Reuben's Restaurant & Bar (Franschhoek)

Food:

It's not often a dessert outshines a main course as the highlight of a meal but the apple tarte tatin, panna cotta and vanilla calvados sorbet are inspired. The tart is light, the apple slices beautifully caramelised and the panna cotta creamy and smooth. Eating the sorbet is like biting into a crisp Pink Lady apple, only nicer! What sells the East Coast sole on the menu is its accompanying naartjie sauce, which is light and delicate but with enough body to stand up to the robust flavour of the roasted fish. The kitchen's affinity with Asian flavours is on full display in the crisp chilli squid as well as the warm duck salad with miso honey and toasted cashew nuts.

Wine:

As befits the gourmet capital of South Africa, the list reflects the full spectrum, with good variety and a range of by-the-glass options too.

Service:

Knowledgeable and accommodating if a tad slow at times.

Ambience:

Chocolate tones are contrasted with lime highlights on the walls while the deconstructed soup-can art reminiscent of Andy Warhol is still a central focus. The hard surfaces and black and white flagged floor can make the venue a little noisy at times. Was sad to see a large fireplace not filled with a generous blaze on a winter's day.

And...:

Arrive a bit early in order to have a drink at the unusual Dakota aircraft wing bar, but place your drink on the counter carefully. (FM, October 2011)

Jani Levey
6-Feb-2012

We were a party of six and the food was great! I will definitely come back here again, had such a fun time and amazing food!

Comment on this review

Marick Hornsveld
30-Jan-2012

The food was great, but really overpriced for the small portions. The service is pathetic. If you order a cold drink, it is flat when you receive it, so either the waiters don't know/care how to pour it, or you get Coke from a 2litre bottle - unacceptable!

Comment on this review

Read all reviews for Reuben's Restaurant & Bar (Franschhoek)