When the prodigal son returns

STOOD up, so to speak, because the restaurant we had hoped to eat in had not yet opened, food writer Ingrid Shevlin and I decided to pop into Umhlanga's Arch.

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I was keen to see what was cooking there. Especially after the closure of the famed Pencil Club.

The legacy yard with many of its small traders — it is basically a posh food court — has reduced in size and a restaurant called Prodigal Son opened to the one side of it. It’s a large open space with wonderful views of the ocean and specialises in lighter Mediterranean fare, including boasting pizzas as they are made in Naples. There’s also a comfortable cocktail bar.

We're welcomed warmly by Selby Ntombela whom many will remember as the coffee genius at the original Remo’s. He’s managing the restaurant and it’s filling up fast for Sunday lunch. Families chomp away merrily at pizzas, while groups of friends are sipping on pink or green or orange cocktail creations. The restaurant has a casual, comfortable feel. Plus you can watch the pizzas being made.