The last time I visited La Petite Ferme it was for a wedding. The bride’s mother tripped over a speaker, went crashing to the floor with high heels flashing across the sky. EISH! What a shambles. It didn’t really give me a good sense of the restaurant (not that it was their fault, she’d had a few!) but I was happy to return this winter and enjoy the well known restaurant’s fare.
Lunch In the Hills
We arrived early to a mostly empty restaurant. We love this as it allows us to take photographs, settle in and really get a sense of the staff and the environment. Fireplaces keep the restaurant warm in winter; as sunlights shines across the valley below. Views are easily taken in through the restaurants beautiful large glass windows.
Starters
We were a little pressed for time as we were meeting friends in the village to spend the night at the Ivy Apartments, so we ordered quickly.
I indulged in a camembert starter (R85) , which was a shame to eat as it was so beautifully presented I felt positively guilty cutting into it! Accompanied with an asparagus pesto (yum), candied walnuts and baby kale, I LOVED this starter! I loved it so much I may even name it dish of the day! Mr John enjoyed the array of breads on the menu, freshly baked in the restaurant.
Mains at La Petite Ferme
For mains Mr John and I shared two dishes (well, I say shared but Mr John doesn’t eat chicken 😉 ). “We” enjoyed the chicken roulade (R185), not something I’d usually order in a restaurant, but it was recommended by our server and I thought it would be fun to try something different.
With tender and juicy chicken I was interested that the chicken was roasted as I usually associate crumbs with deep fried. I enjoyed the cauliflower and turmeric puree as it was a new taste experience for me. I love earthy, baby rainbow carrots and long stem almond broccoli (yum!) in general, and the port jus was rich and delicious. This dish could work in any season.
The second dish was a La Petite Ferme classic, slow-roasted lamb (R235) with aubergine, thyme, and polenta chips. The aubergine form the cup of the dish, allowing diners to gentle peel back the layers and reveal the rich, delicious lamb.
I did find it is smidddgggeee dry, which is why the yoghurt was paired so perfectly as it added back any lost moisture. Lamb fat can be particularly pungent so I thought this was a fair solution. The fresh rosemary reinforced the traditional lamb partnership.
Dessert
We ended the meal with an oldie but a goodie – dark chocolate mousse. Accompanied with textures of beetroot, orange gel and “cheesecake” (which I just thought was clotted cream, oops!), ALL the flavours worked super well together. My only “complaint” was the texture; it ate more like a ganache than an airy, light mousse.
The service from the team at La Petite Ferme was excellent as was the cutlery and crockery. It might sound silly, but having a great glass to enjoy wine or soft drink really can make a different to the experience.
I liked their bespoke plates featuring the restaurant and the fresh proteas, but would prefer white table clothes to mats – just because I think the restaurant is special enough for that.
Thank you so much to La Petite Ferme for having us. We look forward to returning when all the garden renovations are complete and the days are longer over the beautiful valley.
