Graham Oldfield, former head chef at Chef’s Warehouse and Canteen, and his wife are set to open a new eatery in the Oranjezicht area of Cape Town. Called Bao Down, the restaurant will serve cuisine inspired by the cuisines of China, Korea and Japan.

A post shared by Graham Oldfield (@grahamoldfield6) on Feb 14, 2018 at 4:56am PST

Graham will head up the kitchen while Philippa, who also runs her own catering company, will oversee the management and front of house. As for the menu? For one thing, it won’t be limited to bao buns. “Think prawn toast, oysters with a pickled jalapeño and lime dressing, various bao, yakatori, and great vegetarian options such as kimchi fried rice and roasted sweet potato with miso and sesame dressing,” says Philippa.

A post shared by Bao Down (@baodownrestaurant) on Jun 4, 2018 at 9:42am PDT

Though they’re still in the final construction phase, the space is expected to be cosy, inviting and have a neighbourhood eatery feel. “We wanted to create a small, intimate neighbourhood restaurant, and when we came across this premises, we felt it was perfect,” says Philippa. The idea is that it be a spot where you can either enjoy a lengthy dinner or grab a drink and a snack before heading out on the town.

A post shared by Graham Oldfield (@grahamoldfield6) on Jun 6, 2018 at 7:28am PDT

They also have plans to offer a set lunch on Sunday, offering city dwellers a great Sunday lunch option that doesn’t involve driving out to the winelands.

Bao Down is expected to open towards the end of June. Stay tuned to Eat Out for developments.

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