Last night a number of food writers joined Reuben Riffel at the One&Only Cape Town hotel, to try out the new menu of Reuben’s restaurant, at the invitation of Manley Communications.

We were seated at one long table, and I was lucky to sit opposite Reuben as well as Instagram whizz Seth Shezi, and next to Amy Rankin and Amy Eveleigh. At our table too was Scott Eddy, Miami-based Social Media Influencer, who has 167000 Instagram followers! PR consultant Ian Manley had picked up that Scott was in Cape Town, and invited him to join the dinner.

Amy and I snuck into the Reuben’s kitchen, to photograph the starter dishes, as the light in the restaurant is not bright enough for food photographs. It is here that we caught up with Reuben too, making his way to our table. Reuben told me that construction on the renovation of his new restaurant in Franschhoek is running late, only starting in October, and hence they have delayed the opening to March next year.

The new Reuben’s menu was introduced to us as follows: ‘I believe in farm to table, ingredient driven menus and this autumn’s selection is no different. I have outsourced interesting local artisans who share my values and I’m sure that you will taste the integrity in their products’. The menu identifies which dishes contain nuts, are vegetarian, and contain shellfish, pork, and alcohol.

The menu is divided into sections. Table Toppers are dishes designed to be shared, and we were offered the following of these dishes: lamb Bobotie samoosas, with coriander curd, and carrot Royale (R110); smoked sweet corn mozzarella croquettes, and basil jalapeño ranch dip (R90, photograph above); and octopus carpaccio, chili and garlic squid tentacles, with lemon gel (R140, photograph above). Other Table Toppers offered are piri-piri chicken livers served with brioche toast (R125); and Winelands prosciutto, Belnori goat’s milk and Boerenkaas cheeses with sourdough bread and truffled honey (R185).

Starters which were brought to the table, and shared by all, were beef tartar, ponzu cured cucumber, Makataan preserve, spicy ketchup rocket pesto, Parmesan, mushroom marmalade, and sous vide egg yolk (R160, photograph left); and Saldanha Bay mussels steamed with Chenin Blanc, celery, anchovy and gremolata cream, with toasted baguette (R115, photograph right). Other options are tomato Tom-yum soup, chili salted squid, butternut velouté, crispy tempura prawns, warm cured Franschhoek trout, and a mesclun salad with cashews, baked mascarpone blue cheese cake, and tomato chutney. The starter prices range from R75 to R215.

Our main course choices were the signature pork belly, fall-off-the-bone sesame pork ribs, Apple tamarind, sweet potato and banana purée, pancetta crisps, and chili-ginger caramel, which is what I ordered (R240). The line fish of the day was kingklip, and was served with smoked carrot purée, saffron linguini, mussels, squid, smoked fennel velouté, prawns, and sundried tomato relish (R265). A third main course option for our dinner was beef fillet, baked broccoli and cheese, and Madagascan pepper Crème (R290).

There is a large number of other main course options available, ranging in price from R160 to R290, including veal loin, peppered Springbok steak, duck breast, cured sous vide chicken, smoked beetroot risotto, shellfish risotto, and oxtail and beef cheek bordelaise.

We ordered from the new dessert menu, which offers five options. Four of them are desserts, each costing R80, and an extra option of ice creams and sorbets, with eight flavours offered, at R30 per scoop. I ordered Cape Malay koesister, with a spiced caramel tuile, toasted coconut and lime ice cream, cinnamon crumble, and pineapples, wanting to try something different and unusual. Granny Smith Tarte Tatin was a popular choice too, served with vanilla panna cotta, Apple sorbet, salted caramel, and hazelnut sponge. The strawberry shortbread, Tonka bean brûlée, strawberry textures, vanilla shortbread, and chantilly cream looked pretty. The restaurant also offers a cheese board at R195, consisting of Cremelat gorgonzola, Boerenkaas with wild garlic, Langbaken Karoo crumble, and Dalewood Brie with figs.

We had an enjoyable evening, with Head Sommelier Luvo Ntezo pouring Noble Hill Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2014, and Rainbow’s End Cabernet Franc 2014. It was good interacting with Reuben again and catching up with his news, and fun to get to know new writers and reconnect with those one had not seen in a while.

Reuben’s at the One&Only Cape Town, One&Only Cape Town, V&A Waterfront.  Tel (021) 431-5888. www.reubens.co.za Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Monday – Sunday.

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.whalecottage.com/blog  Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@WhaleCottage  Facebook:  click here Instagram: @Chris_Ulmenstein