Some lunches are about the food, others are about the views, and then there are those rare occasions when everything comes together beautifully.
During a recent weekend getaway to Franschhoek, we got treated to lunch at La Petite Ferme, and it turned out to be one of those experiences where there was absolutely no reason to rush.
Perched on the slopes above the Franschhoek Valley, La Petite Ferme is blessed with the sort of scenery that makes you want to put your phone down, take a deep breath and simply enjoy the moment.
- Rolling vineyards, lush green gardens and dramatic mountains create a spectacular backdrop, setting the scene for an afternoon of excellent food, great wine and leisurely conversation.
A Beautiful Setting for a Special Lunch
We settled in with a view of the valley stretching out before us, with the sunshine adding to the relaxed atmosphere. Enjoying cocktails was an excellent way to ease into the afternoon offering a refreshing start to the experience. The restaurant’s seasonal menus brings together carefully selected ingredients, inventive flavour combinations and thoughtful presentation, creating dishes that are as interesting to look at as they are to eat. 2 courses are available for R810, while a 3 course meal is on offer for R910 per person. We decided to make a proper occasion of it, ordering a starter each, two mains and a dessert to share. It was the sort of lunch that deserved to be enjoyed one course at a time.
Starters That Set the Tone
The cauliflower and truffle soup was a comforting start to the meal. Cauliflower brings a naturally creamy texture and a gentle, slightly sweet flavour, making it an ideal foundation for a soup. Truffle adds an earthy, aromatic quality that gives the dish extra depth without overwhelming the delicate vegetable flavour. Together, the ingredients create a combination that feels luxurious while remaining beautifully balanced.
My starter took a rather different approach, bringing together green onion, sushi rice and smoked snoek. The smokiness of the fish added a savoury depth, while the rice provided a gentle, starchy contrast. Green onion brought freshness and a mild sharpness, cutting through the richness of the fish and keeping each mouthful lively.Rather than allowing the smoked fish to dominate, the supporting ingredients helped create a balanced and layered flavour profile.
Mains Worth Lingering Over
For the main course, we opted for beef and seabass, giving us two distinctly different dishes to enjoy. The beef was a rich, savoury affair, combining miso beef with onion, shiitake mushrooms, buckwheat and a teriyaki-truffle sauce. The combination made perfect sense on the plate. Beef delivers a deep, meaty flavour, while miso and teriyaki contribute savoury umami notes with a touch of sweetness. Shiitake mushrooms reinforce those earthy flavours, adding another layer of savouriness, while the onion brings sweetness as it cooks. It is the kind of combination that rewards a slower approach to eating, with each component contributing something different to the overall experience.
The seabass offered a lighter alternative. Delicate fish works particularly well with citrus, herbs and carefully balanced sauces because its natural flavour can easily be overwhelmed by ingredients that are too heavy. The accompanying elements brought freshness and contrast, allowing the fish to remain the star of the dish. Its appeal lay in that balance between the delicate seafood and the more pronounced flavours around it.
An Orange-Themed Dessert to Share
By the time dessert arrived, sharing one between us felt like the perfect way to finish lunch. The orange curd and orange sponge cake brought a bright, citrus-led finish to the table, with the different textures helping to keep the dessert interesting. Orange curd offers a concentrated burst of citrus flavour, balancing sweetness with a pleasant tang. The pponge provides a softer, lighter foundation, soaking up some of that citrus character without competing with it. The combination creates a lovely contrast between the richness and the airy texture. It is this interplay of citrus, nuttiness, sweetness and texture that makes this dessert such a satisfying way to round off a meal.
La Petite Ferme is a fantastic choice for anyone looking to enjoy a special meal in the Franschhoek Wine Valley. The food is thoughtfully prepared, the wines add another layer to the experience, and the views are among the most memorable in the valley. For a romantic lunch, a weekend escape or simply an excuse to spend an afternoon somewhere beautiful, it is easy to see the attraction. It is the kind of place where time seems to slow down, everyday distractions become less important, and the simple pleasures of good food, good wine and exceptional scenery take centre stage. And in Franschhoek, that is a very good reason to pull up a chair and stay a little longer.
⇒ Franschhoek Pass Road, Franschhoek
- reception@lapetiteferme.co.za
