See: http://www.indian-connection.co.za
I travel to Durban quasi regularly for work, and I have never had better Indian food in my entire life. I asked a friend why the Indian food is SO good and Durban, and her hypothesis is that its because there are so many people from India in Durban that the restaurants can prepare the food in a more traditional way. Whatever the reason, eating Indian food in Durban has ruined me for life.
Indian Connection is situated atop a hill in pretty safe part of town (and there is plenty of nearby parking, with attendants). The service is friendly, and you may very well get to meet each member of the family that owns the restaurant. It's worth ordering appetizers, as there is no rush here, and it may take some time before you see your entrees. An added bonus of Indian Connection is the extensive vegetarian selection, many of which contain mushrooms. Also, be sure and order at least one dish that features prawns.
The menu boasts a robust wine selection, featuring South African wines. A nice, versatile choice is the Nederberg sauvignon blanc. Notably absent from the menu however, is Indian beer.
We sampled a bunch of dishes (since there were five of us), but some of my favorite appetizers included the fish tikka and the paneer tikka. The latter is served as generous squares of paneer skewered with vegetables. The chefs at Indian Connection are not afraid to use heat (you can request to have your food mild, medium, hot or extra hot), so don't be afraid to speak up. The paneer tikka was quite spicy.
We had a mix of dishes for our entrees, including prawn korma, dhingri dolma (an amazing mushroom delight), dal makhani, and bhuna gosht. All were divine. We also ordered the bread basket, which had enough bread to feed a small army (which were clearly were, becuase we crushed it), and allowed you to sample everything.
I don't usually order dessert at Indian restaurants, but in Durban at least, there is a dessert known as the Bombay Crush. If you ever see this, you MUST get it. My first sip is always followed by the thought, "This is so weird. Why didn't I just get rice pudding?" But then... wait for it... I realize how delicious it is. It is so delicious that I end up craving it the next day, and the next. It's kind of like a milk shake, made with fennel, rosewater (which turns the whole thing maraschino cherry pink), and these very fine vermicelli noodles. I know, I know, but trust me, you've got to try it.
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