Durban’s “High” Society has a new home

Posted on Feb 9, 2006

If you were lucky enough to catch the very first Durban Fashion Week, you MUST have heard about the new place to be seen at (darl)… SOCIETY on Florida road. Now we know how fickle Durban patrons can be – we wish SOCIETY the best of luck.

Our faithful Durban D-Va fills us in yet again on the “High’s high” of Durban.

Durban’s fashionably pretentious set are salivating over ONG>Society, the new restaurant-cum-lounge venue located in a gorgeous two-storey colonial building on the Florida road. The restaurant critics are raving; the Musgrave mommies have found a new place to see and be seen; and, in the space of six weeks, word-of-mouth has even reached the people at Top Billing, who have already filmed an insert there.

For the older crowds, who feel that “this is what Durban’s been lacking”, Society offers top-quality dining in a sophisticated setting, with a bar and dancefloor conveniently situated only a carpeted staircase away. For younger crowds, Society provides a reason to doll up on a Friday night, and an opportunity to live out any delusions of grandeur.

With pressed ceilings and large balconies in black and white tiles, the building itself is a reminder of Durban’s colonial past. The dýcor is suitably ‘colonial’, although that classification doesn’t do stylist Kara van Niekerk any justice. It’s more a kind of ‘meta’ colonial pastiche of old and new, with marine colours, ornate wallpaper, Victorian objects d’art and an eclectic assortment of modern and old-style furniture. The result is both OTT and classy, very much in keeping with the whole 70s revival.

It’s a little nauseating at first though – the kind of place where I’d have to go round touching and looking closely at everything before I could possibly have a meal there, among all that beautiful stuff. Look out for it in all the glossies – this place was designed for photographing.

The food is on the pricey side, mostly Thai and sushi.The waiters and bar staff are all gorgeous, so be prepared to feel like you’re on a photo shoot, or on a James bond movie set (i.e. you’re expected to dress the part to play the game, which is “just want Durban needed”).

The carpeted dancefloor upstairs is oh so plush, with black crystal chandeliers above adding a touch of drama. The music progresses along with the evening, from jazz during dinnertime, moving to progressively deeper house music. Best of all is the news that Meanboy Roy will be spinning the decks on a Friday night (Meanboy had a huge – mostly female – following in Durban a couple of years ago. He’s been lying low since becoming a father.) Other DJs are Dogga and Green Jnr.

SOCIETY
178 Florida Rd

Open Tue to Sat, lunch & supper; Sunday, lunch only;
Closed Mondays.
Friday’s are Meanboy’s “Dejavudu” nights.