The Store
Published: 01 Jan 08
Category:
It's fun, funky and even a little quirky. It comes from the hands-on approach of owners Sherwin Brussow and Monique Kuvers. You feel they're sharing part of themselves with you.
The menu is always interesting, changing every three weeks, depending on what’s
in season and what chef is experimenting with in the kitchen. It's fresh,
light and contemporary fare with lots of herbs and leaves. Essentially the kitchen
is looking for flavours that enhance - but don't kill - natural
good quality ingredients.
Otherwise, think linefish with soy, ginger and herb salsa on baked apple, or - and I'll try this next - coriander seed dusted rack of lamb with lemongrass and honey gremolata. The Bird Lady opted for a vegetable friendly sundried tomato, mushroom, rosemary and garlic linguini with butternut. It was very rich but a shade heavy on the butternut.
The limited starter menu offered some interesting options, like orange, brandy and chilli prawns with raisin and cashew couscous. There's a brie, prune, olive and onion tarte tartin or beef fillet, mushroom and garlic wrapped in aubergines with a tomato-based sauce.
Now because Bird Lady has a bird-like appetite, we shared the butternut, orange and dill ravioli with cinnamon butter. The dill and grated Parmesan cheese cut the natural sweetness of the butternut. "I could do this for dessert," she mused approvingly.
But she changed her mind when dessert rolled around. How about pecan and cranberry pie with lime and ginger ice-cream, pear vanilla and cinnamon sorbet or a mocha créme bruleé? My croissant and butter pudding was richness personified, with white and dark chocolate, orange and almonds adding interest to this nursery staple. Bird Lady opted for the ginger and lime ice-cream, sans tart, and was in heaven. The ice-cream, made with mascarpone cheese, was rich, but not overly sweet, the texture almost sorbet-ish. She'll be back for more.
Gourmet breakfasts here are among the best in town. Treat yourself on a lazy Saturday to an omelette stack, layered with Parma ham, avo, roasted peppers, shallots and Grana Padano, or with smoked salmon, feta, avo, honey and lemongrass. The flapjack stack with Parma and maple syrup has even more plaudits. Caramelised onion, roasted tomato and Danish feta tart, or boiled egg, mushroom, tomato and feta on sourdough complete the picture. It's popular.
The approach to this tidy little winelist is a good one. It covers all bases well, with the known and well loved, and introduces a couple of new names to the limited KZN winelist scene. Plus there's a few varietals less travelled, like Viognier and Malbec. Prices cater for every pocket from R75 to R150. My latest craving, the Springfield Whole Berry Cab, gets a good showing.
Average price of a three-course meal, without wine: R140.
Address: Silvervause Centre, Silverton Road,
Berea, Durban
Tel: (031)202-6182
Food:
Wine list
Ambience:
Service:
Value:
It's fun, funky and even a little quirky. It comes from the hands-on approach of owners Sherwin Brussow and Monique Kuvers. You feel they're sharing part of themselves with you.
Otherwise, think linefish with soy, ginger and herb salsa on baked apple, or - and I'll try this next - coriander seed dusted rack of lamb with lemongrass and honey gremolata. The Bird Lady opted for a vegetable friendly sundried tomato, mushroom, rosemary and garlic linguini with butternut. It was very rich but a shade heavy on the butternut.
The limited starter menu offered some interesting options, like orange, brandy and chilli prawns with raisin and cashew couscous. There's a brie, prune, olive and onion tarte tartin or beef fillet, mushroom and garlic wrapped in aubergines with a tomato-based sauce.
Now because Bird Lady has a bird-like appetite, we shared the butternut, orange and dill ravioli with cinnamon butter. The dill and grated Parmesan cheese cut the natural sweetness of the butternut. "I could do this for dessert," she mused approvingly.
But she changed her mind when dessert rolled around. How about pecan and cranberry pie with lime and ginger ice-cream, pear vanilla and cinnamon sorbet or a mocha créme bruleé? My croissant and butter pudding was richness personified, with white and dark chocolate, orange and almonds adding interest to this nursery staple. Bird Lady opted for the ginger and lime ice-cream, sans tart, and was in heaven. The ice-cream, made with mascarpone cheese, was rich, but not overly sweet, the texture almost sorbet-ish. She'll be back for more.
Gourmet breakfasts here are among the best in town. Treat yourself on a lazy Saturday to an omelette stack, layered with Parma ham, avo, roasted peppers, shallots and Grana Padano, or with smoked salmon, feta, avo, honey and lemongrass. The flapjack stack with Parma and maple syrup has even more plaudits. Caramelised onion, roasted tomato and Danish feta tart, or boiled egg, mushroom, tomato and feta on sourdough complete the picture. It's popular.
The approach to this tidy little winelist is a good one. It covers all bases well, with the known and well loved, and introduces a couple of new names to the limited KZN winelist scene. Plus there's a few varietals less travelled, like Viognier and Malbec. Prices cater for every pocket from R75 to R150. My latest craving, the Springfield Whole Berry Cab, gets a good showing.
Average price of a three-course meal, without wine: R140.
By Frank Chemaly
Address: Silvervause Centre, Silverton Road,
Berea, Durban
Tel: (031)202-6182
Food:
Wine list
Ambience:
Service:
Value:
