The Lounge @ Clifton, Fordsburg

Updated: 05-11-2024

To say that Fordsburg has a surprise around every corner is an understatement. I was literally gob-smacked this week when I visited Clifton Mall on Fountain street to try out the Lounge at Clifton restaurant. This fresh, bright and modern space has been around for 2 years and we had no clue!

The mall itself is a block over from the Oriental Plaza, but inside you would think you were in a completely different neighbourhood. The skylight in the mall roof lets in lots of natural light and the white and glass finishes brightens the inside of the mall. They have secure underground parking and 3 floors of retail space with the restaurant on the 2^nd floor. Most of the stores were electronics or cellphone shops with a few selling clothing, perfumes and carpets. There is more retail space available and they are taking on tenants.

The restaurant on the top floor is large and spacious. Floor to ceiling windows let in lots of light and affords a view over the Plaza with lots of trees below and the city in the background. There is plenty of space between tables though I felt they could add more tables and décor elements to create a more intimate environment. There is also comfy armchair seating around coffee tables at the front of the restaurant. Perfect for dessert and coffee if you’re not having a meal.

Misbah Ahmed, who owns the restaurant welcomed us warmly and seated us in comfortable high backed dining chairs before bringing out a selection of dishes for us to try. The menu is Indo-Pak as well as some Chinese dishes with the chef being Indian, from Hyderabad. We were offered Mutton Nihari, Tikka Chicken, Arabic Mandi, Chicken Karahi and light and crispy Naan. But the show stopper was the Malai Tikka Sizzler. Tender marinated pieces of chicken on a bed of peppers and sliced onions presented on a sizzling cast iron skillet with the added drama of dry-ice smoke at your table. Besides being visually enticing it was also utterly delicious.

The Nihari with a thick gravy and tender pieces of mutton was very tasty although I felt it could have been spicier. The Chicken Karahi was also tasty albeit also on the mild side. We really enjoyed the Arabic Mandi. This was a quarter Tandoori Chicken served on a bed of flavourful rice topped with crispy fried onions. There was a thin green yoghurt-based sauce on the side which added moisture. Although it was very enjoyable even without the sauce as the rice was flavourful and not dry at all.

Accompanying our meal, we were offered the new Salaam Cola drinks. I was happy to learn that they are not serving Coca Cola based drinks in the restaurant. They are also official distributers for Salaam Cola in South Africa. If you haven’t yet heard of Salaam Cola, they are an alternative soda option that donates 10% of all proceeds to charity.
Salaam Cola Original – 10% Proceeds go to Palestine 🇵🇸
Seriously No Sugar Cola – 10% Proceeds go to Syria 🇸🇾
Yemenade Lemon/Lime – 10% Proceeds go to Yemen 🇾🇪

Their drinks menu is bigger than most. They have a variety of coffees, frios, shakes and hot chocolate. They offer milk alternatives like almond, oat, coconut or soy. They even customize your latte with the addition of Collagen powder, Functional Mushroom, CBD powder and syrups.

Dessert is a very small menu and we shared a serving a of gulab jamun. While I’m not usually a fan, this was a perfectly sweet ending to our meal. Actually, I forgot to mention the Desi Masala Tea. THAT was the perfect ending. Boiled until rich, creamy with just the right amount of masala and at R15 a cup, ridiculously cheap. I found the prices to be reasonable, and in most cases, cheaper than other restaurants serving a similar menu.

Service could use a little bit of attention. While they were generally pleasant, friendly and helpful we sometimes had to find someone to assist us. The restaurant was quiet so waiters were not on the floor all the time.

If you’re looking for somewhere to have a small function, they have ample space in the restaurant for events, group dinners and end-of-year parties. There is also an adjoining event space large enough to host a wedding.

I like knowing this little gem exists in Fordsburg. It’s like a much-needed oasis of calm after you’ve done one of those crazy Fordsburg shopping runs.