What does it take to open a successfully trendy cafe these days? Aesthetically I mean.
Custom Artwork on the walls.
Indigenous Flora in the main cafe area.
Quirky touches, like beakers as milk jugs
Chalk Board menus
Tiled bar area (Black and white, maybe a bit of both)
A bicycle somewhere
A little bit of an industrial vibe, maybe some pipes showing
Space in a gentrified location
Dark paint on the walls
Well then, look no further than
The Boiler Room Cafe at the Lion Match Factory as the new trendy spot in Durban. They tick all the aesthetic boxes, but much more than that there is a depth of experience here, which is where the real success lies.
Gina and Graham of
9th Avenue Bistro have challenged themselves to try something new and they've got the culinary chops and the front of house class that will win them loyal followers in this endeavour.
As Gina said, "We weren't trying to create another 9th Avenue, this place has it's own personality."
That being said, the quality of the food is still top notch, we were hugely satisfied with the slow-roasted lamb wrap and the thai red curry.
And the coffee? We were offered the choice of a medium or dark roast, both from the Douwe Egberts range. I went for the medium roast, the espresso was pulled very well and the result was a very pleasant cup and a lovely way to end the meal. We'll be back!
