lingela restaurant - elangeni & maharani

having never eaten at lingela before i was rather keen to try out their buffet which is open 7 days a week for dinner and sometimes sunday lunch.
generally not a fan of buffet meals and always find that it lacks veg options for my mum but lingela proved me wrong. i called to make a booking for a friday evening dinner and was told at first it was fully booked however bhavana the manager said she would see what she could do and would call me back. within 5minutes a call back happened and i had my booking for the evening. we were welcomed into lingela by friendly staff who showed us to our table and explained that a special veg option had been prepared for mum and when she was ready it would be brought to her. our waiter was so attentive to our needs and cutlery and napkins were replaced after each plate was cleared not to mention finger bowls brought.
now for the menu something for all tastes and a large variety.the menu included a diy stirfry station where you picked your ingredients and it was prepared right infront of your this had a selection of meats , vegetables , noodles and sauces. the seafood station was rather popular offering a selection of sushi , oysters and fresh seafood to order. the fresh seafood included yellow tail fish , calamari steaks , tuna and amazing prawns. the prawns were served on skewers which makes it easier to serve and doused in either a buttery sauce or peri peri trust me pick peri peri !
a grill station included roasted chicken , leg of lamb and beef with all the trimmings. but next to this station was a braai grill where you could have chops, steak or wors done for you now i love braaied meat and the chops were delish.
a tandoori oven was part of the curry station presented in beautiful brass pots. sheek kebabs were been made in this traditional oven.
after all that there was still the dessert trolley which had a selection of ice creams , cakes and cheeses.
i was so stuffed after eating here and throughly enjoyed this meal. mum the vegeterain had a variety of options to choose from and this made me happy. advance bookings need to be made as lingela is a popular place for dinner and family celebrations.

best buffet in durban. sure its pricey but quality flavour and variety make this one definitely worth it. a more upmarket experience to your average all you can eat fares. worth a try if you dont like choosing just one thing off the menu but be sure to be hungry!

awsum food and excellent service by lucky. the prawns, tuna and salmon was cooked perfectly and tasted delicious. there was a wide variety of deserts which i enjoyed thoroughly. will definitely be back again as this is one of the best buffets i have been too in kzn

want a good buffet. don’t let their price make you change your mind. it’s worth every cent. top class food selection and it tastes really good. from their seafood, steaks, curries to their amazing desserts lingela buffet is the best. week days are generally cheaper than weekends. a must visit.

i called in to lingela & queried if the restaurant allows kids & was rudely told that fine dining does not include kids. amazingly enough ocean terrace at the oyster box & coral tree at zimbali allow kids. we had a spectacular dinner at coral tree!

1. the chefs mixed the chicken and beef
2. we had to ask the waiter so many times for a light however he failed to bring it, it was quite a dark dinner
3. it was my moms birthday and they failed to bring out the cake
4. the waiter rushed us to pay

one would think that elangeni would maintain its high standards :( :( :(

i love the freshness in the food. come casual as most people dont dress up. it's not a place for a first date i guess but rather more for family time

the reputation as the best buffet in durban, lingela at southern sun elangeni & maharani is most definitely well earned. from the booking with special instructions online through to the final impression, i must applaud this well managed establishment.

arriving early before the crowd descends allows one to fully take in this beautiful, well orchestrated gem in local service and cuisine. one gets to see the entire setup as the stage is set for an awesome experience in the finest buffet in durban, in my opinion at least. the maître d’ on hand is superb in his hospitality and most accommodating.

the anticipation of the delectable dishes one sees in the online images pales to the actual experience of vibrant colours and wide array of dishes on offer to devour at one’s whim. seafood lovers are spoiled for choice by the variety and added bonus of inviting diners to interact with the chefs who prepare dishes as per your specifications right before you. a rare treat in buffet offerings indeed. the experience of watching these masters work their magic up close and personal certainly adds to the entire experience. whilst the aromas bring mouth watering expectations of the fresh seafood being prepared.

the assortment of starters, breads and savouries are plentiful, accompanied by well trained ever present eager staff to assist you. our waiter was professionally attentive without being overly intrusive and this certainly adds to the awesome experience. of the various curries on offer the durban lamb curry and chicken and prawn curry were equally superb in taste and texture. our unanimous vote of excellence for the best grilled steak in durban with delicious grill basting rivals any steakhouse offering.

from the cheeses and breads to the refreshing drinks and ice cream station packed with a variety of toppings one is certainly spoiled for choice. the carvery boasts roast leg of karoo lamb with mint sauce, roast chicken with cranberry sauce as well as roast beef with horseradish.

we were equally delighted at the puddings and dessert buffet offerings. a selection of gateaux, tartlets, mousses and by far the best chocolate brownies ever that are gooey, soft and melt in the mouth with big chunks of peppermint crisp certainly was a cherry on the top. the memorable delight of seeing mother’s twinkle in her eye as the waiter surprised her with a special birthday cake to celebrate her birthday made the occasion all the more noteworthy. i salute staff and management for our outstanding customer service experience.

four years in a row i stayed at elangeni and visit the lingela restaurant. they’ve got a variety of food at the buffet, but i think there is a need for change on the options they offer. the food items i like at the buffet - prawns and calamari steaks (if they don’t over cook it) dipped in the lemon butter, lamb chops and the lovely curries. the dessert buffet is good too. one thing that always irritates me is the service. seems like there are never enough waiters there. please work on getting more waiters otherwise you will be loosing clients..including me..

excellent buffet, one of the best in durban that i've been to. quality is high , and you dont get the feel of typical commercial prepared food that one is accustomed to while attending a buffet. wide variety and fresh ingredients. only downside that i encounted was the lack of service from waitrons and slow service from them, other than that no gripes with the food, i will return.

every dish at the buffet was amazing. enjoyed the freshly made lamp chops aswell as the noodles. the curries was delicious served with rice or naan. there was a wide varietyof great dishes. the desserts were just as great. lingela had friendly staff and a great atmosphere. most definitely one of my favourite restaurants.

went for a sunday buffet lunch for my sister's birthday. loved the food. the mutton curry was scrumptious and hearty. i enjoyed the freshly made naan. my absolute favourite was the peri-peri prawns fresh off the grill ! the mac and cheese and wonderfully prepared! the mini milktarts and churros was to die for! well almost all the desserts!

only concern: place was extremely busy and there was sometimes no place to walk without bumping into people. they should consider bigger place, or limiting tables and allowing a different number of people to eat at different times.

this past weekend decided to go here for my birthday lunch.on arrival staff was pleasant and welcoming. the variety for the buffet was very good but more importantly the quality of the food was extremely delicious .starting from the fish to the starters to the roasts and currys etc all where prepared well with the best cuts of meat.ive tried all the buffets in durban and is by far the best buffet in durban....its pricey but worth every penny. would recommend if you feeling for a buffet meal.

always 5 star. can't get enough. great variety of food that is always prepared to perfection. friendly waiters and the perfect ambience to create special memories ....

the buffet here is so amazing !
it's a bit pricey but worth the splurge.
everything we tried passed the bar. i can't wait to return especially for the stir fry and grilled prawns.
they have a very wide variety of food to choose from.
all in all good experience