Durban on a Plate
Views and vibe aplenty at Durban’s new 9th Ave Waterside
With a new location to rival the always-excellent fare, put 9th on top of your must-visit list
“We’re the first to admit that 9th Ave Bistro’s location was a bit dull,” says owner Gina Neilson. I have to agree as I think back to the parking lot view and pleasant, but unexciting, interior design of the old restaurant. There’s not a soul who’ll make that complaint any longer as the new 9th Avenue Waterside’s setting is as spectacular as the old one was uninspiring.
Seeming to float above the waters of the Durban Yacht Mole like one of the boats moored alongside it, the landmark building that once housed Café Fish has been refurbished and redesigned into a haven of contemporary style that echoes its seaside location without a single element of kitsch.
“That’s thanks to architect and interior designer Kevin Boyd,” says Gina as she shows me around the space. He’s tried to make it reminiscent of being on a yacht and the use of raw wood, black iron, brass and white gets the feel just right. Adding to the ambience is the fact that the views are the star, and boy, do they shine. From the architectural smorgasbord of the buildings on Victoria Embankment (one of which Boyd’s dad, Dennis Boyd, designed) to the ever-changing vista of the harbour as the tide ebbs and flows and the yachts, both super and simple, anchored to the jetties, it’s a feast for the senses.
Image: Supplied