It was my big day and I needed a top-spot to enjoy a great meal with my precious company.

Friends had told me of Harvey’s and I thought I would investigate. It turned out to be a very good decision.

Their “about” on the web states:

“In Durban’s bohemian suburb of Morningside, a restaurant that combined the demeanour of fine dining with a super-cool attitude and sleek modern styling that spelled instant success with its previous reputation intact and improved.

The original Harvey’s, opened fifteen years ago, has re-opened, This second incarnation of Harvey’s, has already won all the accolades the first one gathered over the years, SA Top Ten, Amex Platinum Fine Dining Awards and International Wine and Food Society best restaurant award for 2009.

Harvey’s restaurant is in a landmark building, nestled between two elegant parks in Durban’s prestigious Morningside suburb. Within its first few months it became a nationally known institution as one of Durban’s must visit venues for any visitor or local.

The venue comprising two rooms, one for dinning, named the picture room for its mass of original paintings covering the padded walls and out elegant Cocktail lounge that spills onto the veranda and pavement terrace, cheekily covered in “grass” and a pavement terrace. An open-air cigar lounge is strikingly decorated as a sort of indefinable retro-quasi-gothic-hunting lodge hodgepodge, complete with mounted buffalo trophies, padded velvet walls, gold ceilings and original oil paintings.

Consistently crowned Durban’s best since 1994, this stylish restaurant is known for its innovative flavour combinations, excellent presentation, and efficient service. The menu changes every two months, but may feature items like crisp fried spiced calamari served on marinated aubergine with an avocado ice-cream and a roasted pepper coulis or duck confit with grilled magret served on pak choi, with a sticky red currant and pink peppercorn jus, with pear infused pomme William or an assorted berry plate that includes a rhubarb and ginger crème brulee, with a white chocolate and strawberry cake, lightened by a cherry and nougat ice-cream.

Although the menu changes every two months, Timol and I did not miss the bold-printed information above as the waiter “purred” away.

We started at the Cocktail lounge that spills onto the veranda and pavement terrace.

It was lovely to just watch cars and pedestrians go by as we slowly sipped on the bottle of Alto Rouge.

 

 

They weren’t joking about the picture room

 

Timol was not the only pretty lady in that room

 

After viewing the frame below I had doubts about my gold card being able to pay for the meal we were about to have

 

The calamari was certainly crispy

 

Timol had the Dorado on mash

 

I went for the duck

 

A present was thrown in for good measure

 

We ended with more wine and coffee on the veranda

For me, it’s now a toss-up between Harvey’s and 9th Avenue Bistro. I was properly impressed with both and did not mind paying the extra Dollars for extraordinary food.

Cafe 1999, which I previously went to, is not really my cup of tea.

I will have to return to 9th Avenue for round 4 to make up my mind.