Restaurant review – Sawagat

Never judge a book by its cover. My first impression when Sawagat opened its doors at the bottom of Ballito was “this isn’t going to end well”.
I saw it as just another restaurant that is going to open and close its doors.
It seems I have underestimated Kumar and Jasbir as I have never before witnessed a restaurant achieve such a good reputation in such a short space in time.
I had numerous people telling me I needed to visit, so last week I booked a table.
My first thought was that the venue is not ideal and the décor needs major work.
The tables and chairs are perfect, but the walls and interior need some attention

as it lacks atmosphere. That’s my only real complaint but I know they are working on it.
The food on the other hand is not your normal Durban curry. I have heard some compare it to the curries they tasted in the UK. Made using a traditional tandoori oven, which adds such a wonderful depth to the food, these curries are worth tasting. Especially the Naan bread which is the best I have ever had!
I tried the butter chicken which was extremely tender. You have the choice of mild, medium and hot. I went with the mild, which was fine but next time I will choose the medium. None the less, it was a real winner though some might find it a bit rich. I also sampled some of the paneer which was just as good.
The menu is extensive with many options to choose from. My dining partner had just returned from an ashram in India and she said the flavours were very authentic.
If you want to try something new give them a try. I really hope this restaurant has many happy years ahead of it!