Highlands Road Café Menu                                              Winter 2014               

Something Light

Antipasto Platter

A selection of charcuterie, Cheese, Olives, Roasted peppers, homemade Chicken liver pate, and preserves

R98  

Soup of the day

Ask your friendly server about our seasonal soup of the day, served with toasted bread

Deep-fried Camembert

Whole Camembert cheese, crumbed and deep fried, served with toasted bread and topped with a fig & nut relish

R60

Bobotie Samosas

3 Large homemade Samosas with a Bobotie filling, served with homemade Chutney and sambal

R60

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Sandwiches & Salads

Charcuterie, Roasted Pepper & Brie Sandwich

Tomato base, Salami, Parma Ham, Roasted peppers, Brie, Mozzarella and fresh basil on toasted ciabatta bread

R65

Winter Salad

Warm salad of roasted root vegetables, rocket and sunflower seeds with a basil pesto dressing

R60

Smoked Salmon Flatbread

Homemade toasted flatbread topped with cream cheese, smoked Salmon ribbons, capers and red onion

R80

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Wood-fired Pizzas

All pizzas are topped with our home-made tomato-base and grated mozzarella cheese. Choose your basic pizza and add your choice of meat(s)

Caramelized onions, Mushrooms, Blue Cheese and fresh Rocket

R85

Roasted peppers, Kalamata olives, and Brie cheese

R85

Margarita 

R80

Kiddies Pizzas

Hawaiian (Ham and Pineapple)

R65

Margarita

R60

Bacon and Mozzarella

R65

Our Special of the Day

Wood Fired Pizza with Avocado, Feta, Peppadew and Bacon

R85

Soup of the Day

Creamy Pumpkin and Blue Cheese, Served with Blue Cheese toasts

R45

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The Black Sheep of the Vineyards a.k.a. an Ode to Pinot Noir

If you’ve visited us at Highlands Road, you’ll know that we LOVE Pinot Noir. It is a beautifully complex varietal that does particularly well in the cooler Elgin climate, and is typically associated with Burgundy style wines, as it is grown in abundance in this region in France.

The name Pinot Noir is derived from the French words “pine” and “black” both alluding to the physical appearance if the grapes being dark in colour and in tightly clustered pine-cone-shaped bunches. The grapes tendency to form such clusters is also one of the primary reasons why it is such a difficult and temperamental varietal to grow and harvest, as these clusters make them more susceptible to various forms of rot. It is therefore often said that Pinot Noir (wine) is “made on the vine and not in the cellar”.

Apart from the difficulties of growing the grape, the wine poses additional obstacles when it comes to ageing. The thin skin of the grape leads to particularly low levels of phenolic compounds, yielding lighter juice and low levels of tannin. Despite these challenges, Pinot Noir is considered one of the most noble varietals and when handled with skilled and knowledgeable hands (such as those of our winemaker, Jacques Maree) produces a magnificently complex and enjoyable wine.

Another fabulous aspect to this misunderstood varietal is that it makes for a fantastic cooking partner, with one of my all-time favourite winter-time recipes obtaining most of its delicious flavours and aromas from being marinated for 12 luxurious hours drenched in a bottle of the finest.

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