Expect fluffy blankets, lemon meringue pie and whole lotta shopping! If you're ever around Kloof, forget about visiting the well-known Sprig sisters, and instead take a trip down the narrow lane that is Bellevue Road to have some lunch at Bellevue Cafe and a spot of shopping afterwards at Fat Tuesday. Kim and I went there for lunch recently, and take it from us, it was well worth the drive up!
Bellevue Cafe is owned and run by Chef Chris Black (who also owns the well known The Aubergine restaurant in Hillcrest) and you can expect bistro style food at its best. While Kim tucked into a hearty beef and vegetable pie, I plowed my way through a huge bowl of butternut, feta and Harissa spiced pasta which was inexplicably delicious as it was rich, creamy and packed with flavour.
The menu is extensive and we battled to choose what to eat. When you have a good selection of light lunch meals, pastas, salads and a breakfast menu that would make the Queen Mother proud, who's to blame?
After our meals we were delighted to see two exquisite little desserts land on our table. We didn't order them. They were given to us by Chef Black because we had to wait, like 5 minutes, for our table. Good food, great ambience and free dessert? Yes please! The first was a divine lemon meringue pie. I'm not usually a fan of that type of dessert as I find it too sweet, but this was laced with Grandilla which cut through that sweetness so perfectly. The second was a sort of cake and almond tart. Foodies will know what it was. I just know that it was delicious - light and tasty and every kind of good that belongs in a dessert. Bellevue Cafe was a great eating experience, in a well designed setting with friendly and helpful staff. Oh, and did I mention that huge fluffy blankets were being handed out because it was a little cold? It's the small touches that make all the difference.
Just next door to Bellevue Cafe is an art studio and shop called Fat Tuesday. Fat Tuesday boasts a great selection local and international goods that are quirky, fun and gorgeous to own. This is the kind of shop you want to stumble into when you have no clue what to buy someone for their birthday. They have everything from clothes and jewellery to lifestyle products, trinkets and local photography and art. We could wander around the shop for hours.
The Fat Tuesday Gallery focuses mainly on photography but they accept both traditional and new media. They are a great starting point for artists and have a strong ethos of supporting local talent. The Fat Tuesday gallery is a great space for emerging artists to showcase their work in a more relaxed environment, giving them a chance to interact with their audience and discuss their art. A offset of this gallery is the art studio in which local artists share their inspiration and knowledge in the form of classes. They currently offer a range of classes in painting, photography, book binding, cartooning, collage and journaling. All you have to do is give them a call to make a booking and you to can be part of one of these classes.
So when you're Kloof side, its worth taking a gander to that part of town, even if its just for a cup of coffee, a blankie and a lemon meringue pie.
To get in touch of the lovely folk at Bellevue cafe, you can give them a call on 031 717 2780. Here are their opening times:
Breakfast: Monday to Friday: 7.00am - 12.00pm; Saturday 8.00am - 12.00pm; Sunday 9.00am - 12.00pm
Lunch: Monday to Sunday 12pm - 3.30pm
Dinner: Monday to Thursday: 6.00pm - 8.30pm; Friday 6.00pm - 9.00pm
Fat Tuesday are open at 08.30am and close at 04.30pm from Monday to Friday. They open at 9.00am to 2.00pm on Saturdays and most holidays. You can phone them on 031 717 2785 or visit their website here.
Picture Credits:
All Bellevue Cafe pics *unless instagramed by us* were from here.
All Fat Tuesday pics were from their website found here. Labels: Bellevue Cafe, Durban, Eating Out, events, Fat Tuesday, Out and About Durban, Ruby and the Swallow
