Perhaps you find yourself on the KZN South Coast. And perhaps you are looking for a really nice place to eat. Not really in the mood for family fair food, and actually wanting to give the regular franchises a miss, although there’s a part of you that feels comforted by the consistency of the usual menus and generally maintained standards of such establishments. So you are ready to venture out of your comfort zone, to the unknown territory of “another chef’s food”.

Allow me to introduce to you, courageous adventurer, a local South Coast gem: Flavours Restaurant. This little eatery is located in the Bistro Village in Ramsgate, in an old renovated house with a large patio overlooking a lush garden. It feels a little homey and slightly apart from the rest of the world.

Flavours was put on the South Coast Foodie map by owner partners Chef Ian Beattie and Ingrid Formo. Ian was trained at Christina Martin’s culinary school and although he has moved on to other projects in other cities now, he did so only after training his kitchen staff and sous chef to a standard that we all associate with Flavours. Your front of house host is Ingrid, who is always a delightful presence. She proudly oversees every aspect of the business now, including aspects of kitchen quality control. Ingrid always makes us feel at home, welcome and free to enjoy the restaurant’s homey environment and delicious food.

The menu at Flavours is usually pretty set. A visit to their website will allow you access to this menu. But don’t let the seemingly static nature of the menu lull you into a false sense of security, because every time we have visited Flavours, we have been presented with an equally extensive SPECIALS menu which is diligently and accurately delivered in an expert culinary soliloquy by Ingrid who will go into mouthwatering detail for each and every special dish from starters to mains.

It has been a year since we’ve had the privilege of visiting Flavours restaurant. Last time we went for lunch and sat on the patio; a delightful option, particularly in summer, but with the South Coast’s mild winters we have also been known to pop outside with our after dinner coffees and chat in the evening air.

The restaurant seems to have gone through a complete décor revamp; dated Boer décor elements are replaced with a modern, clean lined, artistic feel; tables donned with crisp white linen and deep red chargers the interior lends a depth to the now light feeling interior. Servers are now dressed in lovely crisp white and black with bistro style long aprons. They are attentive but not bothersome. The service is professional, knowledgeable and friendly. Up, up and away.

Would you like me to give you a little run down of the dishes my table ordered?

Starters:
Pork and prawn wontons, deep-fried with a soy and sweet chili dipping sauce
Slow braised oxtail pastie with a bone marrow and mushroom jus

Mains:
Kingklip lightly dusted with seasoned flour and grilled with lemon and clarified butter. Served with a prawn and herb veloute.
Rump steak grilled to order with a garlic herb butter and onion rings.
Pork belly, slow roasted with a sweet and sour ginger sauce and topped with a red cabbage apple slaw/salsa.
Roast free range duck with a plum and naartjie sauce.
Impala loin roasted to medium rare with a green peppercorn, blue cheese and brandy cream. finished with caramelised apple.
Lamb shank slow braised with herbs, tomato and root vegetables.

Desserts:
Keylime pie. A light set lime mousse with a ginger biscuit base.
Bannoffee tart: Tartlet filled with creme patisserie topped with caramelised banana and a homemade praline ice cream