Its impressive design and clever use of space – integrating the indoors with the outdoors – has made Ballito Lifestyle Centre’s Katmandu a popular restaurant choice for locals. The Get It team was recently invited to enjoy a ‘Katmandu’ experience.
As one of the few members of our team who hadn’t yet visited Katmandu, I was very keen to see what this talked-about ‘melting pot of flavours’ had to offer!
We arrived for lunch on a breezy Tuesday afternoon and we were immediately impressed by the casual-but-chic vibe. We made ourselves comfortable close enough to the open kitchen to observe respected executive chef Steven D La Fountain JR and his team creating magic!
On browsing the menu, we quickly realised that we were spoilt for choice! Their impressive selection of easy-going starters, Turkish flatbreads and sour-dough thin crusted pizzas, along with a wide selection of ‘street food’ main course options, had us a bit overwhelmed!
While we debated what to order we settled on a cheesy focaccia bread to share as a starter. The thin-crusted wood-fired bread was delicious and the perfect teaser for our main selection. I couldn’t resist trying the Crispy Pork Belly and I was so glad I did. It was cooked to perfection, with the pork belly roasted in apple and mustard topped with bacon and lentils (my favourite) on the side and the crispy pork crackling on top. The rest of the team decided on a Chicken and Prawn Curry (a generous portion served with rice and sambals), Calamari served with a delectable Nero mayo and fries and a tasty Chicken Ceasar Salad, as a lighter lunch option. All of them came out tops!
Having tried a varied selection of main courses, we decided to share a few desserts.
If you enjoy chocolate, I would highly recommend the Rocky Road Brownie served with nuts, mallows, caramel, chocolate ganache and ice-cream. This is the perfect way to end off a delicious meal!
Overall, we enjoyed the fusion of tastes and the ‘cosmopolitan temple’ Katmandu has successfully managed to create in its dining and entertainment offering.
Details: Katmandu Ballito: 087 460 0079
Text and photographs: MONIQUE DE VILLIERS-DELPORT
