Several good hotels and spas are to be found in the green and pleasant Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal. The newest and shiniest of these is Brahman Hills, designed for weddings and conventions but also geared for girly getaways.
A few days after Verne’s Big Birthday Bash* at the Oyster Box Hotel in Umhlanga, sister Dale and our mutual BFF Julie tore me from the bosom of assembled family and friends for a magnificent Midlands Meander birthday treat. (Click here, here, here, here and here – what, so many? – for posts on previous meanderings.)
(*Scroll down to the end for a whole lot of party photos, if you feel so inclined. Plus a gratuitous video of the author busting a move.)
Day One: Piggly Wiggly, Linga Lapa and mealie-bread nostalgia
As usual, our first stop was Piggly Wiggly (1 Dargle Road, Lion’s River), where we stocked up at the wine shop. Then Linga Lapa Restaurant, Deli and Butchery (Intersection N3/R103, Exit 132, 3280 Nottingham Road), aka the butcher, the baker and the biltong maker), which to Dale’s and my joy had small mealie-breads* for sale.
(South Africans may remember Talagu steamed mealie bread in a tin. This gastronomic delight suddenly, tragically and inexplicably disappeared from our supermarket shelves.)
The mealie-bread shown above [photo credit: Kirsten Eppich] looks even better with the addition of jalapeño; here’s the recipe for it – but I’d use fresh white corn kernels instead of tinned sweetcorn, and I’d leave out the sugar.)
Review: Brahman Hills
The new Brahman Hills (old Curry’s Post Mount West, Nottingham Road) looks set to become a favourite for weekend weddings and weekday conferences. Apart from accommodation in hotel rooms, it has several cottages – with one, two or three bedrooms.
Ours was the nicely appointed two-bedroomed, two bathroomed Serval Cottage (£200 per night), a short drive from the main hotel and closest to the spa. As the senior both in wisdom and years, I was in the parents’ room; Dale and Julie had requested twin beds in the other.
We loved the spa. I had the 60-minute candle massage (R550); therapist Samke was so good that I briefly contemplated coming back the next morning. Then it was straight into our cottage’s outdoor Jacuzzi with a bottle of Piggly Wiggly bubbles – until a chilly rain began to fall and a thick mist descended.
Review: 89 on Copper
Bellies warmed by my current favourite red wine – The Chocolate Block, a syrah by Boekenhoutskloof – Julie bravely drove us back to the hotel for dinner at 89 on Copper, a cosy 26-seater bistro-style restaurant. There’s also a glass-walled cellar and fabulous bar called Copper that seats 70 guests.
We shared the zucchini friti (R55) with basil and mayo, and the butternut soup (R65). Dale had the enormous trout fishcakes (R95) with fries, herb mayo and tomato salad; I had Thai prawn and chicken curry (R155) with disappointingly undercooked rice and an unexpected Indian papadum; Julie chose the delicious roast chicken and mushroom pie (R95).
Day Two: Blooming good breakfast, a spot of shopping, lunch and home
There’s nowhere better for a KZN breakfast – or lunch, or just a coffee, for that matter – than the artisanal Café Bloom (R103 Nottingham Road). Duly fed and caffeinated, we headed for The Platform, a converted railway station that’s now home to The Nguni Guy and his hides, plus a collection of high quality artworks by several local painters and sculptors.
Another regular Nottingham Road stop is Coffee and Life. Its Lime & Roses boutique is always good for a browse.
Proof of how popular Artisan pizzeria (11 Hilton Village Centre) has become is that while we were lunching some jolly men started breaking down walls to extend the space into the shop next door. Its foccaccia della casa (R60) comes with rosemary, tapenade and garlic aioli, and is to die for; and both the calamari starter (R65) with sweet chilli sauce and the chicken wings (R70) with blue cheese dip were pretty good too. Here’s the menu, which as you’ll see promises to cater to a wide taste pallet [sic]. For goodness’ sake, people, get someone to proofread your menus before you print them!
My camera battery had faded, but here’s an iPhone image of my sister with a lunchtime margarita – by no means her first, and certainly not her last.
Cheers, Sisi and Julie, and thank you for another great escape to the Midlands!
Birthday Bash Postscript
And now, as a reward for having read right to the end, here’s some photographic and videographic evidence of my wonderful birthday party. Warm thanks to the events team at The Oyster Box, DJ Peter Lewis, and of course to all our guests – especially those who travelled a long way to be there.
Party People
The Tables
The Dancing
Most of all, thanks to my my darling husband Roy for plotting the party so far in advance, and finally making it all happen.
