This popular Paarl restaurant offers an intriguing mix of European-style dishes with the best that this area has to offer. The owners, Olivier and Delenia Jaeggi-Wright, he being Swiss and she of Italian descent, bring a European sensibility to a cuisine that is never precious, but concentrates on maximum flavour in generous portions – the kind of cooking that has made it a favourite with the locals for many years. Helping Olivier with the cooking is Thabo Nqadie, who has been at Terra Mare for seven years, adding his very own African touch to the Swiss style of the house.

Food
The three-mushroom starter with mascarpone is just about one of the richest dishes you will come across in a month of Sundays; each mushroom has its own character, which adds so much to the dish. Gnocchi with blue cheese sauce has real Parma ham slivers on top, running a close second to the risotto for knockout flavour. If that all seems a bit much, try the antipasto platter with meat, marinated vegetables à la Grecque and cheese to get the taste buds going.

These starters are available in main portions as well, though I really don’t know who would be able to eat that amount! Springbok carpaccio with chakalaka cheese and Malay spiced oil, and tuna carpaccio with lime soya vinaigrette are also great, but the pièce de résistance is the vitello tonnato which nestles pinkly on a bed of mixed greens, including baby beetroot leaves, which is a nice touch. Here the tonnato dressing does not smother the dish as if it had something to hide, but rather is piled in the middle of the plate to show off the colour of the meat. Delicious.

Mains range from flesh to fowl with a nod to the ocean, with grilled tiger prawns, seared sashimi tuna with avocado and five sauces, and pan fried-sole with cherry tomatoes and avocado sauce. The ostrich fan fillet with truffle mash potatoes and mushroom sauce, and the duo of duck with orange syrup will satisfy the most eager of appetites. If you can tear yourself away from the lightest, richest tiramisu this side of the grape curtain, try the limoncello sorbet, which is ice-cold and anointed with shots of limoncello liquor. The combination of tangy lemons, sugar, and alcohol is irresistible.

Wine
As befits an establishment frequented by many of the local winemakers, this is a formidable (if somewhat pricey) list, very carefully chosen to complement the food. Some of the wines have been specially made for, and are exclusive to, Terra Mare. The list has intelligent descriptions of the varietals and wines clearly written by someone very knowledgeable, which is such a pleasure. Most of the wines are from this area and Franschhoek, but there are treasures from further afield. If you want Dom Perignon 2000 vintage (at R2000 a bottle), they have it.

Service
Comfortable and knowledgeable. The eye of the waiter is always on the customer, yet not breathing down their neck.

Ambience
The room itself is coolly modern with wood finishes, leather and chrome, and the occasional African touch just to remind you where you are. Overlooking the famous vineyards of Paarl, the outside deck, which is tented, is wildly popular when the weather is good, managing to achieve that indoor-outdoor ambience. The cosy bar is just the place to meet for before- or after-dinner drinks.

And…
Off-street parking is available behind the building, but it is limited, so phone ahead or park in the road outside.

By Greg Landman

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