Johann Redelinghuys is starting a restaurant in Keller called Umzi Vine & Vibe.
“Growing up in South Africa, the food has always been around the table,” he said. “And my dream wasn't simply just to open another restaurant. My dream is more to build a place where people feel at home ... where they belong.”
He said the word Umzi, from the Xhosa language spoken in southern Africa, means "homestead." Redelinghuys said he’s lived in Keller the past 12 years and this location felt like the perfect place since it used to be a residential home.
The space was previously the home of Manny G’s Restaurant and Bar. According to a real estate website, the building dates back to 1945.
“We just hope Umzi becomes a place where people celebrate birthdays and anniversaries and things like that,” Redelinghuys said.
On the menu
Redelinghuys said Umzi will be a mix of flavors from South African, American, Asian, and European cuisines, with chef Mensah Thompson helping with the menu. He has experience at a German bistro, barbecue restaurants, a steakhouse and a winery.
Some of the menu items will be:
- Cheesy escargot in garlic butter
- Charcuterie board
- Madiba dumplings
- Soup and salads
- Beer-battered fish with gluten-free chips
- Braised lamb shank
- Ahi tuna taco
- Beef Biltong flatbread
- Traditional steak pie
- Thai coconut milk curry
- Gluten-free chicken schnitzel
Quote of note
“I know both I and Mensah, we love wine and we love food and not just food from South Africa,” Redelinghuys said. “It’s more of a fusion with a world of flavors. Just with my heritage, from South Africa and then Mensah, my chef, his father is from Ghana. We’re going to create something definitely that people are going to be a destination, where people come for something and you’ll come back because the food is so great and the homey feel is so great.”
What else?
The building is undergoing an estimated $400,000 in renovations, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The work includes interior and exterior remodeling of the kitchen, dining area, restroom, wine cellar, accessibility upgrades and related utility modifications.
