Casita Miro - Waiheke Island

Most residents of Waiheke Island will know Miro Vineyard and how to get there. For the rest of us, it takes a ferry from the city, followed by a taxi ride deep into the heart of the island to find the winery’s restaurant, Casita Miro, set among rows of cabernet, merlot and syrah vines. It’s not an inexpensive journey: two of us forked out around $100 for transport before we were seated at our table.

We were prepared, of course, but this, along with an awareness of the accolades afforded this place by others, meant our need for satisfaction was reasonably elevated.

We need not have worried. Casita Miro delivered a memorable experience, satisfying on a number of levels.
The restaurant is essentially a large glass room nestled into the side of a hill, with views towards the ocean across a valley of vines. It’s a light and airy space and in the right conditions the walls of windows can be opened up, conveying the sense of eating in a roofed courtyard. The furnishings are eclectic – a mix of glass, wrought iron and timber, with lashings of colour and texture – providing a quirky but welcoming environment that’s perfectly suited to the style of food and service. Under the direction of owner and host Cat Vosper, there’s no sign of starchiness here – it’s all very relaxed, but also charming and efficient.

Chef Justin Scheihing offers a frequently changing menu of Spanish, Moroccan and Mediterranean-inspired dishes. Some are smaller, while others are more substantial and can be treated as main courses. But the most enjoyable way of eating here is to simply share a selection of dishes.

While making our decisions we worked our way through a bowl of beautifully piquant giant Greek olives that had been roasted with orange peel, cumin seeds and caramelised onions, and shared a serving of fougasse – a house-made bread similar to focaccia that came with an amazing white bean and truffle oil whip, and a capsicum and almond pesto. We followed these with moderately fiery patatas bravas – potatoes cooked with tomato, chipotle chilli and chorizo made on site – and carpaccio of Northland octopus served with a ceviche of Onetangi Bay tarakihi. These were both dishes of great complexity and flavour, thoughtfully prepared and beautifully presented.

However, the highlights were yet to come. A profoundly flavoured pork and chocolate ragout with gorgonzola, served on a polenta gnocchi, had us seriously considering a second serving, while a simply superb lamb tagine was an inspired combination of meaty, sweet and nutty tastes, with a wonderful aroma and great depth of flavour. The suggested wine match was the 2008 Miro Syrah. It worked reasonably well but the dish highlighted a subtle late bitterness in the wine and so the sweetness of the Miro 2008 (a blend of cabernet franc, merlot, cabernet and malbec) was our pick.

The small-plate way of dining meant we had room for dessert so we finished by sharing chocolate molten cake with vanilla ice-cream, and house-made baklava with wedges of sweet orange. Both were wonderful, especially when matched with a glass of the stunning Miro Madame Rouge Luxe, a lusciously sweet fortified wine made from cabernet grapes.

Casita Miro offers a comprehensive and well-considered menu of dishes, each of which contributes unique tastes and textures within the boundaries of an authentic Mediterranean theme. The menu and the casual dining environment complement each other delightfully. Best of all there is a clear understanding of the value of a strong point of difference, delivered by Cat Vosper and her team with great skill, consistency and more than a little fun.

3 Brown Rd, Onetangi, Waiheke Island, ph: 09-372 7854, mirovineyard.co.nz
Lunch Wed-Sun 11.30am-4pm, dinner Sat from 6pm, 27 Dec to mid-Feb 7 days 11.30am-4pm, Sat from 6pm
Sharing plates: $19-$40