New menu from Grande Provence
Darren Roberts laughs as he recalls the shocked reaction from Joburgers to his R50-a-head menu in 1990. “We ran the first restaurant to reach the R50 mark in Joburg,” he explains of his Rivonia restaurant. Since then, he has worked in kitchens across the world, including a stint as Val Kilmer’s personal chef!
Now heading up the award-winning kitchen at Grande Provence in Franschhoek where a three-course menu, excluding wine, costs R295, he’s clearly seen some changes in the industry over the last two decades.
But one thing that hasn’t changed is Darren’s penchant for experimenting and pushing the boundaries, evident in his signature menu.
Explaining the new Grande Provence menu, Darren says, “You can start with dessert if you like!”
Diners choose three, four or five courses from a menu that isn’t divided into starters and mains. You get to decide what you would like to eat, and when you would like to eat it, and all are somewhere between starter and main portion in size.
Be sure to try the honey-roasted quail with Belgium endives, pear and candied walnuts. Pair it with the Grande Provence Sauvignon Blanc 2010, released in April this year, with its typical cool-climate characteristics of tropical fruit, figs and pears balanced by a racy acidity.
Another highlight is Darren’s lamb essence served with pearl barley and baby vegetables. Although this sublime dish is not on the regular restaurant menu – the reasoning being that it’s a comparatively small portion because it is so delectably rich – Darren will make it for special tasting menus. But best call in advance if you’ve got your heart set on it as it takes three days to reduce the lamb-shank stock into the ‘essence’!
A surprisingly good wine pairing with the essence is the Grande Provence Chardonnay 2009, the rich butter and delectate toast cutting through the saltiness of the thick, sticky broth.e
But, if you’re not lucky enough to taste the lamb essence, the thrice-cooked duckling with Natal lobster tagine is just as good, and Darren suggests that this be paired with the Shiraz 2007, a medium-bodied, Old World style wine
To end, the chocolate calzone with orange sorbet and a shot of white-chocolate vodka is heavenly and is wonderful combination of textures and flavours – sour, sweet and richly creamy. Unfortunately, Grande Provence does not produce a dessert wine or Port (and, with the exception of bubbly, only Grande Provence wines are available on the wine list), so this is paired with the Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 – not quite on the money, but close.
What about the restaurant itself? It’s beautiful inside with a roaring fireplace that adds warmth, although I did find the atmosphere a tad stiff. The best – and more relaxed – tables are outside in leafy the courtyard, perfect for an alfresco lunch.
