The Grand Exotic
Where: Sheffield Beach Road, Salt Rock
Open: Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm, Saturday 8am to 2pm
Call: 076 435 6090
For a Saturday brunch it was time to head out of the city, and what better spot than the quirky and intriguingly named Grand Exotic at Salt Rock?
Part Indian temple, part Italian cupola, Sarah Owen’s distinctive venue incorporates a functions venue, antique shop and a decidedly inviting café. It’s something she designed and painted herself, in pinks and turquoise and greens, making use of the many interesting objects, architectural and decorative, she has collected over the years.
For those who remember the Antique Café which she opened more than 20 years ago in Durban, her style is distinctive. And she’s living her “barefoot luxury” dream.
The sign at the entrance reads:
“Welcome to Adult Time!
“Regret no children.
“Badly behaved adults must play outside!
“No swinging from the crystal chandeliers!
“No pinching bottoms.
“Animals on leads are welcome but no pooping.”
Not being part of the chandelier-swinging, bottom-pinching, doggie-dooing set, we were happy to enter. Inside it's a veritable visual feast with so many quirky, fun and eclectic design features. There’s light coming through the art nouveau glass panels in the dome, playing onto a riot of colour below. Old sari fabric brightens the walls, floors, even table tops; old tin advertising signs decorate the walls. There’s a couch inside the engine compartment of an old car, ornate wooden doors and frames from places like India and Indonesia. Interesting books, flowers and vintage decor complete the picture. Waitrons even wear sari fabric as part of their uniforms. And yes, there are crystal chandeliers.
Cups and saucers and plates are all old China, tea and milk is served “railway style” in silver pots and knives are the old bone handled variety.
At the back is an open verandah looking out over a courtyard garden which has grown lush since my last visit, giving it a jungle retreat feel. There was a party enjoying breakfast outside under a large tree. They certainly didn’t look like badly behaved adults, but you never know.
It’s quite something to take it all in.
The menu is light, fresh, and takes in wholesome and tasty favourites. If there is one criticism it is that it doesn’t quite match the quirky and exotic decor. But there are points of interest.
There are dishes like berries and banana on French toast with homemade mascarpone, or a breakfast frittata muffin with cherry tomatoes, cheddar, chives, onion and feta and loaded with more of that mascarpone and smoked salmon. There’s a sweet potato and walnut muffin, or creamy scrambled eggs on a croissant with smoked salmon ‒ there’s a lot that gets the smoked salmon treatment ‒ or a two-cheese savoury tart with salad. I’d had the asparagus and cheddar melt on health toast before and enjoyed it immensely.
My friend went for the classic dish that is from the early days of the Antique Café ‒ corn fritters with avocado, smoked salmon, crème fraîche and a drizzle of sweet chilli sauce, served with a side salad (R79). He pronounced it as good as always. Another tried the beef pastrami sarmie with apple, brie, avo and walnuts on health bread (R79), giving it the thumbs up.
The exotic pink salad with fresh beetroot, pear, walnuts and roasted pumpkin seeds and feta on garden greens certainly sounded more grand and exotic. Another friend opted for the smoked chicken salad with pear, avo, cherry tomatoes and pineapple salsa in a creamy honey mustard dressing and sprinkled with sesame seeds (R74), which she enjoyed.
Tasty Welsh rarebits feature here, something more unusual on Durban menus. I opted for the hungry Welshman ‒ a rarebit on two slices of lightly toasted ciabatta with crumbled bacon and onions and topped with two poached eggs (R79). There’s the Welshman’s wife, which is a smaller version of the same, and the Welshman’s Daughter which is simply on toast without the trimming. I loved the rich tasty cheesy rarebit, although the eggs were more medium than soft.
Coffees are top notch, as is the baking. We shared a giant slab of carrot cake (R48) which was very good, but the famed gluten-free crushed almond and Belgian chocolate cake, another delightful relic from the Antique Café days, is certainly worth trying. As is the bee sting cake. We also enjoyed their iced coffees (R44) which really were like a rich coffee milkshake.
As we left, we became those “badly behaved adults” ‒ taking our selfies on an old bicycle rickshaw that would still look in place on the streets of Delhi today. Oh dear, had we become that type of tourist?
Food: 3½
Service: 3
Ambience: 4
The Independent on Saturday