The recently opened Steak Grill and Co in Florida Road – the only steakhouse in South Africa housed in a national monument – is offering both Durbanites and visitors to the East Coast a whole new dining experience – fine casual!
“We offer a high quality overall steakhouse experience, paying particular attention to the quality of the ingredients, food presentation and the experience of dining in a national monument,” explains Steve Christodoulou co-owner.
Head chef, Simon Mayise, who headed the kitchen at the Colony restaurant which was consistently ranked one of the best in the country by food lovers and cuisine critics alike, is serving up prime cuts such as sirloin, rump, fillet, prime rib, T-bone and Tomahawk steaks with signature sauces that include truffle mushroom, blue cheese and vodka, old school monkey gland, béarnaise, oven roasted garlic and pepper and thyme.
From The Grill, diners can expect a perfectly marinated and flame grilled deboned peri-peri chicken, lamb chops that have been marinated in extra virgin olive oil, garlic and fresh herbs, both pork and beef ribs and ostrich served with a balsamic and red wine reduction.
Combos – including a chicken and prawn combo and the ultimate surf and turf – as well as bespoke burgers and a “Lekker for Locals” offering that includes a fall off the bone lamb shank and a chicken and prawn curry – will leave every carnivore delighted. Those looking for something lighter can enjoy an array of salads as well as a “From the Sea” offering that includes calamari, grilled kingklip, Argentinean queen prawns and grilled crayfish.
The wide range of starters that precedes this extends from escargot and oysters to fresh black mussels, beef carpaccio and more.
Right now, the Steak Grill and Co is one of a kind – although it is affiliated to the Jack Salmon Group of restaurants.
But it is its location in Atherton House, which was built in 1904, that seals the fine dining deal.
“One of Durban’s finest steakhouses of old, Squires Loft, was housed in the building and, with the grand old dame having been restored to its former glory, it made sense to open up this upscale space to Durban’ Steak and Wine lovers,” explains Christodoulou.
The interior has been tastefully designed and uses a highly fashionable darker monochrome palette offset by wood and natural textures. This captures the upscale feel of the building and, at the same time, creates a relaxed environment thereby creating a whole new dining segment – Fine-Casual!
The home’s original gardens have been relandscaped and now house some fascinating public art, including a South African bronze sculpture called Morpheous that was recently brought home from the USA where it was on display.
Artist Lionel Smit explains: “The concept behind the ‘Morpheous’ sculpture encompasses various ideas that I have been working on, drawing them together to create a single piece. I would say that it is not only one idea, but layered ideas, becoming complex and intertwined. The central concept is of one head looking into the future while the other looks to the past. All my work evolves around the idea of identity and this piece continues to ask the same question: where do we come from and where are we going? How have we changed and almost morphed into different cultural identities?”
The Steak Grill and Co is well located within the popular Florida Rd Urban regeneration project. In the evenings, there is plenty of parking available in the new basement parkade.
You can find Steak Grill and Co at 295 Florida Road and to book call them on 031 521 0259.