If you are a seafood fanatic, I am sure you will be enamoured with the seafood buffet evening at Vasco’s restaurant, located in the Hilton Hotel, Durban.
These seafood evenings occur exclusively on Friday nights, and begin at 6.30pm – It’s wise to make a booking beforehand, so the staff are able to greet and seat you cordially.
The gently light dining hall is decorated in a contemporary motif that is both warm and inviting.
Textured patterns adorn the walls, floors, seating and ceilings, with touches of browns, blacks, greys and whites are enhanced by the golden light fixtures which add a sense of elegance and class to this location.
The ambience is peaceful and relaxing and is sure to impress that special someone if you were to find yourself there on a date. I encourage you to wear something light just to stave off the extra evening chill at this time of the year though.
The buffet has a lot of variety to offer, and you would be hard-pressed to experience all the flavoursome dishes before you reached your fill.
There is also a nice selection of wines on offer off the a la carte menu. I had a glass of the Ernie Els Cabernet Sauvignon – I found it to be buttery, smooth, and very drinkable.
I also had a taste of the Ernie Els Chenin Blanc, which was also surprisingly smooth, with a lighter fruity (peaches) flavour profile, which I would recommend as a good pairing for a seafood evening.
To start with, I had a helping of calamari salad, accompanied by a single piece of sushi, a cocktail wrap and a spring roll.
There are a bunch of condiments that you can spruce your meal up with – There could have easily been twenty options – too many to list in fact, but some of the highlights included mustard, olives, pickled onions, picked lemon, pickled fish, gherkins & tzatziki sauce.
With my appetite, now suitably saturated, it was back to the buffet for a helping of tandoori prawns, a bit of crab curry, a shrimp cocktail (this one was exceptionally good and served in a mini jar) and a little sashimi; the sushi is laid out nicely alongside the traditional pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce combination.
With your dinner, you can also add a little naan bread, which is freshly prepared in a big tandoori oven.
It’s quite fun to watch, and the naan is plucked out of the oven just as it bubbles up to perfection.
These breads are then briskly brushed with a butter or butter garlic topping and have a touch of sesame on them for added flavour.
It’s difficult to express in words how exciting something as seemingly simple as bread can be, but there is something to be said about the spectacle, freshness and flavour that is achieved from it all.
Between one of my visits back to the buffet counter, my table was visited by one of the very pleasant wait-staff. He had freshly prepared seafood pizza on a board and was offering slices for the patrons to indulge in.
My taste buds may be wrong, but I am almost certain that I tasted a little added Parmesan, or perhaps a sharp cheddar – either way, it was quite a nice savoury kick and enjoyable all the same.
Another highlight of my dining experience was what I shall call the “custom fry-up” – There is a flat top griddle with a selection of uncooked calamari, prawns and cutlets of hake – There is also a selection of spice powders and some cooking oils – You count off the number of prawns you would like, how much calamari and hake to add to your fry-up, and you’re off to the races – These ingredients are flipped around the griddle and fried up while you watch.
I found this freshly prepared food to be particularly flavoursome and most succulent.
At the end of the buffet spread, there is a selection of dessert options – Éclairs, swiss-roll slices, coconut tart squares, mini cheesecake squares and fruit salad.
There’s also a cheese board available with a modest selection of cheeses – While I would not say that I felt let-down by the puds and cheeses, I can say that they are not the focal point of what is otherwise a splendid dining experience.
The deserts did seem quite similar to each other, and possibly lacked a little colour and boldness – one really wants flavours that can stand by themselves and clear the palette at this stage of the dining journey.
By default, I’ve caught myself expecting a sub-par experience from any restaurant that’s based on-site at a hotel.
Vasco’s, however, exceeded my expectations and offers great value and a refined dining experience supported by attentive and friendly wait-staff. Whether you are a Durban local, or an out-of-towner, this is a destination dining experience that’s worth getting dressed up for and excited about as your Friday booking date approaches.
Directions To Vascos Durban – Hilton Hotel:
Looking For Steak, Visit The Big easy -also in the Hilton Hotel
