Frank Chemaly|Published
Elements Cafe Bar
Where: Beverly Hills Hotel, 1 Lighthouse Road, Umhlanga
Open: Wednesday to Sunday noon to 9pm
Call: 031 561 2211
This week I was treated to a feast that offers exceptional value. Yes, every Wednesday night the Beverly Hills puts on a curry buffet, offering an array of Eastern treats that should have Durban talking more.
I’ve always loved Elements, their simple eatery spilling out onto the poolside and into the garden. On a beautiful evening you can sit on the verandah and feel like you’re at sea, dining on an ocean liner almost. On a sweltering day you can relax in the cool of the undercover verandah. It’s actually one of the best spots on KZN’s coastline. Plus the staff are always warm and the atmosphere decidedly casual. It really is a good example of barefoot luxury.
I was a guest of Durban tourism as part of a media tour. And before dinner could even begin we were treated to the golden voice of singer, songwriter and MC Eric Canham. His is a warm rich tenor with an even warmer personality. He soon had many of the ladies dancing to love songs, new and ancient, songs we all knew the words to.
The buffet is a feast. It included pane puri with a chickpea filling and coriander water. There were little kebabs of tandoori chicken and skewers of prawns. Lovely spicing. There’s a whole salad ensemble of which The Poet would approve. She always likes a simple salad usually with feta, olives and some fruit with her curries at home. And a bread station that included roti, papadum and lovely crisp hot mince samoosas, as well as a selection of breads.
There’s a veritable selection of chutneys and pickles - it would be remiss not to mention a very good lime pickle and coriander chutney - along with various sprinkles and accoutrements including flaked coconut, chilli flakes and a traditional Durban sambal.
I started with the fish section. A lovely fish masala came with a good hit of tamarind in a rich tomato gravy. And then there was crab. Is crab curry worth it? Yes. Despite the fact that the table, your napkin, your clothes and everyone around you looks like they’ve just left a halloween party afterwards. This one was quite mild but it had a beautiful aroma. I knew there was crab curry in the offering before even opening the hot trays. I could smell it. It was also exceptionally generous with the crab. I took advantage of a rare treat.
There was a beans curry and a chicken and pea curry which I didn’t get to try - both looked good. And then there’s the Beverly's famous lamb and potato curry. This was a beautifully rich and succulently tender meat packed dish with lovely deep spice notes. It was not overly hot but intensely flavourful. I mopped it all up with a roti. I would have loved some more but by now, was stuffed to the gills.
And if you ever wanted a lighter meal, this is the curry they use for their lamb curry toasted sandwiches which come with chips and salad.
The chefs here also offer a range of Indian inspired desserts to complete the theme. There’s sweetmeats and jalebi, which were nice and crisp and sticky but not too sweet, as well as an interesting cake made for soji and ghee which I enjoyed. It’s similar to a Turkish semolina cake, except it had that lovely distinctive cardamom touch. And then there was a pink “jelly” type dessert that was a take on Bombay crush. Perhaps not me, but interesting, and not unpleasant.
We finished with a cocktail of crushed magnum ice-cream with whisky and cherry liquor, garnished with a cherry. What’s not to like? And then a final few sultry numbers from Canham, who was in Durban for just a few weeks between stints in Thailand.
And the good news is the Beverly Hills has long ditched its Heavenly Bills reputation. The buffet comes in at an excellent value of R395 a head, far less than a starter main and dessert will set you back at an ordinary restaurant. Elements also offers a small but highly competent bistro style menu if curry is not your thing. Last year I enjoyed an excellent steak here, in a rich pepper sauce with proper hand-cut chips. Simple but executed to perfection.
Food: 4
Service: 4
Ambience: 4 ½