In Constantia Uitsig, at the former River Café premises, Neil Grant and business partner Barry Engelbrecht of Burrata and Bocca have opened the Open Door Restaurant.
Inhouse Architects has opened up and stylishly revamped the existing restaurant space to offer several dining areas, with menus that will cater for all palates and appetites. With an Art Deco inspired bar at the centre, there is a dedicated area to suit every occasion. The restaurant features a bright lunch and breakfast room leading onto a spacious wooden deck and a lounge terrace for drinks and nibbles. A dining room with elegant banquette seating accommodates guests for dinner.
Executive Chef Annemarie Steenkamp, who is the driving force behind the food at sister restaurants Burrata and Bocca, designed the menu. This time around, the cuisine deviates from Italian and can be described as 'modern contemporary'. Joining the team in the open kitchen, Alex Rykaart moves from Burrata as Sous Chef, joined by Christine de Villiers, former Pastry Chef at The Tasting Room/Le Quartier Francais, who will be in charge of breakfast and baking fresh croissants and bread on site daily. A café-style menu will be available for lunch, including some creative, wholesome kiddies' options.
Moving into the chic dining room at night, the menu becomes a little more 'serious', to complement Grant's first love, an interesting wine list of some 130 wines housed in a 1000-bottle, temperature-controlled wine cellar.
For more information, go to www.opendoorrestaurant.co.za.
