Smart new kid on Umhlanga beach

INGRID Shevlin and I were invited for a prelim recce - a few days before they opened. And what a transformation the Cabanas has undergone.

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The venue which many will remember as the site of the original Razzmatazz, that was decades ago, and more recently Bellezar, has been completely refitted with floor to ceiling windows to take in the breathtaking sea view. It’s light, modern, stylish and airy. There’s a cocktail bar, a private deck and a lower outdoor deck that looks over the promenade. And yes there are even some gold-plated taps in the newly renovated washrooms.

We were impressed.

The main menu is everything you've come to expect from Surf Riders homemade burgers piled high with sauces and toppings in fact chef Samantha Small Shaw brought us out one to try. The patty was juicy and fresh, topped with bacon, cheese and cheese sauce and made all the more dramatic by a tower of onion rings. Neither of us are big on burgers, but yes, we were impressed. If I’m going to order a burger it needs to be something like this.