UMAMI RESTAURANT, Salt Rock, KZN, Nov 2007

It was somewhat depressing to hear that Umami in Salt Rock had closed. For me, it was probably the best restaurant in Durban, producing food of a very high standard, in a very stylish restaurant setting.


I have been told that the restaurant was closed for 'personal' reasons. I suppose that's code for "did not close for financial reasons". Whatever those reasons are, it means there are now even fewer fine restaurants to choose from in greater Durban - and also means that we will have to drive greater distances to find good food.


While the recession has meant that several good restaurants around the country have closed shop, in Durban this is particularly painful as we have so few GOOD restaurants to start with. 


After my first visit to Umami in November 2007, I penned a few lines about my experience which I will share with you here:

I was very privileged to finally get out to Umami in Salt Rock for dinner on Saturday. The distance - just under an hour's drive from Durban - has been a bit off-putting. Once on the N2 though, it was relatively easy to find.

Located on the Dunkirk housing estate, the restaurant layout and decor is fantastic. All modern and and minimal with doors which fold out (in good weather) to open up the restaurant to the elements.

The menu is also modern, what I would describe as modern South African - hinting at influences from Asia to France but not being defined by those influences!

Four of us had ventured out to dinner (on a very rainy night) which meant that we got to sample a good variety of the menu offerings. To start, I had Tempura prawns served with a satay-style sauce. The fat prawns in their light, crisp batter and the nutty sauce was superb, balanced by cucumber noodles. My two friends had the grilled prawns on watermelon which they gobbled up without sharing! Richard had a Carprese salad with basil pesto.

For mains, Richard had the confit duck with a sauce enriched with foie gras. The duck was crisp and I think it may have been the best choice of the evening. My two friends had the Wild(?) Norwegian salmon with an Asian nuoc cham sauce and sweet potato chips. I had a small taste of Michael's salmon which was beautifully cooked. My main of springbok was slightly over-cooked, served on mushy peas with a gorgonzola sauce.

For dessert, there was an almost unanimous rush for the molten chocolate volcanoes on a creamy mint ice-cream. Beautifully presented and pronounced delicious all around. I felt compelled to try the traditional malva pudding which was served with a very good ice-cream (I now cannot remember the flavour).

The wine-list was pretty good. We found an excellent Thelema Sutherland Sauvignon Blanc and a bottle of Fairview Viognier. Sadly there was no wooded Chardonnay or Shiraz on the wine-list.

Service was ok. We could have done without the Maitre d' reciting the entire menu to us and there was a bit of a fluff-up with the bill. Prices are in the upper end and will be even more justified with better informed service.

I will definitely be back for the Sunday lunch - preferably in good weather