Last Friday I drove to McGregor via Franschhoek, so that a friend and I could try out the new Reuben’s Franschhoek, which opened two weeks ago in a new location off the main road. The year of reshaping and renovating the new venue has been well worthwhile,  the restaurant feeling homely, offering good service, the food being excellent, and with Chef Reuben in the kitchen. 

I attended the celebration of the end of the era of Reuben’s Franschhoek on the main road a year ago, from where it had operated for twelve years. 

‘Last Supper’ at Reuben’s Franschhoek ends 12 year era, new one to come!

I arrived a little earlier than my friend, which gave me an opportunity to photograph inside and outside the restaurant. We felt that the building has some elements of the Silo Hotel in Cape Town, with lots of windows looking out onto the Franschhoek mountains. One enters via a large multi-panel front door, with the wine cellar immediately to the right, and an area to the left with a table with a dominant arrangement of Strelitzias, and a sculpture. There is no reception desk as the former restaurant had. The restaurant has a fireplace midway in the room on the left, and a bar serving area midway on the right. There is no bar to sit at, as in the former restaurant building. The bar serving area is unusual, with five different style lamps hanging over the bar area.  Many sections of the restaurant walls have been left with a rough brickwork feel, in a light yellow color. Paintings from the Holden Manz Gallery adorn the walls.

The restaurant can seat about 80 diners inside. New cutlery is by Brasserie and some of the former Reuben’s cutlery has been polished and reused. Beautiful blue side plates are by Churchill. The branding on the Reuben’s tables has gone. Tables remain tableclothless. Gauze napkins are offered. Oryx desert salt and pepper grinders are on the tables. Chairs were reupholstered in new fresh colours, including grey and yellow. The floor is a grey-coloured screed. Logs on each side of the fireplace are decorative. 

At the back of the building is a large area, with a large fireplace as a central focus, a black and white tile effect attracting attention. It is planned that cooking will be done on the fire, independent of the inside kitchen. I loved seeing the distinctive aeroplane wing which adorned the former Reuben’s bar, and was surprised that it was so large, at about 15 meters. The outside area can seat about 40 – 50 guests, and it is planned to cover it with a pergola, and to protect it from the noise of an extractor fan of a nearby restaurant. 

I recognized Manager George Malherbe immediately, from his earlier days at Allee Bleue and more recently at the former Reuben’s. He has a charming welcome style, and opens the front door with a big smile. Chef Reuben came out of the kitchen, to say hello. His wife Maryke was in the house too, and it felt like the early days of Reuben’s opening in Franschhoek, when both Maryke and Chef Reuben were in the restaurant. For Reuben and Maryke this is a big step forward, in owning their first restaurant building. 

Menus are neat in A5, with Tasters, Sharing Plates, Starter, Mains, and Dessert offerings. The menu introduction is the following: ‘Growing up around the kitchen table with an expansive family that insisted on spending time together and eating well, I grew up experiencing how food can bind people forever. My philosophy is simple, for the best results, use only the freshest local ingredients’. On the menu a note indicates that dishes marked with a R are well-known Reuben’s signature dishes. ‘These dishes are inspired by Reuben’s travels throughout the years, and have been perfected in unique Reuben style, keeping guests coming back for more, time and time again’.

A wooden bread board consisted of garlic flat bread and seeded brown bread, with butter.  My friend and I chose to share dishes. Our Sharing Plates were Chili Squid with grapefruit, mint, basil, coriander, and pineapple (R108), which I requested to be altered to exclude the chili, and while I was told that it might take time to prepare specially, the dish arrived promptly. It was crispy, and perfectly prepared; and Tuna Tataki, with sliced raw and roasted shiitake and yuzu (R108), on a par with my benchmark at Bistro 1682 when Chef Brad Ball was still in the kitchen. Other Sharing Plates dishes are Beef tartare (R105), Mussels (R89), Oysters (R30/35), Tom Yum (R95), and Sweetcorn (R85). Tasters offered are Poke bowl (R65), and Smoked pork croquettes (R55).

From the Mains menu my friend and I chose to share the roasted Karoo Lamb Rack, three succulent portions served, with pesto, lamb jus, potato, and a garlic rosemary cream (R205). The lamb was delicious, and a hearty portion. A Laquiola steak knife was served for this course.  I ordered the Pork Belly to take along to a friend, and it was a generous portion, topped with bacon (R179). It was served with cider jus, parsnip, Indian pickle, fynbos honey, and sweet potato Mille-feuille. I was so impressed with the plating for my friend’s pork dish, asking for it to be plated normally first, so that I could photograph it. It was covered in tin foil for the take away, and I was allowed to take the plated pork with me, with a promise to return it tomorrow, when I am back in Franschhoek.  Other Mains offered are Lamb Madras (R195), crispy fried linefish (R195), Beef cheek/oxtail (R179), Jerusalem artichoke celeriac risotto (R145), prawn and squid pasta (R185), char-roasted Chalmar Picanha (R185), peppered springbok steak (R205), and Butter chicken curry (R145). 

My friend and I chose to share the Lemon Yuzu Tart, a colorful Dessert with almond, meringue, raspberry thyme sorbet, and passionfruit curd (R75). It was refreshing and moreish, with texture via a biscuit. Other desserts offered are Baked Camembert (R55), a cheeseboard (R90), warm chocolate fondant (R95), and spiced crème brûlée (R65). My dry cappuccino was made with a special Reuben’s blend supplied by Ciro, which will be sold at the restaurant in future. 

My friend and I were very happy with our lunch, and it was a pity that I had a time pressure to get to McGregor for their ‘Weekend with Leonard Cohen’, wishing to stay longer to chat at the cosy fireplace table. Cute was the Darling Sweet handcrafted mint toffee which arrived with the bill, one per person, a definite step up from the mundane peppermints one usually receives. I loved the Churchill sideplate in blue, as well as the crockery by Setamono. It was a nostalgic rediscovery of Reuben’s Franschhoek, much like old times when it opened 13 years ago, yet fresh and rejuvenated!

Reuben’s Franschhoek, 2 Daniel Hugo Street, Franschhoek. Tel (021) 876-3772. www.reubens.co.za Twitter: @ReubenRiffel Instagram: @chefreubenriffel @maxriffel07

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel 082 55 11 323 Twitter: @Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein Instagram: @Chris_Ulmenstein