14 on Chartwell impresses ME

When ever I have a staycation in my city , I always try and  do as many things as possible like a tourist would do if they stayed in that area.So in June when Mum and I stayed at the Capital Pearls  , I used this opportunity to become a local tourist in the area. As it was a special occasion as it was Mum’s birthday I knew I wanted us to have dinner at 14 on Chartwell located in the Umhlanga Village. This was a perfect dinner spot as it was a short walk away fro  our hotel and in the hub of the village. Considering it was a Friday night , I had made a booking as I do know Friday nights can be rather busy and did not want to run the risk of not getting a table. And I did mention it was Mum’s birthday.

Like always I had read several reviews online and seen enough images to know I wanted to eat at 14 on Chartwell. A huge factors for me when picking somewhere to eat is the vegetarian options in the menu for Mum as often vegetarians are given not many choices. However this menu seemed to have something for all palates. The friendly staff greeted us and took us to our table which was a comfortable spot with a good view of the entire eatery. As it was a Friday evening the place was buzzing with people having after work drinks and having dinner.

The most eye-catching thing one notices on entering is the beautifully stylish and modern bar area which I had seen in countless instagram posts about 14 on Chartwell. An outdoor seating area will spills onto the pavement gives the eatery a very European feel to this gastro pub and one can imagine sitting outside on a hot Durban day while sipping on a cocktail. The bar menu includes a large variety of cocktails as well as locally produced craft beer. The décor is well put together and has a modern yet unique feel to it.

After ordering our cocktails and yes the Virgin cocktail menus is rather impressive too, we decided to order some starters as we had skipped lunch and were rather peckish. I asked our waiter for recommendations and ask if it was possible to have a tasting platter put together for me, to which the answer was yes as the kitchen is very accommodating. My starter platter included their most popular dishes which included calamari , chicken wings and sticky ribs. A trio of sauces accompanied my meal , the salt and pepper calamari was done to perfection as well as the sticky ribs were my total favourite. Mum decided on the baked Camembert with Hazelnuts in a Balsamic reduction served with homemade sourdough bread. The portion sizes are rather generous and filling so make sure you go hungry. For our mains I opted for a Surf ‘n Turf option of steak and grilled prawns both were done to perfection and well seasoned , I opted for chips as a side order. Mum on the other hand had a delicious main that can only be termed as an Indian Tapas board which included naan bread , dhall, paneer , sambals, lamb curry and butter chicken all in small portions we were able to swop out the meat for extra paneer and a side of roasted veg. Mum is rather a fussy eater and totally approved of her meal choice.

Considering it was Mum’s birthday we opted for dessert a total indulgence. I had the crepes with black cherry and ice cream which instantly reminded me of a black forest cake and guess what they have adult milkshakes on the menu as well that include all the trimmings of a freakshake.For Mum her dessert a chocolate brownie was served with a Happy Birthday in chocolate work .Our desserts were delicious but we were too full to complete them all. Note to self next time order a starter to share , mains and then dessert.

Overall my dining experience at 14 on Chartwell , was a truly  fantastic experience. I would definitely recommend you visit this spot and I will be back here for another meal soon as there is still so much I want to try on the menu.

Be Inspired !

Ciao

x

Ps .We were hosted for dinner here but as always my views and opinions are my own.