BAR BA COA

Vegetarians beware, Argentina has arrived in Durban and with it the meat, plenty of it. A new haunt in Umhlanga-Bar Ba Coa can only be descripted as a manly, meat-eating spot for no-nonsense meat eaters, who care only about the red wine and…wait for it...the meat.

 I am of course exaggerating. The food is a bit more varied than just bloody steaks, with a range of chicken and some seafood, but if you don’t order a steak its kind of like going to Italy and ordering sushi-a bit faux pas.

We hit the place on a Tuesday night, all 25 of us “raring” to go (oh the puns, the puns) and the place was packed. Clearly the recession is no big deal for the R100 and up main meal menu.

Even though we had booked well in advance for a friend’s dinner, we were squeezed into a rather un-glamorous position near the kitchen. Something we came to regret as we waited with barely concealed drool for our dinner to arrive (which it did over an hour and a half after ordering).

The place is massive and was absolutely packed when we arrived at 7:30. The waiters are preppy students; our one was quite modellesque with bleached blonde hair and his bandana tied, cowboy-style around his neck.

The vibe can be described as yuppie-cowboy. It kind of tries to get that Argentinian edge to it, but in a sparse American way.  A bit like Craft in Glen Ashley, bad acoustics, rough wooden chairs and tables, bare light fittings and so on.

That being said the service was good (pretty boy knew what he was doing) and even though the food took a very long time, mine was hearty and well cooked. I had a 200g fillet with mash and veggies, which tasted great but lacked presentation. I feel that when you are paying around R200 for a meal (wine included) the presentation should be a little above average. My mash came separately and looked like it had been ladled from a soup kitchen pot, the plates looked tarnished and not quite in tune with the décor’s modern take. Pay attention to the details boys its essential for that, “We need to go there again” attitude.  

Apart from the issues, I would recommend it for a fun experience if you are going for a work dinner or a big chatty supper. Big no-no for romantic dates, anniversaries or proposals. Don’t think your loved one will appreciate the raw-ness in her surroundings, but what it lacks in romance it makes up for in meat.

source:barbacoa.co.za

Contact details:

086-000-9532

031-561-4106

www.barbacoa.co.za