Live Music at Miko | Mont Rochelle

Music at Miko

It’s wine Wednesday and what better way to be saying cheers to the week than slowly sipping a glass of the Mont Rochelle Chardonnay with the strumming of live acoustic covers lingering in the background.

The evening started with a sombre drink in the alongside the bar. Cosy, with a mix of lounge styled seating and the classic barstool at the bar complete with a quick-witted bartender for the banter and solid sense of humour.

A gentleman named James can be heard in the background zealously welcoming in-house Mont Rochelle guests to join him and his team in the bar area ahead of our a la carte dinner which starts at 19h00 every event.

It’s a little dreary in the distance weather wise, if this wasn’t the case, I’m sure an open aired al fresco evening on the loungers adjacent to Miko restaurant would be on the cards.

Definitely, an option for the upcoming events as spring and the festive season slowly approaches.

James to anyone who has had the pleasure of visiting any number of the Mont Rochelle offerings will know James if not by name but definitely by his smile and overly infectious laugh. He’s been here as long as I can remember and that’s at least 8 years ago since I first visited the estate.

Little has drastically changed since Richard (here’s where you read – it’s Sir Richard to you!) Branson acquired the estate, the rooms have been revamped to offer re-imagined on-trend country styled suites with not one but two restaurants.

The Country Kitchen, a stone’s throw away from the Hotel incorporates the tasting room activities and the famed Wine Tram visitors. As well as offering simple fare to savour along with their estate wines, perfectly paired with a sun-kissed afternoon on the lawns overlooking the vines and valley.

Miko, the fine dining eatery on-site is boastfully branded with the heritage and history that is MIKO.

Here you’ll find a playful project by the team at Hot Cocoa, cape town based aesthetic curators.

On my visit, you’re greeted with a roaring fire and bold geometric canvas pieces that mimic the gradient of blue that panels in the cottage pane, rondavel stylized eatery.

I dare say that a childlike approach was taken to what is often a very serious use of “African animal Prints” here Cheetah type print is replaced with shades of orange, lime green and what looks like leopard printed blue textiles, dotted throughout the room.

Artwork at Miko Restaurant

Exposed thatch, beams and a spiralled room don wire woven wicker light fittings that draw your eye towards the naked ceiling, a second fireplace is hidden just there.

A past time that is often forgotten is the joy of live music over a leisurely meal. . Soft strumming on an acoustic guitar as the sun sets hopefully so do the woes of Wednesday. . I’m seated at the fifth window watching the day and town of #Franschhoek fade to black. . @jajstewart covertly covers “Only you” by Yazoo.
A post shared by Llewellyn Lambert (@llewellynwho) on Jul 25, 2018 at 10:37am PDT

I’m seated just overlooking the lawns where, what looks like croquet can be played but today this game is a mere prop in what appears to be a wedding shoot. The photographer can be seen chasing the light, trying to escape the cheeky clouds which bend and break at every whim. The couple look elated none-the-less, and as any newlyweds would given the beautiful backdrop.

James Stewart, the resident musician for Music at Miko, not be confused with James the precious “piece of furniture “ we mentioned earlier, is strumming Only You by Yazoo.

As melodically as the music, courses flow from Savory Macarons to carpaccio styled kudu and comforting kob. The wine paired is smooth, velvety and caressed with fresh, first fill wood.

It’s wine Wednesday and what better way to celebrate what is almost the end of the week, of winter, than slowly sipping a glass of the Mont Rochelle Chardonnay with the strumming of live acoustic covers in the background.

So I’ll go back to doing just that and living in the remanence of the night’s nuances.