Myoga

The name means “ginger blossom” – a reference to its sibling restaurant Ginja, home of one of the city's finest chefs Mike Bassett. Bassett has come to this side of the mountain to open up his third Asian-fusion experience at the Vineyard Hotel. He is, as many will know, a genius at marrying Asian ingredients and methodology with the best local produce he can source.

 

Coupled with a healthy sense of innovation, the results are always entertaining but more importantly, absolutely memorably mouthwatering. Teaming up with Les Harbottle (the visual whiz behind the Melrose Arch hotel in Johannesburg), Bassett has taken the site of the old Au Jardin restaurant and turned it into a moody Asian lair with techno touches. From the Myoga blossom carpet (handmade in Singapore) to the LED-lit loos and the handmade (by the chef himself) tableware that evokes the traditions of the Japanese dining ritual, there is an inordinate attention to detail. This does justice to the menu and makes good of the fact that you are likely to spend a pretty penny on this fine food.

My partner and I decided to treat ourselves to a mid-week date. We ummed and aahed and finally settled on our starters – the seared abalone with sticky wild mushrooms, seared foie gras and wasabi “peas” for him and trio of scallops (with foie gras and vanilla air; as ceviche with tempura squid; and on a disc of kataifi pastry) for me.

Basset has already carved a niche as a chef who likes to demonstrate what he can do with one ingredient at Ginja and my trio offered countless flavour sensations that just kept on coming. The abalone, said my partner (who has grown up diving them from the sea and cooking them in any number of ways), was the best he’d ever tasted.

Knowing he’s a man of calculated statements, I leaned in for a taste and, do you know, I think it may well have been one of the most heavenly forkfuls of West Coast saltiness and earthy yet subtly sweet foie gras I too have sampled? Basset’s beautiful marriage of “surf and turf” was quite simply sublime and we decided straight away that next time we’re coming back for a glass of bubbly and a double portion of this extra special starter (which no doubt will soon be a signature).

How does one live up to starters of such calibre, one might ask, but the mains on the Myoga menu do not disappoint. I’d feared that my choice of the veal trio (served on a melanzane disc; with foie gras, wild mushrooms and truffle; and with a potato croquette with a green peppercorn veloute) would be too rich and while there was a myriad flavour sensations to experience, I didn’t feel any overkill, just lovely layers of flavour with each tender mouthful of medallion. My partner chose the trio of lamb and pronounced the macadamia mint crusted medallions to be his favourite (the others were lemon rosemary roasted on a creamy cauliflower puree and char sui loin with a zingy tomato chutney).

Next time I’ll try the seared salmon with its orange shrimp glaze on seaweed rocket puree though the Marimoko duck, Peking style with truffled egg sauce is tempting too. There is no way we could have managed pudding though, judging by the choices, Bassett has indulged his penchant for play in this sector of the menu too.

On the wine side, aficionados will be pleased that there are some excellent choices. The wait staff are, happily, more than equipped to offer suggestions as Franz, who served us, did, as well as a cellar of off-the-list choices if you ask nicely.

If this review sounds like I’m singing Myoga’s praises from the rooftops, it’s because I am. We visited on only the fifth night of operation and if they can continue to get it as right as they did when we visited, the future looks rosy indeed.

Average cost of a three-course meal: R220.

By Vicki Sleet