Gray Restaurant

Food:

Perfectly cooked Thai prawns – crunchy-crisp on the outside and tender within – are served as an amuse-bouche with homemade sweet and sour sauce. The starter looks like a rainbow painting, comprising the most perfectly pan-fried medallion of kingklip served with beetroot, smoked cauliflower purée, mange tout and saffron hollandaise air. For mains try the rosemary and garlic grilled popeseye (rump) with miniscule carrots, butternut, pommes purée, braised shallots and peppercorn jus. Lemon tart and hazelnut ice cream are perfectly paired with rosé gluhwein!

Wine:

Limited to selected varietals produced and bottled under the Gray label, but other options include microbrewery beer, good quality coffee, and a Cognac or two. It’s about a small number of excellent choices served at their peak.

Service:

Manager West Luyolo and head chef Raymond Kokota are the duo destined to take the East Rand into a higher culinary sphere. Proprietor Philippe Wagenfuhrer knows how to get the best from the people he works with, through masterful skills transfer and empowerment.

Ambience:

The interior is simple but slick; industrial with touches of glamour. Every detail, from the large bar to the wine and cheese room and the music, has been thought through. Don’t be misled by the name, this is far from a gray experience. Relax without distractions and focus on good company and excellent food.

And...:

Philippe says there’s no fun in a black or white world, so gray is the colour. It’s back to basics for the man who previously offered Gauteng some of the best food in the country at Roots. His team is motivated to place Boksburg on the map. (HF, October 2011)

Comments

Taryn
14-Sep-2011

Wow, sounds like my kind of restaurant. I cannot wait to try it when in Joburg next.

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Charl Scholtz
16-May-2012

Gray restaurant Boksburg 13-09-2011.

Situated at 38 North Rand Road, Boksburg. In Very obscure business centre, mostly known for the location of the Harley Davidson Dealership and it is with the Harley shop that the story began.

The details of the birth of Gray you can find on their website. www.gray-restaurant.com

We went to the Harley dealership to follow up on a bike that I am interested in as I have come to a time in my life where doing 300 km/hr. is getting too scary and unnecessary. We decided to then walk through the sliding doors connecting the bike dealer with the restaurant Gray as the owner Sean Shipalana also co-owns Gray Restaurant with partner Philippe Wagenfuhrer, connected to the well-known Roots@Forum Homini on the West Rand.

And what a good Idea. The contemporary décor, complemented by some “HOG” additions like the exhaust chandeliers and glass table tops mounted on a V-Twin motor.

By no means are we food fundi’s but food lovers... definitely.

As it was lunch the restaurant was not busy, with business meetings in the corner planning future events. We were welcomed by Sean with inviting and passionate words that made us more excited about the food we were about to enjoy.

West Ngcwabe, manager then took the reins from Sean and presented the set menu for lunch.

A la carte is not an option, menus are set for all meals and if you are not a fussy meat eater you will not be disappointed, although they are willing and able to accommodate vegan and vegetarians on prior arrangement.

Lunch is a three course meal, served in larger portions than expected but not too much to finish. To start us off Chicken Liver and Foie Gras Parfet Brulee was served with Span Sugar and Nutty Brioche - a mouth full yes but this starter was the base of what was to follow, the sweet brulee played games with the senses as the savoury pate fills your mouth.

Being a fan for anything pure, organic and free-range I certainly appreciate the best of the best quality ingredients used. Even the finest coffee is sourced.

The wine cellar is catchy cool. Weltevreden is the House wine and is affordably bottled.



For mains we savoured pan seared fillet grilled perfectly to liking and of cause medium is perfect! A black pepper jus makes for completed taste. The most perfect “Pomme Dauphinoise” beautifully fine cut potato stacked layered with butter and cream made me wanting more, although the portion sizes are satisfying. Crispy asparagus and patty pans on top of puree beetroot added freshness to the main.

We ended off with a Study of Chocolate and quite a cocoa affair it was. Over indulgence with a Chocolate Fondant perfectly made, soft brandy balls, chocolate ice cream on crumbed chocolate spunge, chocolate branches with sweet fresh strawberries and minty leaves. All of this this is sure to be a remembered experience and I’m looking forward to have a four course meal with wine pairing. For someone loving the fine things in life Gray can certainly go on the list.

They have great ideas with live jazz evenings, cheese and beer evenings and live entertainment over weekends.

Gray surely has a great feel to it and as Sean stated It’s where you can enjoy life. With the culinary skills of Phillippe and the adventure sense of Sean this fine dining restaurant will make waves in the East Rand.

What we can suggest is more local exposure through lifestyle magazines... And, ad hoc advertising, won’t hurt to spread the word.

Ambience:7.5

Service:8

Food:8.5

Wow Factor:8

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Elsabé Bezuidenhout
18-Apr-2012

I hosted a function at Gray last Saturday, and what an amazing experience! From the enquiry right through to the end of the evening of the event! Levonne was extremely helpful and took care of absolutely everything, and that with a smile!



My guests had a wonderful time and cannot stop talking about the magnificent service we received.

The food was great and cooked to perfection, could have been a bigger portion, but very very tasty.



I will always recommend Gray Restaurant. It has been such a wonderful experience dealing with this establishment!



Thank you so much for all the effort and trouble you went through to make this event one to never forget!



Will see you soon!

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Tom Hughes
2-Apr-2012

After much expectation we were sadly disappointed by Grays. Very limited menu. Terrible steak main course that I could have eaten at Spur for half the price. Overall thoroughly forgetful experience.

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Dino P
6-Mar-2012

After reading much about the new venture of this previous Top 10 Chef, I ventured all the way to Boksburg to Gray for a business lunch and was thoroughly disappointed. Set next to a Harley Davidson dealership in a depressing centre, it hardly looks like a fine dining restaurant. Upon arrival we were informed that there was only a 3 course set menu because it was a "fine dining restaurant". Since when do fine dining restaurants not offer a la Carte? The waiter compromised and said we could order one item off the menu if we wanted, in addition to toasted sarmies. The sirloin on the menu was terrible with too much sinew, and way over basted, served with cold mash and 3 green beans. The cheesecake was rancid; my guess is that it was made with off cheese. I will never return.

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