Durban. The land of eternal summer. Warm seas, bright skies. My hometown. Boy, was I glad to leave the “city of bland” for Cape Town when I was 18. I go back twice a year to see my family, and in recent years things seem to have been stirring. There are actually new places to go to. There are restaurants! And guess what, they’re pretty cool too. Yeah, who’d have thunk it, right?
Durban, pretty Durban.
Craft Trattoria is a lovely Italian-style restaurant and bar in Glen Ashley (it’s near Umhlanga). From the moment I walked in, I felt like I was back in the Cape. Stylish, interesting design, contemporary menu – they even have quite a hipster vibe going on, with a vintage bicycle in the bathrooms.
They make a mean Puttanesca Bloody Mary (R45), which was the usual, with added olive brine. I really like how they have put their own spin on atypical drinks and dishes.
ANTIPASTA – STARTERS
Fritto Misto (R65) lightly floured and gently fried calamari tubes, prawns and zucchini sticks served with basil mayo. The flavours were great, the seafood was crispy, it was well seasoned, and the mayo was divine, although some of the zucchini was a bit on the soft side.
Next up were Arancini Della Etna (R49), risotto “volcanoes” or risotto balls stuffed with mushrooms and mozzarella, then crumbed and fried. These weren’t oily at all, the rice was perfectly al dente, but I could have done with a lot more mozzarella, although, when can’t I do with more mozzarella.
And lastly, my favourite of the three starters we tried, Italian Nachos (R45). These were wonderful little 3 cheese ravioli, fried until crispy, then served with a hot and spicy Arrabiata sauce. A really cool variant of the dish, with strong flavours that balanced perfectly.
SECONDO – MAIN MEAL
We had Spaghetti Cartoccio (R95) – a paper bag filled with clams, mussels, prawns and spaghetti, then topped with lemon, tomato, garlic and parsley sauce, and slow-baked ‘til everything cooks down and the flavours combine beautifully.
Next up we had the lamb ribs coated in a medley of herbs and spices, pepper and plenty rosemary, and served with thin cut chips. The lamb itself was cooked perfectly and most of the fat was cooked off, but I found the herbs a little overpowering.
Finally, we had the Ossobuco. Veal on the bone, served with stunning zucchini, butternut and sage risotto. It was amazing. I was a little upset that I had to share it. The meat was tender, the sauce was magical, the risotto was creamy, and then we fell in love and got married. Me and the ossobuco. Yup. In love.
DOLCE – DESSERT
For dessert, I rolled home, lay on the couch and basked in the glory of a delicious meal. The plan was to try the Espresso Panna Cotta (R39) with poached oranges and chocolate gaze, but I honestly couldn’t eat another forkful.
This fun, vibrant restaurant and bar is the perfect place to go for a dinner or for a couple (read: a lot) of drinks. They also do stunning events, specials, and they do parties to order. It’s great to go home to visit the family, and have somewhere really nice to go for dinner.
