The Kleine Zalze Restaurant opened in October 2020 in the space previously home to Terroir restaurant. Over nearly 16 years of operation Terroir proved hugely successful, but the new tourism landscape and safety concerns and regulations prompted Kleine Zalze to rethink – and reboot – the farm’s food and wine offering.
“At the heart of our thinking was to create and offer a holistic Kleine Zalze in-tegrated food and wine experience for the future,” explains Kobus Basson, Managing Director and Owner of Kleine Zalze. “And, of course, across both the new restaurant and wine tasting center we continuously put enormous effort into staff training to ensure strict compliance with all of the latest Covid- 19 hygiene protocols.”
The Chef
To assist with the reinvention, respected chef Nic van Wyk was brought in to lead and assist the team as culinary consultant. And Van Wyk is certainly no stranger to the estate.
“In many ways Kleine Zalze is where everything started for me,” reminisces Van Wyk, who opened Terroir with chef Michael Broughton in 2004. “But over my years of cooking across the winelands I’ve always had a soft spot for Kleine Zalze, so I was thrilled when Kobus asked me to be involved and advise on this new chapter for the estate.” “The food I like to cook is quite timeless,” says Van Wyk.
“My approach has always been about being honest, authentic and generous in my cooking. That is what we want to offer at the Kleine Zalze Restaurant. Not necessarily fine dining but certainly top-quality delicious food.”
The Menu
The menu at the Kleine Zalze Restaurant changes regularly and offers a compact selection of plats du jour; a collection of delicious dishes inspired by classic cuisine.
This could mean a bowl of plump West Coast mussels, steamed in white wine and served with crisp baguettes freshly baked in- house. Perhaps beef fillet with a classic béarnaise or given a lift with truffle- infused jus. Triple-cooked chips come standard, of course. On another day, look out for fresh line fish from local suppliers, served with simple lemon butter sauce. Interesting, delectable dessert are always on offer. “For the plats du jour the focus is on timeless, classic dishes – their flavours never go out of fashion,” says Van Wyk.
Alongside the plats du jour Van Wyk also created a small selection of tapas plates, perfectly pitched for a lighter meal at the restaurant or to complement a wine tasting. “These tapas plates are a chance for the chefs to get a little more creative, a bit more playful in contrast to the straightforward plats du jour,” adds van Wyk. The new culinary approach is also designed to ensure seamless integration of the food and wine experience on the estate.
Wine Tasting
The wine tasting center introduced a new selection of tasting options to showcase the wines of the estate.
Guests can now enjoy a Cap Classique tasting, a tasting of the wines from the Cellar Selection range or a tasting of the award-winning Vineyard Selection range.
For the first time guests can enjoy sampling the full range of exclusive Family Reserve wines. There is also a summer offering where a selection from the different ranges can be tasted.
Kleine Zalze Wines and Restaurant are situated on Strand Road (R44), Stellenbosch, South Africa.
For reservation call us on 021 880 8167 or send an e-mail to [email protected] +27 (21) 880 8167
