In style and scrumptiousness, tashas le parc in Hyde Park Centre is Johannesburg’s very own piece of Paris. Here’s why this restaurant made it onto our list of nominees for the 2014 Boschendal Style Award at the Eat Out Mercedes Benz Restaurant Awards.

The interior at tashas le Parc. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

The restaurant

Employing a distinctly Parisienne theme, tashas le parc breaks through the confines normally imposed by being situated inside a mall. The 10^th branch of the bespoke coffee shop franchise owned by brother-and-sister team Natasha and Savva Sideris; the café was customised for the cosmopolitan clientele of Hyde Park Corner.

The food

Taking her cue from the French bistro, chef Elze Roome’s menu includes chicken vol au vent, a Le Parc burger, sole meunière and seafood pasta. Artisanal breads are baked from scratch every day, and homemade ice creams and traditional French pastries are also made on site.

The style

Interior architect Neydine Bak worked closely with Natasha for over 12 months to perfect the design and production. Art deco-style trellis screens give the mall passageway seating a sense of place and introduce the sense of old-school French charm. There’s also a touch of modernism to the design, visible in details like Andrea Kleinloog’s iconic brass lab lights. Inside, the large marble counters of the bar area are offset by handcrafted teal and gold wall panels. A delicately feminine paper ceiling installation by artist Elonah O’Neil. Mauviel copper pots and select Le Creuset pieces take the French detailing right down to crockery level.

Does tashas le parc have what it takes to win the 2014 Boschendal Style Award? The winner will be announced at the Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards on Sunday 16 November. Tickets are on sale now. See the other nominees here.