Mayflower is blooming good

By Anne Stevens
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Mention London, Sydney or San Francisco and my mind shoots to their Chinatowns.
And planning a trip soon to Australia, my thoughts have been much focused on steamed pork buns and Peking duck.
Crispy duck with pancakes and spring onion brushes might be the dish I would choose for a final supper.
So getting to THE MAYFLOWER in Musgrave Road and being told they were out of duck – which they apparently serve the proper way with pancakes – was a bitter disappointment.
But the only one of the day.
At last I have two names to proffer when asked to recommend a Chinese restaurant in Durban.
China Plate in Durban North excels at some things, The Mayflower at others.
Like the salt and pepper squid. It didn’t look that prepossessing, but was perfectly seasoned, lightly crisp, and topped with shredded onions and chilli.
I could have cleaned the plate if it were not for the sesame prawns on toast. Thin, really crisp, with a strong topping of seeds, this is the best version I have tasted – and I’ve tried a lot.
The pork dumplings after that were a bit of a let-down, only because they needed more salt. But a bit of soy sauce as well as the vinegar dip on the side made all the difference.
Our delightful waitress Michelle – who is married to owner-chef Ken Zheng – said the dumplings were homemade and all the more credit for that.
Then came tofu with black bean sauce. Passing over the tofu bit, it was once again the best black bean sauce I have had, liberally dotted with shiitake mushrooms. One would presume the chicken, prawns or beef with the same sauce would be even better.
The accompanying steamed rice came in an attractive ceramic pot, a nice touch in a simple shopfront restaurant which couldn’t be called upmarket, although it has been decked out with smart gold tablecloths.
Then, with noodles on the side, a Singapore pork curry.
The roast pork itself was packed with flavour and the dish worth ordering for it alone, but I’m not wildly enthusiastic about the curry bit. It’s neither here nor there. It’s a pity the pork isn’t used in any other dish.
Fried rice with just prawns (the duck component not being available) was simple, given a blast with chilli, but the perfect counterfoil to garlicky Chinese greens. No oriental meal would be the same without a plate of vegetables, and this is a favourite.
To finish: fried milk cake (think custard in a batter) with ice cream. Unusual and delicious.
All round, a meal to remember and savour.
And there are other things to try, such as spare ribs, pork won ton soup, steamed whole fish with ginger and spring onions, salt and pepper prawns, chicken with chilli and basil, sizzling beef with black pepper sauce, vegetables with cashew nuts, and prawn and duck fried noodles.
Set menus give you all the usual options of spring rolls, sweet and sour pork and beef with oyster sauce.
But break loose and experiment. It’s worth it.
One would imagine that with time and more confidence in the market, Ken will introduce more dishes that are beyond the normal Cantonese range.
He and Michelle are from mainland China and he worked in London for three years, first at the Chinese restaurant at the Dorchester Hotel, then at a top-end Thai venue.
Prices: Starters R16 to R35; main courses R40 to R150 for half a duck (whole fish SQ).
Opening hours: Seven days a week.
Telephone: 031 201 5433.
Emanuele Cantatore of Bel Punto in Umdloti has asked that I point out he is no longer involved in La Fiamma in Ballito, although he did help set up the menu for the attractive venue.
And in that area, if simple is what you are looking for, there’s a little takeaway with a few chairs and tables with great views overlooking the sea at Umdloti.
Tasca’s is popular with locals for pizzas, and offers other dishes like Portugese prawn rissoles, chicken livers, salads, tramezzini and a selection of pastas, from the classics to combos like mussels and chourico.
You can also have a glass of wine or a beer as you sit and soak up the sun.
The number is 031 568 2478. - The Mercury