Talented chef-proprietor Ryan Shell and the team behind popular Asian restaurants Ōku and Yama in Franschhoek are opening Eleven, a new restaurant centred around global contemporary cuisine.

Aptly named after the exact location of the new restaurant on the bustling main road in Franschhoek, Eleven has been a long-time dream of Ryan’s.

“It embodies something completely new for Franschhoek – a town I’ve really come to love. When the prominent location at the address became available, I knew we had to jump and make the dream a reality.”

The overarching concept of the new restaurant is a culmination of Ryan’s experience gathered at well-known eateries in the United Kingdom and South Africa. The menu offering will be a range of small plates with a hyper-seasonal approach to ingredients used in each dish to echo the restaurant’s principles of sustainability through foraging.

“I believe our chosen format creates a most interesting and diverse dining experience that will really showcase locally foraged ingredients in an environmentally sustainable way,” says Ryan.

Staying true to its hyper-seasonal offering, upon opening patrons can expect dishes such as truffled goat’s cheese served with pickled beets, citrus gel and walnut soil, and Parmesan gnocchi served with aubergine, pine nuts, rocket and tomato aioli.

Other highlights on the winter menu include oxtail with risotto, served with mascarpone, apple crackling and a dash of lime oil.

Desserts will cater to both sweet and savoury palates with dishes such as lemon thyme panna cotta, salted chocolate Crémeux and more on offer.

Since it’s located in the Cape winelands, the restaurant’s wine offering highlights the nearby wineries and the lesser-known Cape favourites.

Set within a relaxed yet industrial-chic setting, the restaurant will be fitted with furniture made by Cape artisans to merge a sense of heritage design with contemporary features.

The restaurant plans to open at the end of August 2023.

Early-bird reservations can be made by emailing reservations@eleveneats.co.za.

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