The forecast is chalked up on the blackboard: “Real food with real ingredients and a 99% chance of wine.” I like it.
I’m at Eora that has recently opened in the old Vicky Christina premises in Florida Road. It’s an offshoot of the Umhlanga eatery of Nathan and Bonnie McMiles
Pronounced “yora”, the name means “the people” in the Aboriginal tongue. Nathan is from Sydney before Bonnie brought him to our shores and it’s a concept that fits in with his ideal of real food served for the people. The payoff line is “contemporary urban dining”.
The McMiles have lightened up the decor somewhat. Gone are the black panels and gold ceiling. The trademark funky retro advertising design wallpapers make their mark. And gone is the tapas bar. It’s simply a more relaxed space in which to enjoy good food. More changes are on the cards – but they’ve just moved in.
Norman joined me for a light and relaxed public holiday lunch.
Fresh mussels were on the menu and I couldn’t resist those. Norman and I shared a portion for a starter. These were seriously fresh, plump and juicy, cooked in a very light sauce of leeks and carrots with some white wine and a dash of cream – all encasing lots of lemony flavours. It was served with a hunk of home-made bread. Absolutely delicious. It would make a brilliant lunchtime dish.
Tapas
Other starters might include beef carpaccio or organic peri-peri chicken livers. The panko crumbed fishcakes with sweet chilli jam and caper and gherkin mayo are good – I’ve had those at Umhlanga.
And then there’s tapas – what better way to take in the summer than a tapas plate on the table. These could take in spinach and feta in phyllo, or crispy calamari, or chicken satay or garlic prawns or even roast black mushrooms. A good hummus or baba ganoush complete the picture.
Burgers do feature – this is Durban so they have to – but include a beef and pork option with bacon and onion rings, and a lamb version with mozzeralla and harissa mayo. Norman opted for the veggie offering. This was a crispy halloumi cheese slice with chargrilled mushrooms and brinjals, topped with a tangy harissa relish. He was fulsome in its praise. The chips were hand-cut, fat creatures – the perfect slap chip.
I opted for another starter – the tuna sashimi salad. This was a generous three fat slices of good tuna sashimi covering a bed of fresh and pungent greens, topped with a delicious wasabi and soy dressing. Another winning lunchtime dish.
Seafood includes a platter for one, a tuna steak, or lemon-and-herb-grilled calamari with an orange and chilli butter. The Norwegian salmon with teriyaki glaze on garlic mash with lemon sauce was a hit at Umhlanga. And then there’s good old fish and chips. I want to try that next.
Interesting meat options include the eight-hour braised lamb shoulder with cumin coriander, rosemary and garlic served with lentils, or the chilli ginger and coconut chicken. Spoilt for choice here.
I had had the pork ribs at Umhlanga and maintained these were the best in Durban, so we ordered a half portion just to test. I like that these are smaller and the meat is succulent and falls off the bone, and that they are so delightfully sticky and spicy. These were a little sweeter than the last tasting, too sweet for Norman, but I still enjoyed them. They certainly beat the offering I had at a new chain that opened in Durban some months ago – hands down.
Desserts were too much of a stretch – but the passion fruit syllabub sounded like a winner – served in a martini glass with layers of boudoir biscuits and a champagne something and eggnog something else. It will certainly be a trifle for the ladies who lunch. We finished with a very good double espresso.
So forget the pronunciation – give Eora a whirl. It’s light, it’s fresh, and organic where possible. It is real food for real people. What a welcome addition to the Florida Road dining scene.
Eora Café and Grill
Where:
275 Florida Road,
Morningside, Durban
Call:
031 312 5522
When:
Open Tues-Thurs 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm, Sunday 11am-7pm. Live music on Sunday afternoons