Oriental flavours

WHEN YOU step into Keva at The Lodge, you immediately begin to relax and take in your surroundings. Soft lighting and an oriental feel greet you as you wander inside past the lounges near the entrance and by the DJ set, there's a small dance floor should the mood strike you later on after a few beverages.

By Zoe Sinclair (Staff Reporter)

Published: Sun 26 Aug 2007, 11:38 AM

Last updated: Sat 4 Apr 2015, 8:40 PM

Two-thirds of the area is taken up by the dining section with formal dark wooden dining tables and lounge tables off to the side while at the back is a dining section with low lounge seating which can be separated by sliding wooden doors and made into a private area. Three chefs look after their respective sections of the menu — Eurasian, Indian and Japanese.

Upon sitting you’re greeted with a welcome drink, a non-alcoholic refreshing concoction of kiwi and mint in a shot glass. For entrée we selected a sushi and sashimi platter and a prawn dish. The sushi and sashimi was fresh, still with a slightly salty taste of the sea, and a range of variations. The platter has quite a few pieces so be careful not to fill up on the sushi and sashimi. The prawns each came on a skewer and dressed in a tasty sesame sauce. The mains chosen were a poached fish in a ginger and soy sauce and a basil stir fry with prawns.

The Asian flavours cut through the dishes and both were cooked beautifully. The dishes weren’t over the top, dressed up as towering pretty pieces with tiny drizzles of who knows what around the side — meals so spectacularly presented that you don’t want to touch them for fear of destroying the sculpture, or worse be disappointed by the flavour.

But they were really tasty, fresh, well-prepared and cooked dishes that left you wanting to explore the rest of the menu, sure that there were other delicious numbers with many a flavour to choose from. Dessert topped the menu off. What could have been a simple chocolate cake — okay but boring, was actually so much more.

The chocolate fondant had a shell that once broken through, revealed a soft rich oozy chocolate inner centre that was divine.

It sealed the decision. Definitely coming back to Keva. Perfect for a cosy couple’s dinner or a group of friends maybe heading out to nearby clubs later.

Just a final note though. There’s any interesting touch in the girl’s bathroom at least, that seems a little out of place given the restaurant’s beautiful oriental décor — a fake grass wall. It’s really not that important but I just had to mention it.