Anything but Gray

Monday, September 5th, 2011

The hugely talented chef and food personality, Philippe Wagenfuhrer, is used to patrons driving long distances for his food. He first came to prominence on the Gauteng culinary scene as the man who propelled Roots at Forum Homini onto fine dining lists, earning a slew of awards along the way.

 

So there was much excitement when Philippe announced that he was opening his own establishment, the Gray Restaurant, in Boksburg. Devotees in the south and north set their GPS co-ordinates and ventured forth. But while Roots regulars were accustomed to the pretty, rural setting in the Cradle of Humankind, newcomers to Gray found it positioned in a commercial business park. If you aren’t familiar with the locale, look out for a shiny Harley Davidson sign; the restaurant is right next door.

 

Sean Shipalana, Philippe's business partner, owns this Harley dealership. They built Gray with a dual purpose: to enhance the experience of Sean's showroom, and to promote fine dining in the area.

 

The name Gray is something of a misnomer, as there’s nothing bland or dull about this Wagenfuhrer baby. The décor may be fairly monochrome, but it’s contemporary, airy and welcoming with a clear attention to detail – from the crockery to the suppliers Philippe uses. There’s also an uber-modern glass wine cellar at the end of the restaurant.

 

Philippe has built long-term relationshipswith his suppliers, and adds his own touch to the beer and wine lists. Gray has its own wine label, bottled specially by Weltevrede, as well as beers from the microbrewery Dog and Fig. Try the weiss beer or the herbaceous buchu beer with its sweet finish before your host recommends the best wine to accompany your dishes.

 

Gray bills itself as an upmarket steakhouse, but the four-course dinners that were recently introduced at the weekends paint a different picture. Calling Gray a steakhouse is akin to declaring Heston Blumenthal’s food uncomplicated.

 

The four-course menu is a real bargain at R180. Featured dishes change every weekend, but we savoured butternut soup with a slice of lobster, succulent salmon, and a superb fillet with sauce béarnaise. A saucy chocolate fondant rounded off the evening.

 

Philippe says that the more flavour components are in a dish, the tastier it will be. Each of his creations will, therefore, always have a minimum of three of the five tastes: bitterness, sweetness, savoury, acidity and umami. 

 

Service at Gray is hands-on and personalised. It’s the small touches that make a difference, from the amuse-bouche on arrival (in this case, a tempura oyster) to the oozing chocolate brownie that comes with your coffee at the end of the meal.

 

On departure I queried why no one had asked how I wanted my fillet done. The answer was firm: it comes medium rare. Well-done steaks are clearly anathema to the chefs in the kitchen. 

 

It is plain that Philippe wants to give his patrons a heightened level of education, and take them on a food journey. You have to applaud him for this brave concept. During the long trip home, I recalled the old proverb: ‘You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink’. (As well as Dorothy Parker’s more risqué version: ‘You can lead a whore to culture, but you can't make her think.’)

 

With apologies to the good citizens of the area, one hopes that there is a sufficient clientele in the East Rand for this fine establishment, and that enough of Philippe’s devotees make the drive. It would be tragic if this brilliant chef had to dumb down his culinary creativity and vision.

 

By Janine Walker