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The newest edition to the Franschhoek scene is a restaurant really and truly for Franschhoek. Both in concept and in name, the aptly named “Le coin Francais” , which literally means Franschhoek, will embody the essence of the valley in heritage, cuisine, art and wine. It will feature cutting edge methods meeting time tested French elegance in cuisine, a carefully selected locally themed wine list to showcase the best local wines, a French sommeliers selection, and an ever evolving collaboration of art in the theme of photography.
Gourmet Guide Description
Here the spirit of the Franschhoek Valley is artfully painted in a portrait
of cuisine, décor, heritage, art and wine – with activity in the open
kitchen part of the canvas. Romantic candlelight dinners in the intimate
space are enhanced in winter by a roaring fire. In summer guests love
to dine on the verandah, the hustle of the village’s main road an added
attraction.
And then there’s the cuisine, an edible exploration that’s full of wonder.
Chef proprietor Darren Badenhorst and head chef Marcus Gericke
represent origin and originality. They constantly ring the changes.
When a component goes out of season, they portray a similar dish
with a less assuming ingredient. The inventive watermelon dish was
originally created using tuna – a good indication of how dishes evolve
on the Chef’s Journey Tasting menu. The only dish that remains in its
original form is the butter-poached and BBQ North Coast langoustine,
with aerated Gruberg, West Coast branded snoek velouté, wild
vineyard shoots and a garden pea and pancetta risotto. Regulars insist
that Darren’s signature dish continues to be available.
Curing, dehydrating and cold-smoking is the order of the day –
trailblazing technique is coupled with taste and texture. The threehour cured and one-hour cold-smoked sustainable trout, carrot and
horseradish emulsion with toasted wild yeast and fennel pollen bears
testament to this.
“The balance lies not in one dish individually, but more in the flow of
the entire menu. It needs to ebb and flow, some more punchy, others
subtler,” says Darren. There are many innovative dishes. The ‘New York
cheesecake’ with citrus curd, oat flavour sablé and textures of ginger is
an elegant interpretation of a classic, plated with restraint yet aplomb.
The evening is an experience enhanced by different, numerous
interactions with staff who inject their personality into the service. They
proudly introduce local fare and their palatable combinations. Here
food and wine blend beautifully into a dinner that dreams are made
of. There is true interplay between chefs – Darren can conceptualise
a dish and Marcus has the talent to interpret it. A winning duo, and
delighted diners, every time.
Reviews (184)
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