Miko is one of two restaurants at Richard Branson’s newly refurbished Mont Rochelle hotel, spa and vineyard.
The restaurant was named for Rwandan-born billionaire Miko Rwayitare, the previous owner of Mont Rochelle and the first black African to own a South African winery. A South African resident since 1996, Miko died in 2006 and his family sold Mont Rochelle to Branson.
As tributes go, it doesn’t get much better than this.
Part of the Miko restaurant experience is the exquisite mountain views from the dining room overlooking the Mont Rochelle vineyards. The decor includes genius use of color — dark walls, light floor, a floor-to-ceiling fireplace and exposed beams beneath a thatched-roof ceiling.
Portions were small, and the meal energizing. The food was light, fresh and uplifting. There was nothing heavy or greasy about it. They overall effect was to make me feel incredibly grateful.
The meal began with ciabatta and olive bread with pesto. Next came fish cake with aioli, followed by yellowfin tuna niςoise with white anchovy dust, crispy quail egg, Parmesan wafer and caesar dressing.
Just think about that for a second, and check out the attached photo of the niςoise. This may be the most beautifully presented dish I ever saw. Cost for the salad was R105 (US$9).
The main course was Karoo lamb loin with goats cheese mousseline, finger eggplant, and candied olives infused with African wild garlic (R195 or US$16.83).
We also ordered two side dishes — sweet potato nuggets and creamed spinach (each R45 or US$3.88). The spinach good enough to change the way I felt about spinach.
Dessert was the epic Valrhona chocolate extravaganza (R95 rand or US$8.20). Valrhona is a high-grade luxury chocolate made in Hermitage, a wine-growing district of France.
Expert Review
Miko is one of two restaurants at Richard Branson's newly refurbished Mont Rochelle hotel, spa and vineyard. The restaurant was...
Miko is one of two restaurants at Richard Branson’s newly refurbished Mont Rochelle hotel, spa and vineyard.
The restaurant was named for Rwandan-born billionaire Miko Rwayitare, the previous owner of Mont Rochelle and the first black African to own a South African winery. A South African resident since 1996, Miko died in 2006 and his family sold Mont Rochelle to Branson.
As tributes go, it doesn’t get much better than this.
Part of the Miko restaurant experience is the exquisite mountain views from the dining room overlooking the Mont Rochelle vineyards. The decor includes genius use of color — dark walls, light floor, a floor-to-ceiling fireplace and exposed beams beneath a thatched-roof ceiling.
Portions were small, and the meal energizing. The food was light, fresh and uplifting. There was nothing heavy or greasy about it. They overall effect was to make me feel incredibly grateful.
The meal began with ciabatta and olive bread with pesto. Next came fish cake with aioli, followed by yellowfin tuna niςoise with white anchovy dust, crispy quail egg, Parmesan wafer and caesar dressing.
Just think about that for a second, and check out the attached photo of the niςoise. This may be the most beautifully presented dish I ever saw. Cost for the salad was R105 (US$9).
The main course was Karoo lamb loin with goats cheese mousseline, finger eggplant, and candied olives infused with African wild garlic (R195 or US$16.83).
We also ordered two side dishes — sweet potato nuggets and creamed spinach (each R45 or US$3.88). The spinach good enough to change the way I felt about spinach.
Dessert was the epic Valrhona chocolate extravaganza (R95 rand or US$8.20). Valrhona is a high-grade luxury chocolate made in Hermitage, a wine-growing district of France.