1A Redefine Building, 42 Hans Strijdom Ave, Foreshore, Cape Town Central, South Africa
Freres Bistro
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REVIEWS
2 Reviews
1A Redefine Building, 42 Hans Strijdom Ave, Foreshore, Cape Town Central, South Africa
Expert Review
Fréres Bistro in Green Point is a great French bistro that has become one of the Cape’s best establishments to...
Fréres Bistro in Green Point is a great French bistro that has become one of the Cape’s best establishments to enjoy some French classics. It’s an incredibly intimate setting with five-star staff, and a hands-on chef and owner who know just how to run a successful restaurant and deliver a wonderful dining experience.
Everything on the menu sounds amazing, which made it hard to choose a dish, but the waiter was more than happy to recommend what the best dish of the day was and what to try. For starters, I ordered the rabbit rillette, as you don’t often see rabbit served in Cape Town and I wanted to see just how the Fréres serves theirs. The dish was served with pickled cucumber, mustard crème fraiche and almonds. The presentation of this dish was amazing and something that you don’t find easily, even in the most upmarket restaurants. The rillette (which is similar to a pâté) was tasty and really bought out the unique flavours of the meat. I loved all the accompaniments and would recommend this to someone trying rabbit for the first time as well as people who just love the taste of rabbit.
For mains, I ordered the lamb ribeye with braised peas and leeks, goat cheese puree, and thyme tomato sauce. The portion was average on first inspection but it was beautifully presented and once I tucked in, I realized that the richness of the food and tastiness of the flavours really fill you up quickly and make sure you don’t leave unsatisfied.
For dessert I was dying to try some more goat cheese, so I ordered the parma ham and goat cheese parcels served with pepper and tomato sambal. It was a great way to end the meal and with its cool, rustic wooden board presentation, it would be perfect to share around a table or between two.
Expert Review
Freres Bistro is a hidden gem of a restaurant hidden away at the end of Bree Street in the Foreshore....
Freres Bistro is a hidden gem of a restaurant hidden away at the end of Bree Street in the Foreshore. It’s very small with only about ten tables, and it’s nicely decorated with a casual yet elegant atmosphere. It has a small menu of French cuisine and prides itself on serving only the freshest produce.
I stopped in for a weekday lunch and was totally blown away by the food. I tried the chef’s recommended pan-fried kabeljou, asparagus, and sweet potato with a Malay veloute. It was the tastiest fish I’ve had yet in Cape Town, and quite possibly, ever. The fish was moist and flakey with a crispy grilled skin and the Malay flavors were amazing. I was so impressed by the main meal, I felt obliged to order dessert even though I wasn’t that hungry. I tried the café gourmand, a tasting platter of four small desserts served with coffee. On the platter was a chocolate mousse, crème brulee, pancake cannelloni with mascarpone, date, ginger, and caramel sauce, and salted caramel ice cream. As usual, the salted caramel ice cream was my favorite—tough to beat in my book, but all four selections were great.
Although the menu is small, everything looks very interesting, and I am definitely keen to go back and try some other dishes. There were several delicious sounding starters including the foie gras and pumpkin fritters with pistachios. As for the mains, I’d also like to try the beer-braised rabbit and spring vegetable pot.
The atmosphere at Freres Bistro is great for a business lunch; they even have free wireless internet. It’s also perfect for a nice dinner. The prices are extremely reasonable for the quality, and the service is friendly, fast, and knowledgeable without being overbearing. Because it’s so small, I would definitely recommend calling ahead for reservations. Freres Bistro is one of my new favorites, definitely give it a try.