Woolworths_Taste_July_2017

RESTAURANTS
7.
8.
Above, from left: Andrea Burgener; cilbir – poached eggs with garlic yoghurt and paprika sage butter.
Below, from left: Reuben Riffel; Reuben’s at the One&Only hotel at Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront.
REUBEN’S RESTAURANT AND BAR
FOR CREATING A SOPHISTICATED BRASSERIE IN THE WINELANDS
When Reuben Riffel won both the Eat Out Johnnie Walker Restaurant of the Year and Chef of the Year
awards in 2004 not long after opening his first restaurant at 19 Huguenot Street in Franschhoek, it
affirmed that a culinary star had been born in the valley. And this despite Reuben’s humble beginnings in
the nearby suburb of Groendal, as well as his lack of formal chef training. It was as a waiter at Chamonix
under Christoph Dehosse that Reuben learnt the art of food preparation (he later became sous chef
under Richard Carstens). A stint overseas followed, and the next step was an eatery to call his own.
For well over a decade, loyal patrons flocked to the flagship restaurant (he also has branches at the
One&Only hotel in the V&A Waterfront and Abalone House in Paternoster) for the likes of steak and
frites with sauce Béarnaise, chilli-salted squid and Szechuan duck pie, and a host of popular chalkboard
specials. After closing at 19 Huguenot Street in May this year, the MasterChef SA judge and TV celeb
recently opened at a brand-new space at 2 Daniel Hugo Road, where signature dishes include springbok
steak with butternut honey, bacon candy, walnuts and pickled cabbage, and pork belly with fynbos
honey, pineapple atchar and sweet potato. reubens.co.za
THE LEOPARD
FOR CHAMPIONING
FREE-RANGE
INGREDIENTS
IN JOBURG
“Food producers of the world
unite! We’re always looking to
meet producers of well-farmed
and ethically reared produce.
If you know someone who’s
got the happiest, healthiest
pigs running around, let us
know.” This request on The
Leopard’s website says it all.
Before closing in Melville in May
this year, Andrea Burgener’s
restaurant (Joburg diners will
also remember her early days at
Superbonbon in Richmond and
Deluxe in Parktown North) was
renowned for supporting the
likes of Braeside Butchery and
The Free Range Food Co. on a
small, adventurous menu. She's
always attributed her creative
approach to the fact that she
never went to chef school.
“I never knew I was breaking
rules – I didn’t know what the
rules were!” The Leopard has
now changed its format and
location: no longer a sit-down
restaurant, it’s a free-range
larder and takeaway venue
(rillettes, chop-chop salads),
as well as a great stop-off for
top-quality, ready-to-heat
and cook-at-home dishes
(marinated pork ribs, chicken
and leek pie) situated at 44
Stanley. leopardfoodcompany.com
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