Waxy O'Connors

The concept of a pub, in itself, is a cornerstone of Irish tradition. It's a place to unwind, take shelter from the cold, or share a few pints with the lads just for the fun of it. And since we can't all go to Ireland for the experience, Ryan and Rob Mitchell along with Steve Hulley have kindly brought it to Durban in the form of Waxy O'Connors. Opened in 2001, Waxy O'Connors is an authentic Irish restaurant situated in Westville. It is founded on the principles of congeniality, good food, and the indispensable Irish stout: Guinness.

In true Irish spirit, Waxy O'Connors is where you can kick back, relax and enjoy your meal and the music. Their robust dishes are a great accompaniment to the rich ale or any other drink for that matter. From starters through to salads, pub meals, and light meals, the menu is extensive. Nibble on Potato Skins, peri peri chicken livers or steak fingers while you have your first drink. Take your time to decide what to have next. Of the pub staples, there are of course Bangers & Mash, Fish & Chips, Steak, Eggs & Chips, and distinctively 'O'Connor's Curry' made with traditional Natal lamb. Poor ole Paddy also gets a mention, endearingly so, in 'Paddy Go Easy', a dish consisting of a ground beef onion pie served on creamy mashed potatoes and topped with peas and a brown onion gravy. A hearty meal indeed!

No pub can live up to its name without the standard pies, notably the 'Beef Guinness Pie' of cubed beef, slowly stewed with Guinness, bay leaf and carrots. Add to that the special 'Georgie Porgie Pie' made of cubed beef and button mushrooms slowly cooked in a red wine, ale and brown onion sauce and 'Waxy's Chicken', a crumbed, deep-fried chicken breast stuffed with bacon, mushroom, mozzarella and topped with a tangy cheese sauce. Other Waxy's favourites include Eisbein, Calamari, Line Fish and Fajita. The 'Lansdowne Fillet' is a succulent choice-cut, char-grilled fillet topped with crispy bacon rashers, brie and a honey mustard sauce. All cuts of meat at Waxy's, from the 250g fillet to the 500g Rump are 24-day aged choice cuts grilled to the patron's taste in Waxy's unique basting sauce or blackened in Cajun spices. Top these with a sauce to your liking, from cheese, mushroom, Madagascar pepper to peri peri, and complement them with chips, rice, mash, baked potato, vegetables or salad. Whatever you choose, it's highly unlikely you'll walk away from Waxy's hungry.

Light meals, such as open sandwiches, tortilla wraps, burgers and Prego rolls are also on the menu along with baskets of barbecued pork ribs, samoosas, crispy onions and fries, and seafood.

Dessert? Just think chocolate and more chocolate, from ice cream and choc fudge sauce to Mocha Mud Pie.

There you've got it: the atmosphere, the food and the drink. So what are you waiting for?