If you want to have a real life fairytale experience then I suggest you visit La Petite Ferme. Situated on the Franschhoek Pass, the views from this wine farm looks like something straight out of a storybook. When I first visited La Petite Ferme back in 2018 I was instantly spellbound by its beauty and immediately knew I wanted to return. However, I didn’t know it would take three years for that to happen!
La Petite Ferme Restaurant – the Perfect Romantic Setting
We recently returned to this picturesque Franschhoek wine farm to indulge in newly appointed head chef, Odette Olivier’s tantalising new menu. Think West Coast mussels, slow cooked Karoo lamb shoulder and milktart ice cream with Rooibos sorbet! Even though I’ve only been to La Petite Ferme twice, I always recommend it to those enquiring about intimate and romantic Franschhoek restaurants. I’m sure the photos can tell you why! From its mountainside perch at the very top of the Franschhoek Wine Valley, the restaurant enjoys unrestricted views that are shared with the property’s intimate luxury suites.
Welcome Chef Odette Olivier!
Newly appointed Chef Odette will oversee and implement the menu design and provide oversight of the restaurant. A cornerstone of the offering is a seasonal menu showcasing quality produce from the Franschhoek region. Odette enjoys creating from South African heritage dishes, employing a mix of cooking methods like smoking, pickling and fermenting. She also believes that menu planning always starts with the desserts and this is due to her sweet tooth! The motivation behind each dish stems from the origins of La Petite Ferme itself, delivering country cuisine with a fresh contemporary touch. Prepare yourself for a sensory experience of note!
Sampling the New La Petite Ferme Restaurant Menu
Of course every good meal starts with an equally good glass of wine and when in the Franschhoek Wine Valley it is almost compulsory to do so. We started by ordering a bottle of the La Petite Ferme Chardonnay while pondering which tantalising starters to kick off our culinary journey with.
I opted for the West Coast Mussels – smoked snoek croquette, verjuice beurre blanc, red pepper smoortjie with petite peas and nasturtiums. My husband went for the plate of the day which was goats cheese, wrapped in pancetta served with heirloom tomatoes. These delicious starters set the scene perfectly for the mains.
For the mains, chef Odette Olivier certainly pulled out all the stops. I decided on the slow cooked lamb shoulder – lamb riblet, kapokbos, confit garlic mash, apricot with cauliflower, rainbow carrots and moskonfyt jus. Once again, hubby went for the plate of the day which was beef fillet served with mushrooms and pommes anna. After all that delectable flavours we needed to take a break before choosing the all important desserts. La Petite Ferme is one of the best summer restaurants in Franschhoek simply because of its picturesque views overlooking the Franschhoek wine valley. We soaked up the gorgeous Cape Winelands views while perusing the menu for our dessert options.
I opted for the Caramel Fudge Tart which is coffee burnt pineapple with passionfruit yoghurt sorbet and white chocolate cremora crumble. I must admit that this option was a bit too sweet for me but I’m sure those with an extra sweet tooth will love it. My husband went for the heritage inspired milktart ice cream with rooibos sorbet, apple crumble, mebos, milk jam served with salted duck fat potato chips. These desserts were the ideal way to end off our delectable meals from Chef Odette‘s new menu.
The La Petite Ferme restaurant is one of the Franschhoek restaurants with amazing views and coupled with their new mouth watering menu, you absolutely cannot go wrong with visiting this gem.
www.lapetiteferme.co.za | Tel: 021 876 3016 | reception@lapetiteferme.co.za
* I was invited to experience La Petite Ferme restaurant’s new menu by Chef Odette Olivier. As always, all views are my own, unbiased and completely honest.
