El Sombrero Spur

When I finished school I waitressed in and managed many different restaurants for nearly ten years. I then was the personal assistant to the owner of a few restaurants. I therefore know how restaurants should function and what makes a restaurant successful.

Along with my desire to get what I pay for and my eagle-eye for errors, there are very few restaurants that meet up to my personal standard and I usually leave feeling that the meal, service or atmosphere could have been better.

But… there is one restaurant that I keep going back to, as I have found very few that rival it, yet…
El Sombrero Spur (in the Scottsville suburb of Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa).

My kids, family and I love to visit this friendly place, where we all feel very welcome, relaxed and comfortable. Let me break the pros down for you:

• You are met at the bright entrance to the restaurant by at least two smiling faces, and sometimes even a hug from a manager like Patrick, who takes the time to enquire about your day;
• Then you are guided to a clean table that is suitable for your group;
• Well-trained polite waitrons serve you, not hovering annoyingly but rather always within reach when you need them;
• The service is excellent, fast and professional;
• Managers check on your table many times during your visit;
• The well stocked tables with the correct condiments, and the floor are kept very clean;
• The kids play area is awesome, full of many fun things to keep children busy while their parents relax. There are eating tables situated right next to the play area, (which is surrounded by transparent safety glass) so that the parents can easily keep an eye on their children at all times, from every angle. There are also tv screens above the eating tables showing different views of the play area, in case parents sit at tables away from the play area. There is: a very safe jungle gym with a slide and activity areas on and under it; a playstation area with fairly decent games; two Wii type areas with games to interact with; a lovely big enclosed trampoline; a climbing wall; a toddlers plastic play tree; padded shaped blocks to build forts and other fun designs with; little chairs and tables with pictures and crayons for colouring-in; face painting; and a big carpeted room to run around in;
• There are wonderful ladies in the play area, called childminders, that look after the kids and keep the atmosphere safe and disciplined, playing with the kids every now and then when they are able to; 
• Kids are made to feel exceptionally welcome and are looked after incredibly well: from ice packs offered for bumps on knees, to take-away containers given for sodas to prevent embarrassing breakages at the eating tables;
• Problems are dealt with efficiently (one of the last few places left where ‘the customer is right’, no questions asked);
• One feels very comfortable and not made to feel rushed, so that the next customer can take your place;
• And finally, if you ask for a glass of water, you aren’t left feeling bad because it is not on the menu.

I would highly recommend this wonderful restaurant.