At Gourmet Burger Co. in Durban North they proudly advertise their use of organic local rump beef (which does not necessarily mean more taste, but helps us feel more righteous…); also buns cooked on to premises to fit the patties (but end up being bigger than the patty) and with less sugar to show the meat flavour off better; also that the fries are hand cut. So a considerable statement of intention to quality.
The place is lovely, with a big wooden deck and window doors onto the interior with its screeded floor and white modular plastic chairs. The look is very “Wallpaper magazine” with earthed colours and chocolate browns. My burger came in standing tall, spiked by a kebab stick and topped with a solid slice of pickle. Bun was toasted and tasted good, the lower half featured some fried onion underneath the patty, which was char grilled. Some red onion atop, plus tomato slice and butter lettuce. Fries were thin, come with a very eggy & flavoured mayo; plus they automatically brought the right ketchup. It cost R49 and was very good. They also specialise in milkshakes, but I don’t.
Delux is on Davenport Road in Glenwood, and speciality burgers are their game – as is a youthful scene with MTV-style music and a big patio deck onto the street. At night, it swings. Daytimes, however, the look is tatty. The fittings look scruffy and worn and the brick interior and concrete floor seems cheap, as do the hard, white plastic chairs (could it be that these are the same chairs as at Gourmet?). A prominent bar tells you this is a party joint, with burgers. My burger, at R55, was heavily sauced with a BBQ sauce as well as a relish sauce like monkeygland and the meat was not memorable, with a dense texture and no grill flavour due to the heavy saucing. Good fries, though, spiced. The waiter tried to upsell me to one of the “gourmet” burgers – and I think, retroactively, that he was trying to do me a favour.
Gourmet takes it, even before the organic extras.
Vanilla, Cape Quarter Extension, Cape Town
Perhaps the most ambitious of the new restaurants in the new De Waterkant, others being Cru Café, Viola, and Lazari (which all have more of a café feel) is Vanilla – operated by the team behind Camps Bay’s Tuscany Beach. Here they spent as much as R7 million on the decor… and in keeping with Tuscany’s “vibrant” style, Vanilla looks like a movie set from Ken and Barbie’s version of Miami Vice. There’s even a white piano on a mezzanine level. Upstairs has a more enclosed feel, but the “open wall” sensibility of the whole development also pervades Vanilla, and a view of an ATM or a perambulating Capetonian is likely. For example, we had conversations with two tables alongside us, so “open” is the feel.
OK, it has only been open for a few nights, so easy on the drama, but I immediately had the feeling it would take some doing just to get a glass of wine. (The man at an adjacent table overheard me and said the best way to enjoy the place was tiddled, but getting to be so would take a while). And when I did get a glass, the wine was baked – even though the wine list carries on about their superior wine delivery system. The wine list is also full of typos, which never inspires confidence. (And “sashimi” spelt wrong on the menu also leaves you doubting whether you want to try the sushi…).
The menu is a “best of” hits and classics with something for everyone, including sushi – that modern comfort food – of course. And you know, the food wasn’t half bad, although pricey. It was a quick in and out meal, but our blue cheese and pear salad was full of macerated flavour, the salt and pepper squid was light and delicious, and the salmon well-cooked and served on a bright, al dente risotto of fennel and vanilla (I had to). So will be back for another look.
Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 021 421 1391. Ave spend for two courses R160.