Concha
Where: 18 Compensation Beach Road, Ballito
Open: Daily 6am to 5pm
Call: 032 815 2992
In Ballito recently I popped in for a late breakfast at Concha, a bakery, deli and coffee shop right at the beach.
It’s a friendly space with most of the seating spilling out into the covered car park. Upstairs it is a nightclub and tapas bar, which I’d heard good reports about the food, and will have to give it a whirl sometime.
But during the day it’s a simple breakfast and cafè menu, inspired by the owners’ Portuguese origins.
There’s a selection of filled croissants, and a number of ways with eggs and bacon. Some toasted sandwiches, and wraps and salads feature.
I order a prego without the roll (R150) from the light lunch menu. It’s a fillet steak cooked to a perfect medium rare, which has to include a fried egg. It comes with home-made round chips and a good Greek salad. No complaints here. I later ordered a croissant (R25) with jam, which I enjoyed.
I lingered over a second cup of very good coffee, looking out over the sea, and watching some of the young beach goers tucking into toasties on their home-made sourdough bread.
I took home a pasteis de nata (R18), which was good if a little sweet, and a massive apple Danish (R30) which I enjoyed for dinner.
A spot to remember with the Mr Price Pro starting next week.
Food: 3 ½
Service: 3 ½
Ambience: 3
The Bill: R281
Box Cafè
Where: In Virginia United Football Club, Danville Ave, Virginia
Open: Daily 6am to 5pm
Call: 083 262 6546
I ended up going round and round Virginia circle a couple of times. I’m looking for the Box Cafè. I can see the Virginia United Football Club, but how to get there. Eventually I spot it ‒ it’s a dirt track off the circle itself, not Danville Road ‒ but too late, and a mommie in a massive 4x4 is breathing down my neck. So it’s another round of the circle.
The Cafè is a simple container painted grey with a tarpaulin attached over a seating area. It looks over the fields, with specials chalked up on the blackboard. It’s comfortable enough and nice to be out in the open.
On a quiet Monday afternoon it’s just me and two Durban North mommies enjoying coffee and cake, and a couple of guys training, dribbling a ball up and down the touchline. But I should imagine on weekends it’s pumping.
The fare focusses on good quality ingredients and takes in sourdough toasted sandwiches, and open sandwiches, filled croissants, some simple breakfasts and omelettes and soups, plus a range of fresh baking.
I toy with a bowl of sweetcorn and green chilli soup, or even butternut, ginger and red pepper soup, but eventually settle on a toastie with smoked chicken, avo and gherkins with lemon mayonnaise (R76), which was great ‒ good bread, and generous fresh fillings, it’s a substantial lunch.
Chicken gets a number of treatments here ‒ with garlic aioli, or jalapeno mayo etc.
On the recommendation of the mommies, I try the carrot cake (R55) with a very good cup of coffee afterwards. It’s the most enormous slice of cake I’ve ever seen. It’s super moist, packed with fruit and spices and is topped with a proper cream cheese icing. I manage a fraction of it, take it home and it does for dessert that night and breakfast the next morning.
An enjoyable and relaxing afternoon.
Food: 3 ½
Service: 3 ½
Ambience: 3 ½
The Bill: R156 for one
