{"id":64597,"date":"2015-01-10T10:33:19","date_gmt":"2015-01-10T08:33:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.whalecottage.com\/blog\/?p=64597"},"modified":"2015-01-11T10:46:22","modified_gmt":"2015-01-11T08:46:22","slug":"ryans-kitchen-opens-spicy-small-plate-space-in-franschhoek-reposted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chrisvonulmenstein.com\/blog\/franschhoek\/ryans-kitchen-opens-spicy-small-plate-space-in-franschhoek-reposted\/","title":{"rendered":"Ryan’s Kitchen opens spicy small-plate space in Franschhoek! (reposted)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Ryan's<\/a>Ryan’s Kitchen has re-opened in Franschhoek, in a space double its former size, in Place Vend\u00f4me at the entrance to the village. \u00a0The restaurant now focuses on ‘small plates’, \u00a0<\/em>even though ‘small’ <\/em>is a relative term!\u00a0 Chef Ryan Smith has simplified his dishes, reducing the number of ingredients, and added more spice to those on his new menu, each dish introducing itself through its fragrance before one tastes it.<\/p>\n

For the past four years the restaurant operated from what was the breakfast room of Rusthof Guest House higher up the main road, a tiny space that could serve no more than 30 guests at a stretch, and up to 400 plates in an evening. A major blow to the restaurant in July was the sale of the guest house to Mr Analjit\u00a0Singh, and construction work commenced soon thereafter. \u00a0Whilst the restaurant lease had another year to go, and Chef Ryan was\"Ryan's<\/a> sad to leave the restaurant’s first home, the agreement he reached with Mr Singh was a blessing, in that it allowed him to close until the end of November, find the new venue (previously the awful Pistachio Bistro<\/strong><\/span><\/a>), do the necessary construction work in the record time of 6- 7 weeks, and to buy additional kitchen equipment for his larger sized restaurant. \u00a0The time-off allowed him to refocus his menu, and the locals have followed him to the new venue, having a ‘cult following’<\/em>\u00a0I was told.<\/p>\n

With the help of the owners of Ebony, the decor design became a classy blue-grey, with paintings of butterflies by Domi Postera supplied by Holden Manz, and for sale. New additional tables and chairs added can now seat 55 – 60 patrons. \u00a0Upholstered chairs were\"Ryan's<\/a>\u00a0updated, creating a classy chic space. \u00a0The kitchen is open-plan, allowing one to observe Chef Ryan and his team preparing the dishes, but one is not as close as one was in the former venue. \u00a0It is hard for Chef Ryan to hear the questions of patrons sitting closest to the kitchen, due to the noise which the extractor fan makes in the kitchen. \u00a0Chef Ryan came out regularly, seeking feedback dish by dish personally. The restaurant has taken over the bubbly bar Fizz Affair, and also has a lounge section, also in hues of blue. \u00a0The entrance has been moved out of the parking area, to the centre of the\"Ryan's<\/a> centre, which has beautiful standard roses, and allows one to sit outside as well, under Graham Beck branded umbrellas! \u00a0 The wooden table tops and new glass top tables do not have table cloths, but material serviettes are offered and cutlery is by Forum. \u00a0A big fireplace will \"Ryan's<\/a>add a sparkle and crackle \u00a0in winter. \u00a0White blinds close off the glare from outside.<\/p>\n

Plates and bowls have been made by ceramicists Diana Ferreira, Mervyn Gers, and David Walters. Chef Ryan came to explain his menu, saying that the focus on ‘small plates’ <\/em>means smaller portions, allowing one to try four to five dishes for a full meal.<\/p>\n

The menu is based on a Tasting menu, but offered in an a la carte format. It allows Chef Ryan to add more garnish to the protein dishes. The menu is attractive, unlike what one sees in restaurants, divided into sections. \u00a0The menu reflects Chef Ryan’s love for spices, depicting\u00a0star anise, cinnamon, cumin seeds, and other spices.\u00a0The same menu is offered for lunch and dinner, and is changed fortnightly. \u00a0Whilst waiting for the first dish to arrive, a wooden box of warm breads was brought to the table, consisting of a tomato roll, a sesame seed roll, and mosbolletjies, reflecting the restaurant’s positioning on its signage outside of ‘Contemporary South African cooking’.<\/em>\u00a0 The butter came separately, on its own wooden platform.<\/p>\n

