A food and travel blogger from Queensburg, who was searching for signature buns, reported that in Durban he did not expect to find such unusual options as biryani buns, ice cream buns, or buns with samp and ribs.
Ericko Govender, aged 29, began his search for the best buns in Durban last year. He was amazed that at the establishment Happy Chappy, which has been operating for 37 years and is located in North Beach, they created a bun menu with a twist.
Over the course of a week, Govender tried chicken biryani bun, a bun with canned fish and boiled egg, a lamb shake roast bun, and a samp and ribs bun. He noted that all the dishes were aromatic and decided to try the other items. He then ordered a breakfast bun, which contained curry beans, sausages, bacon, eggs, and french fries.
He also tried a braai bun, which included sausages, ribs, and french fries. He particularly liked the 'fun bun' with Indian meat curry, kebab, sausages, and french fries, which he called an excellent combination. Govender emphasized that the buns looked and tasted good and could become a real hit if they become more popular.
He added that although people might find combining biryani with bread strange, it was a delicious, flavor-rich dish. The bread, before being filled with biryani, was soaked in sauce, making every piece exquisite.
The owner of Happy Chappy, Jay Naidu, said that the idea of creating a bun with a twist arose with the goal of attracting customers and creating buzz around his business. He mentioned that several years ago he started preparing these dishes after wanting to eat biryani but being unable to decide whether to eat a bun or biryani at the restaurant.
He decided to combine both dishes, prepared them, and posted a photo on social media. A few days later, he decided to try biryani on toast with black coffee and added it to the menu. Since then, he has also introduced the ice cream bun, the bean bun with fried egg on top, and many other unique buns.
Naidu noted that these 'crazy combinations' attracted curious visitors, and recently they have become popular because social media influencers tried these buns. He concluded that the unusual ideas proved beneficial for the business, and even negative reviews or comments turn into advertising, attracting more customers.