Britannia Hotel curries

Everyone in Durban says you must have a curry lunch at the old Britannia hotel. So this is where we went next and had a mutton and a chicken curry in their Capsicum restaurant. Classic curries served in a rather dark and sombre room. If you like a lot of buzz and a lot of cigarette smoke and sport on TV the place to eat (but not for us) is the bar. Super service, nice food. Don’t try to Google it, we couldn’t find it anywhere and had to phone for directions. It’s at 1266 Umgeni Road alongside the river behind the new stadium.

Litchi orchard market in Umhlali

Saturday morning, we decided to find the local Saturday Dolphin market (Busman’s holiday!) mentioned In our Information booklet (but with no signage and no address, we drove for ages and finally found the charming Litchi orchard market in Umhlali. Literally set in an orchard next to a great nursery, there were art, clothing, antiques and a very nice small food market. We met lots of lovely stall holders and bought some John Platter branded Sutherland Sauvignon Blanc from Gerard Koenig for our supper, some great chutneys, fresh veg and a couple of presents.

Eating Greek

We had a wonderful lunch in The Durban Hellenic Centre with Nick Papadopoulos, his wife Katya

and his partner Eric Edwards

and their successful Eat Greek caterers team at the Hellenic Community Centre near the river in Umgeni Park, Durban North.

This Greek food buffet must qualify as one of the best deals in Durban. Held every Sunday from 12.30, it costs R90 per person and we suggest you check out all the serving tables before you start piling up your plate with the cold mezze. There is a cold mezze table with tarama, humus, melanzane dips, pita, fried slices of aubergine, pepperoni, Greek salad, olives, fish cakes and aubergine slices wrapped around haloumi cheese

then a hot mezze table with the lightest spanakopita and tirokopita (triangular spinach and cheese pies) we have ever eaten, crisply crumbed soft calamari rings, and spicy chicken livers, delicious courgette patties amongst others;

a main course table with herby, tender Greek roast lamb, chicken, a curry (this is Durban after all and they can’t live without curry) rice, potatoes and vegetables

and a very full dessert table which includes a classic Greek desserts like baklava, rice pudding, as well as pecan pie, crème caramel and proper ice creams which the children flocked to.

Corkage is R25, but they do sell a very good selection of wines, and other drinks.

Victoria Street Market, Durban

Warning: There are images here which may upset sensitive viewers!
Monday morning saw us making a pilgrimage to the Victoria Street Indian Market which is much smaller than we both remembered.

We bought some masalas and salt mixes from Mr Joe who has been there for 46 years and wants to move to Cape Town! So (they say!) do several of the other traders.

There are some strange (to Cape eyes) ideas about fish identities

Spices in abundance

 

Live chicks

Colourful decorations

Bright brass

Benin bronzes

Smileys are the most popular meat item