A passionate chef, a great businessman and a beautiful restaurant. If you haven’t stopped in at Umhlanga’s Sunsets & Mermaids yet, it’s time you did. We sat down with the two masterminds behind this trendy spot.
With vintage surfboards and old-school surfing memorabilia adorning the walls, long-time Durban chef Brendon Newport seems perfectly suited to the beautiful space that is Sunsets & Mermaids.
Together with businessman, new owner (and passionate Italian foodie) Biaggo Pelliccia, Brendon has carefully curated the layout of the restaurant as well as the extensive and diverse menu, to create a unique offering within the heart of Umhlanga village.
With years of restaurant consulting and cheffing under his belt, Brendon prides himself on creating spaces that are warm and welcoming and have their own unique food identity and heart.
Biaggo, who also owns the much-loved Amici restaurant at La Lucia Mall, recently took over ownership of Sunsets & Mermaids (previously known as The Beach House) and is a determined businessman and strong leader. Together, the duo have committed to creating a dining destination unlike any other on the North Coast.
“Sunsets & Mermaids is all about local culture. The surf décor and memorabilia on the walls tell the story of a young boy growing up and living the Durban surf lifestyle,” says Brendon, “and the menu and food tie in with this theme perfectly.”
With a strong focus on ‘coastal cooking with an Italian flair’, Sunsets & Mermaids is about staying true to the local Durban identity while introducing some exciting new flavours and concepts.
Biaggo, a former professional rugby player who comes from a food-loving Italian family, says he is determined to grow the restaurant, and continue to improve and update.
In fact, he and Brendon will be spending a month in Italy and New York later this year to draw inspiration and ideas from international trends, tastes and concepts.
When it comes to their food offering, their menu is as diverse as Durban’s cultural melting pot, with a wonderful combination of the old-school meals everyone loves and funky, new flavours and ideas.
Drawing his inspiration from the Pacific Rim Asian island flavours, both the food and cocktail menus have been curated to suit just about every taste – from the open-minded and daring to those who prefer to stick to the golden-oldie classics, such as a burger and beer.
“We are also open to making something up for clients,” says Brendon. “I am happy to come out and chat to the table and find out what clients are about and what they’re looking for.”
The sushi is, without a doubt, one of the most exciting items on the Sunsets & Mermaids menu. Yes, there are the old-school classics such as California rolls, fashion sandwiches and salmon roses, but the exciting mythical sushi offering is definitely worth a try, with options like spicy Tuna Tacos and Ariel’s Poke Bowl, to the Fiery Ferrari (prawn, tuna and avo with a crunch tempura finish … torched at the table!).
If you enjoy sharing smaller meals, then the popular Tapas Plates are definitely going to be your vibe. There are three sections to choose from – Onshore (chicken and beef), Earth (vegetarian dishes) and Offshore (which contains all the seafood). Some of the standout tapas dishes are the Tuna Ceviche (with flavours of lemon, soy and hoisin topped with furakake seasoning and Japanese mayo), the Prawn Wanton Dumplings (served with sesame, chilli and teriyaki dressing) and the popular Beef Tataki Bao Buns (a type of Japanese burger filled with seared beef fillet in a steamed bun with wasabi, ginger, sesame soy and cucumber salad).
If you’re looking for a bigger meal, there is also a full main course menu that is diverse and full of flavour, featuring everything from a delectable Surf and Turf (a beef fillet topped with baby langoustines), to classic Durban lamb or prawn curries, a wide selection of both classic and unusual pizzas and pastas, as well as a variety of delicious seafood and burger offerings.
“We’re all about embracing everyone and it shows in the diverse crowd that we have in the restaurant every day and night of the week,” says Biaggo. “We are excited to be launching a breakfast menu this month as well. We will open at 7am and our customers can enjoy a delicious Acai bowl or classic breakfast with fresh pressed juices outside under the trees.”
Details: Sunsets & Mermaids, 3 Chartwell Drive, Umhlanga Rocks, www.sunmer.co.za, @sunsets_mermaids
