant in Durban North is just such a place.

It all started after I, Shelton received an SMS from Lee saying that she had had a terrible day at work and I needed to take her out for supper. As I was having drinks with some of my work colleagues I asked for a couple of recommendations. The Coimbra Restaurant was emphatically recommended by a colleague. Her and her Husband would travel from Westville just to go have a meal there. The decision now made, we showered, got dressed and headed for a new destination.

We were heartily greeted at the reception desk by one of the managers, and this being a Portuguese restaurant he had taken his role seriously and sported a thin, but elegant handle bar mustache. After being shown to our table we encountered the only potential problem for the evening. The entire air conditioning system had packed up. Not a big issue if it’s the middle of winter, but we are in the middle of the hottest time of the year and things could get a bit uncomfortable when indulging in some of the peri-peri flavoured meals on offer. Mother Nature however, alleviated any worries of heat exhaustion coupled with severe dehydration.

Coimbra Restaurant in positioned with fantastic views over Glen Ashley and in the not too far distance the Indian Ocean. Our table was situated at one of the doors to the outside balcony and a gentle sea breeze kept things pleasurable and the view complimented the relaxed atmosphere of the Restaurant. The subdued, but not dark, lighting and softly playing music soon had us relaxed from another stressful week at work.

With hardly time to survey the scenery our waiter for the evening, Ian, made an appearance, handing out menus and clearing the table of excess cutlery and crockery. A quick look at the wine list and a bottle of Guardian Peak Shiraz was ordered.

After a lengthy decision making process about what to order from the comprehensive menu, Lee settled for the Garlic snails and I had the New Zealand Mussels as starters. Not being a snail eater I had to go with what Lee said about the shelled mollusc’s and to this end she was well satisfied. The mussels were delicious and 12 medium sized mussels dabbed with garlic and a splash of butter was soon finding their way to my empty stomach.

For mains Lee settled for the Prawn and Calamari combo with French Fries and a salad and decided that the peri-peri chicken and prawn combo would satisfy my desire for something spicy. And I was not to be disappointed. This must be one of the few places where you get a choice of two side orders.

The meals arrived and I realised that starters might have not been a good idea. The plates were literally piled with food and very well presented with out all the hoity-toity arty food presentation I tend to find annoying as more emphasis seems to be placed on presentation rather that filling your stomach (we are there to eat after all, not study art work).

The chicken was tender and well flavoured as were the 4 queen size prawns and if those 4 prawns were anything to go by I will be ordering a full portion next time. The peri-peri, whilst very tasty, is not all that spicy so even those with tender tongues can enjoy the flavours of Portuguese cooking. The salad was fresh and crisp and the French Fries cooked to perfection.

Lee complained that her meal was a bit on the bland side having ordered hers in a more gentle lemon butter flavouring. She did say that the calamari was very tender but the prawns needed more zing. After sampling some of my chicken, she agreed that the peri-peri route was definitely the way to go.

The final aspect of my review is about the service. Here the Coimbra excels. At no time did we have to look around for our waiter and he always seemed to know exactly when he was required yet didn’t have that annoying waiter bit were you are asked every two minutes if everything was OK. Everything was handled professionally and efficiently and he deserves a special mention. Well done and thank you Ian.

So if you looking for a place to enjoy a great meal with wonderful views, or a spot to enjoy a couple of sundowners with a few friends, I can highly recommend the Coimbra Restaurant.

A temporary 4/5 stars are awarded. I’m sure with the aircon working a 5/5 is definitely on the cards for Coimbra.

Coimbra (Glenashley). Shop 1A 36 Newport Avenue Glenashley Durban, Kwazulu-Natal. Tel: 031 562 1415. Email: coimbra.restaurant@telkomsa.net …