In the ‘Salad & Vegetables<\/em>‘ section I chose a salad of asparagus with Kadhai marsala, grapefruit segments, and lemon juice (R70), \"Ryan's<\/a>an unusual combination, the marsala adding a touch of spice but not over-dominating the dish. \u00a0Chef Ryan said that he mixes the marsala mix himself. \u00a0The grapefruit cools down the spicy bite of the marsala. \u00a0He told me that he reads more Indian and Malay cook books now, inspiring his new menu. \u00a0He is staying away from French cooking now. \"Ryan's<\/a>Chef\u00a0Ryan wanted me to try the unusual and proudly South African tapioca porcini (R75). \u00a0It took some getting used to the tapioca texture, but the delicious taste of the porcini, chopped parsley, and Parmesan soon overrides it. \u00a0Chef Ryan explained that sago pudding has a boarding school memory for him. \u00a0The pepper added gives the dish a bite. \u00a0A grilled goat’s cheese, apple and fennel salad with granite (R75), and mielie ‘Momo’s’<\/em> with green chili, and pepper creamed corn (R65) is also offered in this section.<\/p>\n

The pork belly was beautifully presented, ground cashew nuts having been mixed with tumeric and other spices, adding interesting colour and taste to the dish. \u00a0It was served with a (bland for me) sweet potato creme caramel\"Ryan's<\/a>, pea shoots, and crispy crackling (R95). \u00a0The dish was made more special in being served in a pan-shaped plate. \u00a0Other meat and poultry dishes are duck parfait peri-peri (R90), kudu and cherry jelly (R75), lamb bobotie pancake (R85), and springbok loin (R100). The fish and shellfish section offers tandoori cured trout (R85), tuna atchar ‘sashami’ (R75), Cape Malay pickled seafood (R95), and steamed farmed cob (R85). \u00a0\"Ryan's<\/a><\/p>\n

The dessert was a colourful sugar strawberry canneloni, with marinaded strawberries, and strawberry sorbet (R75). \u00a0Other options are chocolate and tarragon mousse (R75), granadilla and bubbly sabayon (R70), and a South African cheese selection at R105.<\/p>\n

A Chef’s Choice five course tasting menu, to be ordered by the whole table, costs R590 with wine and R400 without. \u00a0The winelist is dominated by Franschhoek wines.<\/p>\n

I was invited to try the new Ryan’s Kitchen via Manley Communications, Chef Ryan reminding me that they had met when he was still Executive Chef at Mont Rochelle, and they did the PR for the hotel. Everything at Ryan’s Kitchen was perfect, with one small irritation, in that the knife was placed by the waitress on the right, from my left, despite there being enough space on the right. Chef Ryan was surprised when I mentioned to him that his menu was a perfect Banting one, without carbohydrates. \u00a0Chef Ryan is ably assisted by his wife Lana, who handles front-of-house, whom he met in Russia when he worked at the Royal Astoria in St Petersburg.<\/p>\n

I was impressed with the vast improvement in the new improved Ryan’s Kitchen, and it felt as if Chef Ryan himself has mellowed, \"Ryan's<\/a>proudly enjoying his new spicy space! \u00a0 The dishes have fewer elements, and have been upped in spiciness.<\/p>\n

POSTSCRIPT 10\/1<\/strong>: \u00a0 Ryan’s Kitchen is renowned for its souffl\u00e9. \u00a0The restaurant has just added it to its its dessert list. \u00a0I subsequently tried the granadilla souffl\u00e9, presented in a beautiful bowl made by ceramicist Mervyn Gers, and served with a spoonful of litchi ice cream. It was superb.<\/p>\n

NOTE<\/strong>: \u00a0This blogpost is reposted, as its original was lost when our website crashed earlier this week.<\/p>\n

Ryan’s Kitchen<\/strong>, 1 Place Vendome, Franschhoek. \u00a0Tel (021) 876-4598. \u00a0www.ryanskitchen.co.za<\/strong> <\/span><\/a>\u00a0Twitter: @RyansKitchen Monday – Saturday Lunch and Dinner.<\/p>\n

Chris von\u00a0Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio:\u00a0www.whalecottage.com<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0 Tel (021) 433-2100, Twitter:@WhaleCottage\u00a0Facebook: \u00a0<\/strong>click here<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ryan’s Kitchen has re-opened in Franschhoek, in a space double its former size, in Place Vend\u00f4me at the entrance to the village. \u00a0The restaurant now focuses on ‘small plates’, \u00a0even though ‘small’ is a relative term!\u00a0 Chef Ryan Smith has simplified his dishes, reducing the number of ingredients, and added more spice to those on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[26463,124,266,14,20,22,21],"tags":[19538,32411,29371,15005,32378,29367,6157,10180,29368,4701,29369,11433,32369,226,9360,17527,29370,18295,8154,6595,580,21506,6143,29372,29365,4836,29364,6025,4446,7172,6056,32373],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t