The name Franck Dangereux is synonymous with fine French cuisine – he put La Colombe on the fine dining map and when he opened his own restaurant called Foodbarn, things could only get better!  More relaxed, open spaces also gave him room for demo evenings and exclusive food and wine pairing events.

Foodbarn…relaxed and informal

 We do not visit Foodbarn often enough – the trek to Noordhoek should not be an issue but the great wine list options always cause a state of near euphoria even before we have looked at the menu!  Our recent visit was no exception:  Right off the bat we could order the hard-to-get-hold-of Mooiplaas single vineyard Houmoed Chenin Blanc (2013 vintage a steal at R216).  A glass of Silverthorn The Green Man Brut MCC will only set you back R59 and the Raats Original Chenin Blanc R56.  There is a wide selection that even includes some foreign producers.

 

 

We could order from a variety of menus and we all chose the Mooiplaas food and wine pairing option (R275 per person for 3 courses) but the standard lunch a la carte menu was available at 50% off for the winter!  There’s even a seperate vegetarian and vegan menu.  That is one of the many reasons why we will be back this weekend – affordable food by quite possibly the most creative chef in South Africa.

The wine pairings are spot-on and so affordable.  We had a starter of snails with Pernod foam paired with the Mooiplaas Sauvignon Blanc 2013 – when last did you order snails anywhere?  It was beautifully presented and tasted divine (not chewy or sinewy at all).  Our main dishes were just the right portion size and delicious – just enough to make you think about ordering a third course and also tempting enough to compel you to keep indulging in the incredible array of flavours served on your plate.

I do love the relaxed atmosphere of Foodbarn, the service is excellent without being stuffy; you feel as if you can rock up in your shorts after a day taking in the scenic beauty of the area.  The menu changes very often (more than once a month) to allow for local, seasonal ingredients to be used.  This is no “barn diner” but rather a South African and modern interpretation of French cuisine.  This is proper food.

Even the cheese platter is a work of art

 

http://www.thefoodbarn.co.za/restaurant/

Booking is essential.

[Category: Restaurants, Cape Town, chef’s demo’s, Chenin Blanc, cuisine, Foodbarn, Foodbarn Restaurant, French cuisine, La Colombe, modern food, Mooiplaas, Mooiplaas 2013 Sauvignon Blanc, Mooiplaas Houmoed Chenin Blanc 2013, Noordhoek, Raats Original Chenin Blanc, Silverthorn The Green Man Brut, single vineyard, South Africa, vegan menu, Vegetarian menu, wine list]