I should say upfront that I am a fan of Andrew Draper. When he opened the original Harvey’s it was an epiphany to local diners and, on a personal level, as a young, budding foodie it set the benchmark on both innovative cuisine and immaculate service.

After a long sabbatical, Harvey’s was reincarnated in a different venue and Andrew showed that age had sharpened rather than jaded his flair. After a successful stint here, it too fell prey to the inevitable culinary migration north and relocated to Umhlanga a few months ago. But does the new experience measure up?

The double volume interior certainly reflects Andrew’s penchant for drama. A large wall unit is filled with a collection of kitsch, cool and classic objet, but most of the restaurant is ensconced in glass and road views are more likely to have outsiders curiously peering into the luxurious oasis than have diners contemplating life outside their culinary cocoon. Harry’s Bar is the restaurant’s stylish cocktail bar (with its own pizza and burger menu) and the alcoholic alchemy extends from time-honoured to modern classics. Oenophiles will be easily placated at all levels by the comprehensive wine list – the by-the-glass options are considerable; there are opportunities to do vertical tastings; limited availability wines abound and there is also a selection of international wines.

On the night we visited, Andrew enthusiastically visited tables to chat and offer recommendations and we happily buried ourselves in a menu that showcases his love of rich, decadent dining. Starters include a light cauliflower veloute with truffle foam and Parmesan crisp, and the iconic prawn and angel hair pasta with smoked salmon, napped with a triple sec hollandaise and topped with caviar (R112). If the foie gras is on special, pounce immediately as Andrew’s rendition is superlative.

The food, in general, was outstanding. Each dish was thoughtfully and beautifully plated and I almost wanted to clasp my hands in childlike glee at the promise of what lay before me. Main courses are pricey – quite a few come in at the R160 mark and then R40 is charged for extra vegetables or salad. The parmesan and herb-crusted rack with a bean casserole will knock you back R210. The lamb Bordelaise, which is a stuffed lamb collier slow-cooked and served with spinach, roasted shallots, sautéed mushrooms and parsnip puree is gratifyingly rich, as is the slow cooked pork belly in a cardamom infused Bokaap sauce on wilted Chinese greens. The feint hearted can opt for lighter flavours like the roulade of fresh pasta with spinach, feta and mushrooms partnered with a sage butter and Parmesan or a classic bouillabaisse.

Soldiering through three courses is an achievement in itself… Although Harvey’s has a beautiful array of ice creams, I nevertheless opted for the crème brûlée made with crème fraîche. A cracked top revealed a runny custard and a new version arrived along with apologies from the chef. The second one was only marginally better. Andrew is known in dessert circles for his tragically decadent creations so perhaps next time it would be better to embrace the calories and go with the likes of the brownie plate (R82) which sees a brownie served with a blue cheese ganache ice cream, topped with a home-made fortune cookie and served with a hot brownie lava espresso cup. What a pity the evening drew to a close with whimper not a bang.

Still: the food at Harvey’s is mostly outstanding but, in this day and age, is that enough?

The front of house team – comprising bustier clad waiters and officious looking management – needs to notice the subtleties. The interior is dominated by an oversized chandelier that makes a statement and, on the night we dined there, not for the right reason. It emanated harsh light rather than a warm glow and, for quite some time, nobody noticed that the background music had come to a standstill. At the risk of sounding painstakingly pedantic, an added nuisance was that the two tables making our table of five were at different levels that resulted in a delicate cocktail glass falling over and required the tables to be leveled and reset.

And then, there is a matter of service. While the owner has earned his culinary stripes, the waiters should not assume to be superior by association. While menu knowledge could not be disputed, our waiter had an air of resigned indifference which, by the end of the evening, had slipped into shameless neglect.

One of the most expensive restaurants in Durban obviously translates into higher levels of expectation. Andrew is an unapologetic hedonist and his good quality ingredients are obviously costly, but the entire dining experience needs to match the standard of the food and accompanying price tag. Harvey’s is an expensive night out. And there’s some way to go before the experience matches up.

By Tracy Gielink

Have you been to Harvey’s Restaurant and Harry’s Cocktail Bar in Umhlanga? Let us know with a quick review