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A picnic, Joburg skyline views, a sunset and a glass of Champagne. Not a bad way to spend a Friday afternoon.
That was the scene at Le Parc Polofields in Waterfall City, where we got an early taste of the restaurant's new Moët & Chandon boules court.
Think boules rolling, Moët & Chandon flowing and deluxe picnic baskets filled with French-inspired bites served court side. It all felt very South of France, just with the Joburg views in the background.
A little slice of France in Waterfall City
The recently opened spot from the team behind Tashas brings the French-inspired experience Hyde Park guests will know, with all-day dining, an artisan bakery, handcrafted pâtisserie and Retail Emporium.
But Polofields has a few additions of its own, including a generous outdoor garden, boules court and dinner offering, making it a spot that can take you from a morning coffee to sunset drinks.
Things get competitive on the boules court
Set just outside the restaurant, the court has a relaxed, outdoorsy feel, with small pebbles underfoot adding to its rustic charm. It’s surrounded by laid-back seating and umbrellas, creating an easy spot to settle in between games.
If you're new to boules, the premise is simple: get your boules as close as possible to the small target ball.
Easy enough in theory, although the game intensifies swiftly.
Our team, aptly named the Boules Baddies, somehow made it all the way to the semi-finals, with a glass of Moët to match. What started as a casual game quickly brought out the competitive streak, but it's fun and can be a great idea for a date night or a friendship date.
Boules and a basket of French-inspired bites
The boules experience is about more than what happens on the court. Guests can choose from three picnic basket options, served courtside with a bottle of Moët or a non-alcoholic alternative.
Le Classique is the vegetarian option, with a baguette, cheese selection, fig and truffle confit, seasonal fruit, Torree chips and macarons. Le Chic adds a seafood spin with salmon mousse and marinated olives, while Le Grand Luxe is the meatier option, with the likes of prosciutto and salami.
Basket experiences start from R750 without alcohol (1 L lemonade) and from R1 300 with two 200ml bottles of Moët & Chandon.
The picnic spread also gives Le Parc a chance to showcase some of the locally made products available from its Retail Emporium. Our basket included the salmon mousse, Chutney d’Oignon au Romarin, made with South African onions and rosemary, and raspberry jam, which had just the right balance of sweetness and tartness.
Everything tasted fresh, and my advice is to come hungry. Between the bread, cheese, seasonal fruit and Champagne, the picnic is surprisingly filling. And if you somehow still have room afterwards, you can always stay for dinner.
The Le Parc Polofields boules experience is available from Thursday to Sunday. Each booking gives you 60 minutes on the court, and your booking includes the boules hire and equipment. Bookings can be made via Dineplan.
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