Pierneef à La Motte Restaurant has always been about sharing. Sharing food stories and sharing food favourites. And it is this personal concept of heritage cuisine that is the inspiration behind the restaurant’s new offering. Beautifully creative, every single morsel served in the elegant environment of the restaurant, shares a line from the South African food story.
With its refined and calm ambience perfect for extended lunch hours, Pierneef à La Motte invites guests to start their meal with shared dishes inspired by the various food cultures and stories from our rich culinary heritage – a variety of breads, spreads, salads and meats. The family-style starters are accompanied by condiments from Granny’s pantry – fruit and vegetables pickled or preserved, chakalaka or chutney, kaiingsor kluitjies… A big part of our collective food heritage lies in these additions and Chef Eric Bulpitt’s communal starter serves as an innovative introduction of our diverse culinary traditions.
Keeping with the heritage theme, but without losing the sophistication it is renowned for, Pierneef à La Motte’s à la carte menu offers a choice of main courses, individually plated with Bulpitt’s signature modern interpretation.
Expect a selection that interprets authenticity and wholesomeness with the latest culinary trends. While this menu changes regularly according to the season, availability of ingredients and the Chef’s inspiration, current options include sustainable West Coast fish with carrot velouté, pickled mussels and masala oil, free range pork shoulder with Jerusalem artichokes, onion and trotter broth, Karoo hunter’s pie with pickled beetroot and carrot chutney, aged sirloin on the bone with roast potatoes and creamed spinach and salt-baked celeriac with roasted hazelnut butter, sage, lemon and kale as a vegetarian option.
All dishes are introduced with La Motte Cellarmaster Edmund Terblanche’s wine recommendations, available at estate prices. However, the acclaimed wine list also includes other interesting South African as well as international wine choices.
The two-course menu of a shared starter and main course costs R335 per person (wine and service fee excluded).
Desserts can be ordered as an additional course. The dessert menu is a trip down memory lane, revealing a legacy of nostalgic sweets in a way that charms and comforts with decadence such as baked dark chocolate with roasted walnuts and rose ice cream, lemon meringue with lemon curd, burnt meringue and vanilla tuile or raspberry and vanilla buttermilk mille-feuille with raspberry textures and buchu. A selection of South African cheeses, preserves and lavash is also available.
In addition, the restaurant offers a lighter option for guests who are in the mood for something to enjoy after a wine tasting, mountainside hike or visit to the La Motte museum. Choose the Winelands Cheese Platter or a seasonal Farm Plate – both options include a glass of wine at R150 per person.
In line with the principle of heritage food, menu choices are ethical and sustainable, making use of seasonal, local and artisan ingredients, while in the South African tradition of hospitality, dishes are brought to the table with love and generosity.
