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Where: 74 Mahatma Gandhi Road, Point, Durban.
Open: Sunday to Wednesday 6am to 8pm, Thursday to Saturday 6am to 8pm.
Call: 082 773 6870
The Bean & Bistro is the latest offering from the Bike & Bean brigade and has opened in a charming old warehouse on Point Road, opposite the new Passenger Terminal. It’s a spot Ingrid Shevlin and I have been meaning to go to for some time, but we have never got our act together.
But on a sweltering Saturday we made the expedition.
It’s certainly a fun spot that’s been funkily decorated in an eclectic mix of styles and décor. There’s art ‒ some executed better than others ‒ on the walls for sale, but apart from one lady who looked like she was suffering a bad bout of Bell’s Palsy, the subject matter was generally fun. There were racks of brightly coloured ethnic dresses and table cloths and leather goods for sale, as well as home-made kombucha and pickles in the fridges. There were Persian carpets on the floor and a lounge section very much in the style of the Scandinavian mid-century modern.
It was fun. At the back is a car wash, almost giving it a Kasi feel.
We found a table in the central section and were cooled by the through draughts. That was clever. Pretty soon I was sipping a good iced coffee.
Sadly, the menu doesn’t quite pick up where the décor left off. It’s very Bike & Bean.
The breakfast selection is pretty much what one would expect at North Beach, except it’s no longer served on a tin plate ‒ one of Ingrid’s pet hates. But prices are exceptionally reasonable. Your full breakfast, with eggs, bacon, sausage, baked beans, mushrooms, onions, grilled tomato, chips and toast, is only R70. You’d battle to beat that anywhere. And I’ve always liked their omelettes which, for R56, are stuffed with bacon, mushrooms and cheddar.
There’s a range of toasted sandwiches, a couple of light bites like boerie chunks, buffalo wings and jalapeno poppers, a few pizzas and salads. Mains include a bistro burger in beef, chicken or veg, hake and chips with salad and tartare sauce, pork ribs or rump steak with chips and salad.
It’s practical stuff.
Ingrid chose the chicken breast with mushroom sauce and avo (R135), which she enjoyed, and I liked my Philly cheese steak roll, a toasted roll stuffed with sliced rump steak, fried onions and a cheese sauce (R110). The steak was succulent, tender ‒ I think they might have used fillet ‒ and, more importantly, not overcooked. It was also plentiful. The cheese sauce could have done with a pinch of mustard, but it tasted good. The dish might not have looked exciting, but I enjoyed it. The hand-cut chips were good.
There’s a selection of baking ‒ muffins and cakes and stuff ‒ on the bar but it was too hot to eat any more. There’s also a substantial selection of cocktails and the likes. We settled in with enjoyable coffees, which the Bike & Bean have always done well.
Food: 3
Service: 3½
Ambience: 3½
The Bill: R355 including a generous tip
The Independent on Saturday