<\/p>\n
Bell\u00e9zar<\/h2>\n
Where:<\/strong> Cabana Beach Resort, 10 Lagoon Drive, uMhlanga<\/p>\n Open:<\/strong> Daily 6am to 9pm<\/p>\n Call: <\/strong> 031 561 2173<\/p>\n Something about Bell\u00e9zar just screams\u2026 Let\u2019s Party. Part is its buzzy vibe and part its beachfront setting, but those \u201cbuckets\u201d of pink \u201cjuice\u201d with half a fruit salad in them slip down oh so easily. Yes, it\u2019s delightfully intoxicating and the booze bill usually far outweighs the food bill.<\/p>\n Tonight would be no exception.<\/p>\n We\u2019re here to see the show Koekie<\/em>, a drag act starring Mary Scary, Maxine Wild, Dee Blogging and Femme Aldehyde, which promised Absolut.GirlPower. We had front row seats to quite a show that featured everything from Whitney Houston, to impossible splits, to Mary Scary perching on the Glass Guy\u2019s lap in one of the breaks between numbers\u2026 and asking some very awkward questions.<\/p>\n It was a show with incredible vigour and energy and some acerbic one-liners as Ms Scary worked the room. The \u201cHousewives of La Lucia\u201d thought they had got off lightly until later in the show. One poor fellow wearing a very \u201csartorial\u201d bush had attracted her attention. She tried it on and no, it didn\u2019t suit her. She looked at the label. \u201cLook here,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s 80% polyester and 20% racism.\u201d The room was eating from her hands.<\/p>\n All the while our excellent waitress Betty kept the gins flowing. Nights like these are always fraught for waiting staff. People are moving all over the place, you\u2019ve got to avoid getting in the way of the show, and still make sure no-one feels unattended. She did it with aplomb.<\/p>\n So after all this activity, the food may seem almost incidental. But it\u2019s worth a whirl. For a large restaurant with an enormous menu and a party vibe, not only does it come out of the kitchen quickly and efficiently, but it\u2019s remarkably good. It\u2019s not there just to soak up the alcohol.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a section for pizzas, pastas, and burgers and pregos. There\u2019s some light meals and some full on favourites. There are grills, and a large seafood selection along with a number of platters and boards, all meant for sharing. There\u2019s breakfasts as well. And then there\u2019s the sushi menu.<\/p>\n For some reason Bell\u00e9zar lends itself to suggesting sushi, so we ordered a different platter from the last outing, plus a portion of tuna nigiri (R55) and a prawn avalanche roll (R90). The deluxe platter (R285) contained two good tempura prawns, a tarted up salmon California roll with mayo and caviar, some salmon roses topped with prawn cocktail and something called tuna stars which were draped in a teriyaki sauce. These I\u2019d not seen before and we almost ordered another plate, but then the ladies were about to start their first set. I also enjoyed the prawn avalanche, and the prawn topping on the salmon roses was inspired. The nigiri too was good. We were impressed.<\/p>\n Somewhere after the first act we felt like a bit of a top up and opted for two options off the light menu. The grilled calamari (R110) in lemon and garlic sauce was good, and we relished the beef fillet trinchado (R140), which was done in a rich red wine and bay leaf sauce, the meat still succulently tender. Put that on mashed potato and it would be a meal for me. We mopped up that sauce with slices of ciabatta toast\u2026 and our fingers.<\/p>\n After the show Betty brought us two excellent espressos, mainly so we didn\u2019t roll out of the place. It was a fun evening.<\/p>\n Food:<\/strong> 3 \u00bd<\/p>\n Service:<\/strong> 4<\/p>\n