As you already know, Franschhoek is one of my favourite Winelands towns – any chance to spend the night, and wild horses could not keep me away! Grant and I recently spent the night at Franschhoek Country Guest House, which included dinner at Monneaux Restaurant to taste their new summer menu.
Franschhoek Country House
Grant and I stayed at the five-star Franschhoek Country House many years ago, which we loved and were excited to be heading back. Located only 1km from the main town it is ideal for exploring the Franschhoek Valley.
Guests can choose from rooms in the original Franschhoek Country House or a Villa Suite. Grant and I stayed in a beautifully decorated villa suite, overlooking the garden.
After settling in and enjoying a glass {or two} of local vino – we went for a stroll around the perfectly manicured garden. Next on the agenda was a quick power nap before dinner at Monneaux Restaurant.
Monneaux Restaurant
As I mentioned we were dining at Monneaux Restaurant specifically to taste their new summer menu. The re-conceptualised dining offering at Monneaux incorporates self-sustainable initiatives, in addition to a hyper-local focus at every stage of the culinary chain.
These inspired changes are thanks to visionary young chef Calvin Metior, who was most recently the executive sous chef at La Motte, before being appointed as executive chef at Monneaux in October.
We were fortunate enough to meet this rising star, who has created an inspired and imaginative menu, which puts flavour first. Above all, allowing quality ingredients to be the hero of the dish.
Food should be enjoyable throughout – from the way it looks, to the way in which it is eaten and how it tastes.”
Calvin Metior
On The Menu
Calvin’s new menu at Monneaux includes a wide selection of starters, mains, and lighter “snack style” dishes. Giving guests the flexibility to enjoy snacks and small plates with drinks or a full three-course meal.
Small Plates
Starter highlights included a Franschhoek Smoked Trout Blini, with ‘amasi’ labneh and cucumber, as well as Heritage Beetroot, with candied pecan nut, citrus honey and Belnori ashed goats’ cheese. In particular, the Aged Beef Tartar, with coal emulsion, fermented garlic stems, burnt onion paste and ciabatta, is incredible. I especially loved the smokiness of the dish.
Mains
For mains, I ordered the Iberico Pork, with gooseberry, celeriac and homemade mustard. Perfectly cooked pork was complemented by tart gooseberry and earthy celeriac. Grant opted for the Honey Glazed Free-range Duck Breast, with turnip, cherry and coriander. The duck was delicious, with extremely well-balanced flavours. Another delicious sounding dish is the Truffled Potato Gnocchi, with egg yolk taffy, salsa verde and wild mushrooms.
Dessert
Finally, it was time for something sweet, the Raspberry Mille-Feuille, with vanilla buttermilk and lemon verbena, comes highly recommended. However, the Spiced Apple Tarte Tatin, with ginger ice cream was the pièce de résistance! Ginger ice cream is fast becoming a favourite of mine. If you prefer something savoury then the Selection of South African Cheese, with preserves and crackers is the dish for you.
In Conclusion
Monneaux Summer Menu
In conclusion, the new summer menu at Monneaux Restaurant is a true celebration of wonderful local ingredients. Something I really admire about Calvin’s approach to cooking is his clever use of simple flavours, allowing the main ingredients of the dish to be tasted and appreciated, but in no way overpowered. In addition, each dish we tasted was interesting and extremely flavourful, not to forget the amazing local wine we enjoyed with our meal.
Contact Details & Location
To make a reservation, visit the Monneaux Website or call +27 21 876 3386.
Images
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Disclosure
We enjoyed a complimentary meal and drinks courtesy of Monneaux Restaurant.
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