Snl24 | Durban’s the last place you’d expect to find this gem

The team at The LivingRoom at Summerhill will leave you with the biggest smile on your face and a warm fuzzy feeling in your belly.
Photo: Supplied

WHILE South Africa’s culinary capitals like Cape Town and Joburg often hog the limelight, it would be foolish to overlook the culinary treasures in quieter cities.

Cape Town holds a special place in my heart for fine dining experiences, having splurged my first proper paycheck at Luke Dale Roberts’ impeccable The Test Kitchen over 10 years ago. La Colombe, and Pier, both part of the LA COLOMBE® Group Restaurant, are renowned for their remarkable flavour combinations and dining theatrics. There’s also Happy Uncles, an award-winning halaal fine dining establishment.

Joburg’s fine dining scene has left me underwhelmed. The fusion of a tasting menu with groove doesn’t satiate my palate. Nevertheless, Sejour at the Houghton Hotel stands out as a recent culinary discovery with its impeccable flavours, elegant plating, and top-notch service.

But it’s Durban I really want to talk about. Driving into the coastal town after a six-hour journey, I was met with somewhat of a post-apocalyptic experience. Despite the city’s current challenges, there’s a culinary treasure waiting to be discovered. I had come this far and had one must-visit restaurant on my list: Chef Johannes Richter’s The Livingroom at Summerhill.

On a rainy Saturday evening, I ventured to Cowies Hill. I was ecstatic to have left my car behind and opted for an Uber instead, given the charming rain and the looming food euphoria. We drove up a hill and into a quaint parking lot in which I was met by a warm host who ushered us in. The ambience in the dining hall was cosy and inviting and really lived up to the establishment’s name, being the very lounge in which Johannes grew up, I’m told.

The interior at The LivingRoom is a quaint and intimate dining space. Photo: Supplied

The LivingRoom has been on my must-visit list ever since it won the coveted Restaurant of the Year at the Eat Out Awards in 2022. It absolutely lived up to the anticipation. From the moment I stepped in for a five-course tasting menu, the service was flawless, thanks to Lungelo and Snow’s seamless balance of attentiveness and discretion. Their passion and expertise were palpable in every interaction, explaining the indigenous and seasonal ingredients showcased in every dish without it being info overload. The menu’s inventive use of local, seasonal ingredients was truly inspiring. I opted to not see the menu and be left surprised, indicating only my dietary preferences. Live music added an extra layer of sophistication to the dining experience and the artist, who I believe is Manuel, showing us how he uses his hands to create a wonderful sound that adds to his eclectic performance.

The thing I loved most were the warm and friendly engagements with all the front of house staff. I learned of their stories and journeys with LivingRoom – again, inspiring stuff! Snow was brimming with pride about his roselle hibiscus creation. This masterpiece uses the flower to create three components of the drink – from a candied roselle, to a syrup and the roselle sugar rim. He’s been a part of the family for five years.

Lungelo’s mother also works at LivingRoom – he’s the one with the bright smile, front left in the team photo. He proudly shared his growth since joining the family at Summerhill five years ago too. He says it’s hot in the kitchen, but he enjoys watching how chef Johannes takes ordinary ingredients, known well in South African communities, and transforms them into wonders. For Lungelo, amadumbe is boiled whole, slightly mashed, and eaten only with salt. But at Livingroom, it’s transformed into a silky puree, served with sweet and tender meat and an accompaniment of crunchy granola. Who in the world would have thought a granola atop a meat and a wild potato dish would pair well? Only chef Johannes!

Photo: Laila Majiet

Choosing favourites from the exceptional dishes was a delightful challenge, with the mussels and corn stealing the show with their harmonious blend of flavours and textures.

Mussels and corn at The LivingRoom at Summerhill were an absolute crowdpleaser. Photo: Laila Majiet

The amadumbe dish, with its melt-in-your-mouth meat, was a close contender. And the sorbet atop the guava salad provided a refreshing finale to that course.

Photo: Laila Majiet

Oh, and dessert! The pumpkin, date, and coconut flavours were a fitting end – not too sweet or indulgent, but the lemon meringue stole the spotlight with its perfectly buttery, crisp tart shell and impeccably balanced lemon curd topped with just the right amount of torched meringue. I did wish I could have asked for a takeaway, but it really wasn’t the place.

Photo: Laila Majiet

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