Acclaimed Winelands restaurant Terroir has welcomed the arrival of winter with a special menu offer that is sure to make this award-winning Stellenbosch eatery the hottest table in town as the cold sets in.

While previous years have seen chef Michael Broughton and his team dream up a stand-alone winter menu separate from the à la carte offering, this year the focus is on encouraging both locals and visitors to indulge in the true Terroir experience by offering a taste of the full à la carte menu at an extremely pocket-friendly price.

From May to September guests can enjoy their choice of two dishes (starter/main or main/dessert) from Terroir’s French-inspired chalkboard menu for just R295 per person. This price also includes a glass of Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection wine. 

Broughton is renowned for his unmatched skills as a master saucier, and the new dishes on his winter menu showcase the considerable talents of this award-winning chef.

This winter the beef main course sees generous slices of flame-grilled dry-aged sirloin served atop a voluptuous celeriac velouté, book-ended by brisket croustillants in a garden of baby vegetables. A delicate Hollandaise adds the perfect dash of acidity to the plate, while a side order of velvety aligot – a French dish of potato whipped with Comté cheese and butter – is a must.

Vegetarian diners are also well taken care of this winter, with Broughton’s feather-light potato gnocchi pan-fried and served atop a salsa verde with baby vegetables and raw mushrooms. A generous shaving of black truffle adds a welcome hit of umami to the plate.

“This dish is our vegetarian’s delight!” says Broughton, who has integrated plenty of bold umami flavours into his winter menu. And they’re often in dishes where you’d least expect it.

While the sesame-crusted tuna loin with white bean and miso purée is delicious all on its own, it’s the umami-packed broth of ginger, dashi, soy, rice wine vinegar and seaweed alongside that is unforgettable.

Loyal locals will also be happy to hear that Terroir’s legendary prawn risotto with Americaine sauce remains on the selection of starters. “We just have to keep that risotto on the menu. If we take it off everyone complains!” laughs Broughton.

Another complaint this winter may be that it’s impossible to choose only two dishes from the chalkboard menu. Happily, a solution is at hand.

“This year, for the first time, we are branching out to offer a multi-course tasting menu,” explains Broughton. The four-course tasting journey allows diners to select any four dishes from the à la carte offering, with slightly smaller portions allowing guests to discover more of the menu.

The four-course menu is priced at R395 per person. A wine-pairing option is also available, with a generous tasting portion (100ml) of memorable Kleine Zalze wine paired with each course.

Dining at Terroir never fails to be a memorable experience, whether seated out on the dappled terrace or indoors next to the roaring fireplace. With Broughton’s considerable talent buoyed by a youthful new energy in the kitchen, Terroir is certainly set to shine a spotlight on winelands cuisine this winter.

The winter special offer is valid from 2 May to 30 September, at both lunch and dinner. Two dishes (starter/main or main/dessert, served as standard-sized portions) from the à la carte menu, with a glass of Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection wine, costs R295 per person. The four-course tasting menu with/without wine pairing costs R395/R495 per person respectively. Individual à la carte orders can still be made and will be charged at the listed menu price.

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