Sunday the 29th saw Reuben and his Franschhoek team serving their last supper in Huguenot street, Franschhoek.
Greeted by a smiling staff compliment, Reuben’s family and a homemade cocktail, a massive variety of cheese and charcuterie, guests, friends, business partners and family of the television chef and franchise gathered in the fairy light lit courtyards to chat and mingle before the final dinner and a few words from this award winning chef.
I was expecting Chef Reuben to go out with a bang, over 10 courses of food type of bang, maybe not so much. A white wine was served complementary throughout the night supplied by Nitida. A light, slightly too sweet, Sauvignon Blanc named Roxia as well as the usual local Reuben’s wine list offerings.
I’m not going to list the menu items because honestly there just were so many from tuna tartare, mussels, fillet and cheddar croquettes the list goes on. All the dishes were simple, some of the popular menu items Reuben has come to be known for and other Asian inspired small plates that were shared among the guests per table.
I got the feeling that like many other eateries, Ryan’s Kitchen, Mulberry and Prince, Liam Thomplin’s Chef’s Warehouse, Chef Reuben was looking at the trend and perhaps will re-create a menu in a similar style to what was served on Sunday.
The dishes were all very scrummy, some simple and others interesting like pork belly with a delicious BBQ styled rib and toasted sesame seeds. I loved the simplicity and almost bistro, unpretentious feel that Reuben’s is know for.The food was remsiesnt of exactly why he earned that Eat Out awar with only being open for a few months and “serving milkshakes and families” nogal. As well as the fact that a lot of the plates were mostly carb-less -not a new potato nor pomme puree insight, perfect.
After 12 years Reuben and his co-worker, hands-on support and wife Maryke, have decided to find a place that they(themselves) can call home.
Moving to Daniel Hugo road just a stone’s throw away from their original building. Reuben had said that the new restaurant still has a lot to be done to make it perfect but they are excited to begin and hopefully re-open Reuben’s Franschhoek in the last quarter of 2016.
If you’re scared you’ll miss out on your Reuben’s crispy fried squid and can’t bare the wait, Racine (Reuben’s other venture rooted at Chamonix wine estate) will see a pop up shop until Reuben’s Franschhoek re-opens.
We can’t wait to see what Reuben and Maryke have up their sleeves, bound to be beautiful!
Racine by Reuben | 021 876 23 93 | Uitkyk street, Franschhoek, 7690, South Africa
