A series of new establishments has opened at 279 Florida Road, Morningside, occupying the premises previously belonging to the well-known Holden's Spar on Florida Road. These new venues include Next Coffee and Nextaly, a simple cafe specializing in pizza and pasta.
In the center is a food court area featuring three food outlets: Noosh, which offers shawarma and rolls; Grind, which was presumed to be a coffee shop but is actually a venue serving smash burgers; and Rollout, specializing in banh mi.
At the very end of the complex is the restaurant Food Garden, where the reviewers dined. This establishment serves Indian and Indo-Chinese cuisine with an emphasis on open-fire cooking. The courtyard includes a children's playground, a prayer room, restrooms, and the formerly existing confectionery Crepe It Up.
The overall impression of the venue is mixed. The design appears comfortable but very generic, so conformist that suggestions arose regarding the possible use of artificial intelligence in its development. The service was also slow.
The first warning signs were the large bottles of mustard, tomato sauce, and '1000 Islands' dressing displayed on wooden stands at every table. Paper menus and a waitress who approached the table in socks and slippers, making an audible sound upon approaching, were also noted. The drink selection was limited: cola, sprite, or cream soda, although it later turned out that the menu included mocktails, smoothies, and juices.
The menu proved extensive, featuring a wide range of curries, banh mi, and biryani. Steaks, lamb, fish, and shrimp are offered, as well as a shellfish dish available both grilled and in curry form. Additionally, tikka, boti, and kebab are available, along with various grill mixes for different families. The menu also includes chowmein and chow soup, as well as burgers and some types of pasta.
The reviewers ordered a quarter chicken tikka (leg) with roti, chips, and salad for R75, prawn karahi with naan butter for R150, and Manchurian beef sizzler with a bowl of white rice for R150. The total cost was R450 for two.
The chicken tikka was disappointing: it lacked the characteristic flavor of the dish and was coated in a viscous, slightly sweet sauce resembling barbecue. The chips were negligible, and the salad consisted only of a few lettuce leaves and onions. The beef sizzler also drew criticism; instead of the expected spicy pepper sauce, the dish was drenched in a pale pinkish-red sauce that was cheap, sweet, and sour, and the beef itself was tough, while the onion was glassy and undercooked, rendering the dish inedible.
The prawn karahi was a saving grace. Although both reviewers thought it was prepared by different hands, the dish possessed good depth of flavor, despite some excess tomatoes. The spices were properly roasted, and the remaining sauce was eaten with naan and roti.
Since Food Garden does not serve desserts, they moved to Next Coffee, where they ordered cappuccinos. The drinks were pleasant, albeit too milky, and arrived slowly. They were accompanied by chocolate nougat cookies. The reviewers tried St. Sebastian cheesecake, which they liked, although Ingrid wanted a creamier version. Instead of cake, she ordered a croissant, which was neither crispy nor buttery, but rather a molded bread roll.