Yesterday I tried the new Spring menu of Chef Michael Broughton of Terroir on Kleine Zalze estate. The dishes are refreshing, and each dish is characterized by Chef Michael’s love for distinctive sauces.

The invitation to lunch at Terroir had come in winter, Manley Communications inviting me to try Terroir’s winter small plate main course menu. I do not get to Stellenbosch that often, having been in Franschhoek more often, and the one time that I could make the lunch the restaurant was closed for its winter break. Despite the winter special having expired on Thursday, Chef Michael agreed that I come for lunch yesterday, and try their new Spring menu instead. Terroir was announced as one of the 2015 Eat Out Top 20 Restaurant Finalists earlier this week.

It is the second time that I have experienced a frustrating blockage at the Kleine Zalze entrance boom (using the entrance near Technopark), and we were seven cars waiting to get in through the Visitors’ Boom. We signed in whilst waiting in the queue but the Residents boom was not opened for us to get through! Terroir Manager Collette explained that a change in the access to residents via fingerprint occurred yesterday, but it is not clear why this should have affected the access by visitors to the estate. The ten-minute hold-up was annoying, so Collette’s welcome drink of Kleine Zalze Vintage Brut 2009 was most welcome!

Branding for Terroir is very low-key, and one would struggle to find it if one did not know where one is going. It is located in the same space as the tasting room, which is low-key in its branding too.  The Moroccan tent outside-area weather-protection is the most distinctive feature of the restaurant. I loved the low-key branding at the entrance to the restaurant, being a simple wooden box filled with a pumpkin, strelizias, and various aloes, a labour of love by Mrs Basson, wife of the Managing Director of Kleine Zalze, using plants from her garden on the estate. In front of the box is the simple placing of the ‘Terroir’ book by Chef Michael, which was published last year.

Chef Michael started his career at the Mount Grace Country House & Spa before he opened Broughton’s in Johannesburg. Eleven years ago he moved to Stellenbosch, to open Terroir at Kleine Zalze with Chef Nic van Wyk. Chef Michael focuses on offering ‘really good food‘. Consistency in service and food quality is the focus of the restaurant. Food and wine pairing is an important part of the restaurant’s offering. Wines are selected to stand up to the bold flavours of Chef Michael’s sauces. We chatted about the Eat Out Top 20 Restaurant shortlist, and Chef Michael said that competition is tight. ‘Consistently bad service’ has no place on the Top 20 Restaurant shortlist, he said.

Collette has a strong Irish accent, and I could understand most of it. She has been at the restaurant for about 18 months. She met her partner Chef Michael Deg in Dublin, and he enticed her to move to the Cape, where he is the Executive Chef at Delaire Graff. Collette did not provide this information proactively, it being like a puzzle of information falling into place as we chatted. Nothing was too much trouble for Collette. She had set up the menu chalk board of starters and main courses at my outside table, and suggested a five-course tasting menu, paired with wines. I explained my time constraint to her, and she worked with the kitchen so that I could get away at 14h45.

The concrete tables outside are sparsely covered, and when one sits down a setting of a small plastic woven yellow/green placemat is put on the table, the side plate being placed upside down on top of the material napkin to prevent it from blowing away. Peugeot pepper and salt grinders, as well as unbranded olive oil (made by San Sebastián locally) and balsamic vinegar (made by Cecil Vinegar in Modena) are brought to the table.

The five-course food and wine pairing menu costs R695. Ahead of each course, Collette brought the paired wine to the table. Those that know me well know that I am very conservative about drinking wine, especially at lunch time, when I have to drive back to Cape Town. The Kleine Zalze wines were outstanding, and it was very hard to not have more than a sip of each. I had to ask Collette to pour a less Irish amount in the glasses! My waitress Cora brought a bread board, on a slate within a wooden board, with butter and a bowl of olives on a separate slate plate. She did not explain the bread styles, being focaccia, a seed roll, and a slice of rye bread. Soon thereafter the Amuse Bouche was served, tiny tastes of a Gruyere Gougère (cheese puff), chicken liver parfait with a red onion reduction, and patata brava topped with cream cheese, bacon, and chives. I loved the Afrikaans translation of the Amuse Bouche by the waitress serving the next table, being ‘‘n geskenkie van die kombuis’, but then described the items in English, leading to a request by the guests to have them described in Afrikaans, which was a challenge to her.

Collette poured the Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2013, a refreshing accompaniment to the first starter course of a tomato garden salad, made from poached peeled tomatoes, diced tomatoes, on top of which a small salad of buffalo mozzarella, rocket, chicory, cucumber, and radish was placed. On the plate too was Parmesan shavings, an olive purée smear, aioli with squid ink, a caper leaf, and an interesting lavash with baby carrots and marrow (R97).

Cora told me that all herbs and flowers for the dishes are picked in the garden not far from the restaurant. Vegetables are brought in by suppliers, and I saw the Ryan Boon truck deliver meat when I left.

A glassful of Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Chenin Blanc 2014 was poured in preparation for the signature dish of the restaurant, which has been on the menu for the past ten years, Cora told me, being prawn risotto, with Mozambican prawns prepared in garlic, chili, basil, butter, and lemon juice, Parmesan risotto, basil, sweet corn, and served with a colorful Americaine foam, made with reduced milk, Gruyere, butter, and cayenne pepper (R128).

The Kleine Zalze Pinot Noir 2013 was delicious, the smokiness of the wine matching the smoked duck, as did the berry flavour match the dried berries in the starter dish. Other elements were tortellini stuffed with Fontina cheese, chestnut purée and foam, crunchy granola, and shavings from a 36-month Parmesan (R105).  Other starter options are ceviche of yellowtail (R95), and fried Buffalo mozzarella with grapefruit (R99).

An interesting pairing with the confit pork belly main course was Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Chardonnay 2014, being slightly oaked. Another surprise was how well the walnuts tasted with the pork, which was served with cherry tomatoes, oats, roasted cauliflower, apple and fennel salad, and capers (R215). Other main courses are roast beef sirloin (R195), line fish (R195), a Venison Wellington with curry butter (R215), and mushroom ravioli (R199).

The dessert was caramelized apple, almond frangipani, honey and sesame seed tuile, custard tarts topped with nutmeg, a white chocolate and vanilla smear, apple purée, raspberry coulis, almond crumbs, and pecan ice cream (R95), served on a beautiful plate.  Vin de Constance 2009 was paired with the dessert. With the dessert I was served a perfectly made dry cappuccino. Other dessert options are a trio of sorbet (R79); strawberry, vanilla, meringue, and coconut (R87); chocolate palette, coconut crumble, and vanilla ice cream (R95); cheese plate (R95); and trio of ice cream (R79).

The service by Cora and her colleague was very good, checking with the kitchen whenever they could not answer a question. I was very impressed with Cora’s placement of fresh cutlery, on each side, and not stretching past. Cora knew the ingredients to sauces, having worked at Terroir for eight years already! Collette told me that Chef Michael, she, and the waitrons taste new dishes together, and decide on the best wine pairings. Terroir is expensive, but one would know this when choosing the restaurant. Seating outside is much nicer than what looks like a rather dark interior. To allow me fifteen minutes extra time to finish my meal, Cora kindly found some flowers in the garden for me, which I could take with me to the memorial service I had to attend nearby after lunch.

Terroir, Kleine Zalze estate, off R44, Stellenbosch. Tel (021) 880-8167 www.kleinezalze.co.za  Twitter:@TerroirFood  Monday – Sunday Lunch, Monday – Saturday Dinner.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com  Tel (021) 433-2100 Twitter:@WhaleCottage  Facebook:  click here