JJ's Indian cuisine & takeaway — Restaurant in Western Cape

A few days ago, my wife, daughters, and I took a drive to Kalk Bay from our home in Blouberg. Whenever we decided to go to Kalk Bay, it was usually to enjoy the views, weather, drive, and Kalkies. This time, however, was different. We decided to visit Kalk Bay for the sole purpose of dining at JJ’s for some authentic Indian food. My brother-in-law, Rodney Moodley from Warner Beach, had been raving about the place. He is an expert at recommending quality places to visit and dine.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, the view from inside was warm. The restaurant was neat, colourful, and had nice furniture, including comfortable seating. The aroma of the food brought back memories of Durban Indian restaurants. It was a beautiful and calm setting. Our waiter promptly took our orders, which included three bunny chows—a quarter beans, a quarter mutton, and a quarter butter chicken—as well as a butter chicken and roti.

The food arrived without in good time, and it looked absolutely delicious. Every meal was exceptional. The bread and roti were fresh, the curries were flavourful, and the chicken and mutton were of high quality. We certainly received full value for what we paid. Being a huge fan of beans bunnies with mutton gravy, and having eaten many in my lifetime, I can confidently say that the bunnies at JJ’s are the best I have ever had.

The company at JJ’s was equally remarkable. Rajen, the chef behind the delicious food, is a calm and kind individual who makes you feel like family. He is down-to-earth and takes time to remind you that he, Sheila, and the team are committed to making guests feel at home at JJ’s.

The owner, is just as wonderful as Rajen. After speaking to him for only a few minutes, you feel as though you have known him for years. JJ’s brings to mind the high-quality Durban food and hospitality of its prime.

I would recommend JJ’s to anyone who craves authentic Indian food, accompanied by a warm and...

It’s all about the food, like all good Indian restaurants ! Born in Durban, I think that this qualifies me as a critic and this food can be labeled as authentic Durban Indian Cuisine. The samosas are great. the lamb was spicy and not fatty, and so too was the chicken and sweet corn. My partner and I could not decide between the lamb curry and breyani so we ordered on of each. The lamb curry is the bench Mark of Indian cuisine and Chef Shireens curry hit the spot from the colour, taste and spiciness. For those who understand, the potatoes were just melting. The curry had enough gravy and I had as a bunny chow, not for the feint hearted as it is hand to hand combat, no weapons, viz cutlery. The lamb bunny was finger licking good and a must try if you have not. My partner’s lamb breyani was spiced just right and tasty as ever, it was also quite a healthy portion, the lamb was tasty and succulent. For the creme de la creme, I had the soji as the dessert, done just like how it is done back in the old country, topped with dessert cream and almonds. The venue is a bit rustic but is has a stunning unobstructed view overlooking Kalk Bay. Currently unlicensed means, please remember to take your own alcohol as the rest of patrons do as they must regulars as the venue is popular. The food is good value for money and the service was good and special mention has to be made of Timothy who served us. Well done to chef Shireen...

As part of our recent day trip to Kalk Bay and the surrounding areas, we decided to stop at JJ's for lunch on a cold wet Saturday. Our order included lamb; samoosas, bunny chow, and biryani with dhall and salad.

The food, although well-presented, was not the same quality as it used to be. There seems to have been a change in spices or the chef, or both. That "wow factor" is sadly missing. The curry is not as spicy or vibrant in colour, the bunny chow lacks gravy, there were no chillies in the salad, the biryani was mushy, and the dhall was salty.

At least the samoosas were fried to perfection and the dipping sauce had a bit of a sting which we enjoyed. Also, the bunny chow was loaded with succulent lamb pieces and the portion size of the biryani was enough for two people to share. Other than that, nothing really tempts us to visit JJ's again - which is disappointing because it was our favourite Indian restaurant...