Next Chapter Restaurant — Restaurant in Windermere

This establishment is in the heart of Morningside, Durban, right along Florida Road.

I checked out the venue on a Tuesday night and it wasn’t busy at all. There’s definitely more to the venue than what you’re presented with at the door so make sure you walk around so that you can select where you really feel comfortable and want to sit.

The drinks menu isn’t the most diverse but, the owners must be commended for the level of creativity they put into the food menu. The Food Menu has the most interesting food descriptions and is highly entertaining to peruse. I even wanted to take a copy home with me!

The kitchen took long to bring food orders and some of the drinks orders were incorrect, hence the lower rating of this establishment. Once the food finally arrived it was quite decent.

Another reason for the slightly lower rating is due to the smoking section being left open to non-smoking patrons for an extended period of time. Some patrons even had to change tables since they couldn’t stand the stench anymore.

It’s a pity those incidents happened because this establishment really is quite quirky, airy and absolutely beautiful for a midweek adventure! Give it a shot...

At Next Chapter Restaurant, the ambiance is undeniably inviting, with a cozy atmosphere complemented by live entertainment featuring a mix of 90s pop and jazz tunes. However, our experience was slightly marred by a delay in being attended to by a waitress upon arrival, although we were quite taken with the menu's design and variety of options.

While the menu sparked curiosity with its array of tempting dishes, selecting just one proved to be a challenge. Unfortunately, the waitstaff appeared overwhelmed and were not readily available to provide recommendations. The restaurant seemed to be bustling with families enjoying the music in one section, while another area felt somewhat chaotic with patrons and staff bustling about, attempting to sort out bills and communicate across the space.

Despite the restaurant not appearing to be at full capacity, there was a notable wait for our food to arrive. While the flavors of the meals were satisfactory, they lacked that distinctive touch that would make them memorable and unique to Next Chapter. It's possible that our experience was affected by poor timing, so we remain open to giving the restaurant another chance...

Visited Next Chapter on Florida Road and ordered the half chicken flattie and the chicken schnitzel. While the presentation and portions were impressive, the food itself was a mixed experience.

The chicken flattie was anything but flat—thick and rounded, almost like it had just been chopped off the whole bird. The texture was dry and stringy, and I had to rely heavily on the sauce just to get it down. The exterior was packed with flavour, but sadly, the seasoning hadn’t made it into the meat itself.

The chicken schnitzel was paper thin—moist enough, but it felt like the batter outweighed the actual chicken. A cheese sauce wasn’t offered, and honestly, that could’ve made a big difference in rounding out the dish.

On the positive side, the service was exceptional—attentive, warm, and professional. The portion sizes were generous—we ended up packing some of it to go. And the side salads and chips were very well done—I finished all of mine, which says a lot.

Overall, there’s definite potential here. If the kitchen can improve the consistency and flavour of the mains, this spot could easily...