Press release.
Mondiall in Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront is embarking on an exciting new journey with the introduction of new Executive Chef Riaan Burger and his fresh new menus.
Following Peter Tempelhoff’s departure due to commitments at The Collection by Liz McGrath, restaurateur Patrick Symington now runs Mondiall as a solo venture where he is building on the 17-month old restaurant’s success as one of the Waterfront’s most popular dining destinations.
Ready for cooler weather with a cosy new fireplace, plush lounge chairs and free high speed fibre optic WiFi, Mondiall invites locals to make the restaurant their ‘home-away-from-home’.
Be it a business meeting with a quick lunch thrown in, an afternoon of work over coffee and nibbles, a light and healthy lunch with friends, or a family weekend brunch, Mondiall is opening this next chapter as a buzzing lifestyle hub for residents, locals and visitors.
Executive Chef Riaan Burger will launch his new menus this month (May), injecting Mondiall with a fresh dose of international flavour based on his experience abroad, while remaining true to the restaurant’s success formula of offering a brasserie-style dining experience.
Amongst his signature dishes will be classic brasserie choices, including Steak Tartare with matchstick fries and endive (R88); French Onion Soup – deep roasted onions in a rich beef broth with gruyere croute & chives (R72); and Pasture Raised Farm Coq au Vin – red wine braised chicken, shallots & mushroom with side cauliflower mash (R190). The chef is honouring the provenance of these timeless classics by serving them the traditional way.
When it comes to food Chef Riaan believes that ‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts’, and says that his aim is to ‘make Mondiall a household name and a local go-to restaurant, where guests can expect a warm welcoming atmosphere in a relaxed yet sophisticated setting.
I will match the food to our brasserie style and place great emphasis on refined comfort food with the ingredients as the star’, he says.
Born and raised in Johannesburg, Burger followed a four-year apprenticeship programme at the Protea Hotel Wanderers and African Pride Melrose Arch Hotel in Johannesburg, from which he graduated top of his class in 2005.
He went on to further his education with a City & Guilds Culinary Arts diploma through Protea Hotels. In 2006 he joined the Westcliff Hotel in Johannesburg as Junior Sous Chef, before travelling the world to gain international experience with Crystal Cruises.
Back on solid ground two years later the young chef fell in love with the Western Cape and joined Arabella Hotel and Spa in Hermanus, where he was quickly promoted from Sous Chef to Executive Sous Chef. In 2010 Riaan joined the award-winning Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa in Cape Town, where he continued to hone his craft as Executive Sous Chef.
When a former employer invited him to move to the Raffles Beijing as Executive Chef, he jumped at the opportunity to immerse himself in Asian cuisine and headed up the hotel’s three diverse dining establishments – a French fine dining restaurant, New York-style brasserie and a rustic Italian eatery.
He stayed with Raffles for two years, before the Cape lured him back home and to Mondiall for the start of this exciting new chapter.
Chef Riaan has created an inspired daily lunch and dinner menu that caters to all tastes. Highlights include Terrine of Cape Rock Lobster as a starter, pressed with cheese, avocado, petit salad and sauce gribiche (R155); and Cape Seafood Risotto as a main course — prawns, fresh fish, mussels, calamari, tomato, garlic & basil (R185).
Those with a sweet tooth will be in sugary heaven courtesy of the chef’s Chocolate & Guinness Pudding with café latte ice cream and bitter chocolate sauce (R65); and Macadamia & Salted Caramel Cheesecake with black cherry compot (R65).
Fans of established Mondiall favourites such as the Mondiall Wagyu Cheeseburger – 200g beef patty served medium, umami ketchup and homemade chips (R130); classic Fish & Chips – beer battered fried hake, tartar sauce, Yorkshire caviar and hand cut fries (R145); and Game Fish Tacos on a soft flour tortilla, with pico de gallo, guacamole and chipotle sauce (R80) will be delighted to hear that these dishes will remain on the menu – unchanged.
The Afternoon Menu, available daily from 16:00 – 18:30, features a variety of Tapas, including Smoked Snoek Paté (R38); Olive Tapenade (R38); and Ostrich Parfait (R50), as well as a selection of appetizers, main courses, sweet treats and an extensive cocktail list – perfect for Happy Hour.
The weekend brunch menu offers every egg dish imaginable, as well as international breakfast fare such as Canadian Style French Toast with streaky bacon, caramelized banana, maple syrup and cinnamon sugar (R75); or a Breakfast Burrito – served on a tortilla wrap with scrambled eggs, bacon, rocket, guacamole and chipotle mayo (R88).
These dishes are best washed down with a choice of bubbly or Hangover Drinks that include the Mondiall Mary (R70); Bucks Fizz (R70); or a Breakfast Martini (R65). A special Group Menu completes the extensive menu offering.
Throughout the cooler season diners can also look forward to special offers, as well as bi-weekly ‘Chef’s Table Wine Pairing Dinners’, starting with KWV Mentor’s Range on 20 May, and weekly music gigs.
For further information about upcoming events, check Mondiall’s Happenings page.