Walking into Freres is like walking into an authentic French bistro. I was quickly reminded of my time spent in France some years ago.
The atmosphere is full sensory, from the decor, to the lighting, to the sounds.
Now whilst in the case of a restaurant I don’t think you can always judge a book by it’s cover (I’ve eaten at some dodgy looking places and have yet had the best food) in the case of Freres there is something about it’s aesthetic appeal that let’s you know you’re in for a real treat.
I got to sit down with the owner and chef, Jason Whitehead to chat about the menu before ordering. He says that the menu is about 90% French and 10% South African, bearing in mind that we are in SA and almost all of the produce is sourced fresh and local.
The starter menu boasts things like a pea and mint cheesecake, foie gras, duck and rabbit rillette. Jason is the ambassador for Coniglio meats which supplies rabbit locally and he explains the benefits, high in protein, low in fat, so also ideal for those on the banting diet (which his restaurant caters for should you let him know in advance) I could happily have sat there and just indulged in the whole starters list. Luckily for me I did get a sharing board allowing me to taste some of the best on offer. One word, happiness! Okay, maybe two, exceptional!
Onto mains of which I was lucky enough to try two, and no, not a whole two, a few bites of each. Now, you may think you’ve had chicken pie before but I assure you nothing that tastes like this one did. There is such a respect for all of the ingredients and it is my belief that the beauty of this dish lies in that simple fact. Then onto the beef fillet which was so tender that it literally melted in my mouth, it was served on a bacon and potato rosti with confit garlic and a beautiful rich reduction. Elegant and delicious.
Then onto dessert, a tasting board of heaven. There was lemon meringue tart, a ginger and chocolate brownie (my favourite), Turkish delight brulee’ and the creamiest salted caramel ice-cream all served alongside a shot of Amarula on ice, for good measure.
I don’t have much else to say except if you haven’t been, get there soon and make sure to book.
I’m finishing this with a smile at the memory of an incredible dining experience at Freres Bistro.
