“Don’t sweat the petty things. And don’t pet the sweaty things.”
I was greeted at the Engine Room by a teeny, tiny and scolding hot towel. A curious thing in which I felt compelled to smother my face despite very recently having stepped out of a shower after a pre-prandial jog in the Durban humidity. Durban, as Eddie Izzard pointed out, means ‘uncomfortably hot’ in all 11 official languages of South Africa.
And so I found myself hot and bothered with a rather sweaty nose. My sweaty nose is a treat normally reserved for hot Indian dishes (and the reason I would never take a date for a curry). But not on this occasion. On this occasion I was clearly the human equivalent of a happy and healthy young retriever – ready for a chilled glass of Elgin Sauvignon Blanc in the thankfully air-conditioned Engine Room.
The wine list is extensive if a little pricey, but nevertheless a welcome relief from the Durban standard including the odd bottle of French, Italian and Chilean wine which might well be chosen for the sentiment rather than the value for money. I could have read the wine list for a while longer but was distracted by a train of beautifully presented food that was gliding past me. And seemingly to the neglect of any attention at our table – it took rather longer than it should have to get served. From then on however, the service was efficient and unobtrusive but could certainly have been more knowledgeable. A beautifully presented cheese gateau – a chiselled tower of mascarpone, candied hazelnuts, cheddar, stilton and assorted other yuminess required rather more of an explanation than the blisteringly insightful ‘slices of cheese’ proffered by our waitron.
Starters included a mint and pumpkin ravioli which was incredibly delicate with a thoughtful combination of ingredients – Egyptian spiced burnt butter, ginger, caramelized onions, cashews and feta. The chicken liver and sun-dried fig pate went down a treat – wrapped in pancetta and doused in a creamy, honeyed pecan, lemon and chilli sauce, served with sesame ciabatta fingers.
With our appetites whet, the mains did not disappoint – a vanilla and lemon crusted Cape salmon served with a ginger and sweet potato puree, and lemon mascarpone and caper stuffed sour cherries was a taste sensation. It is such a pleasure to taste new flavours and combinations – probably our favourite dish. My brie stuffed fillet of beef wrapped in streaky bacon with a cauliflower mousseline (not a freaky floret in the likeness of the bald fascist), spicy red pepper sauce and a potato rosti was about as beautifully presented as a steak can be. It was only the orange and mocha confit duck leg which disappointed. Somehow out of keeping with the rest of the meal – the duck was dry and overcooked. The jasmine citrus risotto was rather clumsily plated and the chardonnay and saffron reduction all but absent.
Overall this is a great restaurant – of course it’s more expensive, but you get what you pay for. This is a fine dining experience that won’t be every laid back Durbanite’s cup of rooibos. I certainly don’t enjoy a presumptuous and arrogant debrief on telephone etiquette or how to conduct my children when I open a menu. Nevertheless, the owner was charming and not for the first time raised the whole experience by delighting us with some unusual whiskies – one in particular an aggressive little South African number which left my throat as warm as my nose and saw me stumbling onto the street feeling nicely sated and rather pleased with life…
The Engine Room
59 Kensington Drive
Durban North
4051
Tel: 031 564 5458