Having completed almost 50 reviews, with all the Tripadvisor badges that come with it, I reached the embarrassing conclusion that I have only reviewed one spot in my home town… The buzzing metropolis of Secunda! Now that last comment may be loaded with sarcasm, but the truth is that Secunda has become a rather bustling little town with loads of restaurants and venues for locals and visitors to choose from. And, having lived here for most of my life, it is only appropriate to share my thoughts on the local venues. This specific post contains all of my Secunda reviews in one write up, with the individual posts for each restaurant also listed under that specific establishment on Tripadvisor. I hope you will find this useful whether you’re a visitor or just a fellow local.
Before I begin though, and to put these reviews into perspective, it must be noted that service levels in Secunda are notoriously poor. And with the way the mind operates, medium service against such a backdrop appears to be great. I have tried to be as objective as possible but forgive me for sometimes over rating our service. However you can be certain that what I rate as poor service is truly poor, bordering on atrocious.
Visited in December 2014
As a start I would like to point out that I am a Spur fan and I loved the Oregon Spur in Secunda until they moved into the new Secunda Mall.
The food is still good and is pretty much on par for what you would expect from a Spur. Their spare ribs is still one of my favourite franchise meals.
However, I am very disappointed in the levels of service that I have received at the new location in the mall. The waiters are unfriendly, you wait long for service and when you do get service it’s done with a poor attitude. Now I am not naive enough to believe that one such experience should generalise my opinion of the Oregon Spur. However, my last experience there was the 3rd poor one in a row.
On one occasion we complained to the manager and he addressed the problem albeit trying to defend it and also gave us a R200 voucher. On the next occasion, when we redeemed the voucher, the service was exactly the same, if not worse. The last time we did not even bother to complain.
For me, the service adds so much to the meal and the whole experience of eating out. I believe that Spur is a great brand and probably the best family restaurant, especially if you have little ones. I would love to go there more often but the service must improve.
Oregon Spur: please sort this out and bring back one of my favourite restaurants in Secunda.
Visited in May 2016
Cappuccinos is one of our local favourites in Secunda. The food is good, particularly their pasta, the service is generally efficient and the venue is pleasant and warm. The prices are reasonable, with plenty of hearty sub-R100 options. I would highly recommend the stir fry and, as maintained earlier, any pasta dish.
There is a great breakfast special that has been running for some time now. It includes an egg, 2 rashes of bacon, chips and a bottomless coffee for only 29 bucks. I normally add a cheese griller to the meal making it wholesome brekkie for just R45. The service can range from average to good, depending on… I’m not really sure what! But that’s Secunda!
Whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner Cappucinos is a local winner. Four green dots from me.
Visited May 2016
Symphony’s is about the only restaurant in Secunda where the service is constantly of a high standard. Their cafe type meals; pancakes, salads, tramezzinis, sandwiches and the like are quite tasty, particularly the salmon salad. They also offer a lunchtime buffet (billed by weight) on certain days and if you get there at the right time, you may just get a good helping of one of your favourites. The desserts, including both a selection of cakes and prepared treats, are also worth a try. I’ve had a debate with friends on where to get the best coffee in town and my vote is with Symphony’s. I enjoy grabbing a takeaway before heading off to buy some goods.
Strangely Symphony’s is located in the mall on the opposite end to the food court. And I imagine that this has some pros and cons. Sometimes you need to intend to eat there rather than rocking up at the food court and then picking whatever suites your mood. Alternatively you may just be unintentionally lured in if entering the mall at that end. The setting is classy but casual and the huge print on the south wall always fascinates me. I’ve investigated it and concluded that the print is of a street scene in Malta. In case you were interested or that useless piece of information makes your meal any better. To conclude, Symphony’s is one of the better breakfast to lunch spots in town. Four green dots from me!
Visited January 2016
The Bosvled Lapa is one of those restaurants where the service is poor but the food is so good that you just have to ignore that fact and go anyway. Many of the restaurants at Lake Umuzi have a pretty setting overlooking the lake. That is for Secunda at least! Because just beyond the lake is the view of the factory which, while it may not be aesthetically pleasing, keeps this town going. Bosvled is one of these places with the factory lit lakeside view.
Almost all of their dishes are good, particularly their steaks and more especially the escargot. The Bosvled Lapa is normally a place I would pass by, but every now and then you just need a proper fillet. 3 green dots from me.
Visited April 2016
I’m always weary of seafood here on the Highveld, especially out of Johannesburg. In the case of Secunda there are only 2 full on seafood restaurants, Ocean Basket being one of them. The quality of the food in franchise restaurants tends to be standard across the country and the Secunda branch is on par with the rest of the country. You will not die of food poisoning after eating a suspicious muscle.
Situated at the lake Umuzi Waterfront, the location is among the best ones in the town, particularly at the lake end. I do find their service to be rather poor though. And in truth, it gets a bit worse on every return. So much so that I have started avoiding them altogether. I still need my sushi fix every now and then so I still make an occasional undercover turn here. Recently though, the portion of wasabi sauce and ginger is progressively shrinking. There is now barely enough for 6 California rolls and you find yourself rationing these essentials condiments like a castaway. Nonetheless, I still rate them as average. Their sushi just pulls them out of the poor zone. Three green dots from me!
Mugg & Bean
Visited April 2016
Mugg & Bean, is among the best breakfast restaurants in the town. The menu provides a range of options from healthy cereal meals to the more hearty meat and cheese based meals. The service is of a good standard and this is in part due the hands on approach of their managers, who, as opposed to just walking around and asking guests if all is okay, actually get their hands dirty. The venue, at the bottom southern end of the mall, is cozy especially the snugly table at the rear corner.
I’ve commented on the best coffee in Secunda earlier and that decision was a close call between Mugg & Bean and Symphony’s. As the name eludes too, M&B is a coffee shop and a good one at that. One of my favourite little treats here is a banana muffin and a cappuccino. I say “little” treat, but the muffin is ridiculously huge and tantalizingly tasty. I normally cannot finish it in one sitting both due to the sugar rush and the sheer size. Four green dots from me.
CrawDaddy’s
Visited July 2016
CrawDaddy’s is the latest addition to the Secunda array of restaurants. Well technically it’s in Trichardt but we’ll claim it. The food is great but the service is moderate albeit in par with the rest of Secunda. However, on my last visit I had both good service and a tasty meal. The setting is cozy with a reminiscent back-in-the-day theme, creating a bubbly vibe. Their prices are reasonable with great value for money. I recommend the pepper steak with a stir fry side. 4 Green dots from me.
More to follow…
Rootsquire by Shaldon Naicker 