We recently stayed at Milford Sound Lodge and took the opportunity to dine at Pio Pio Restaurant, their onsite dining option.
Milford Sound Lodge is set in pristine New Zealand wilderness and their menu reflects their commitment to the local area, with Kiwi fare and locally sourced products used wherever possible.
If you’re staying at the lodge, Pio Pio Restaurant is the obvious place to dine, and a fantastic experience and adventure into New Zealand food and wine.
We chose the three-course, $75 dining option. So, what did I eat?
Entree | GREEN LIP MUSSELS — (GF, DF*) in a wakame broth, rye bread, herb butter
I paired this with a chardonnay.
Main | FIORDLAND VENISON — (GF) with kumara puree, charred baby onions, roasted spring carrots, buttered beans, red wine jus
I paired this with a pinot noir.
Dessert | CHOCOLATE MOUSSE — Hazelnut crust, dark ghana chocolate, passionfruit, raspberry
More pinot noir!
The Fiordland wild venison was hands down the standout dish in my opinion. Expertly cooked beautifully rare, the meat was tender and juicy with that delicious game flavour shining through. Kumara puree provided another tick towards local produce. Perfectly paired with a New Zealand Pinot Noir.
The mussels were excellent and the broth soaked up on the rye bread was incredibly comforting. I enjoyed that both my entree and main were quite Kiwi-oriented in their fare.
And last but not least, dessert. They have a DF option for the chocolate mousse, made from whipped tofu! We gave it a whirl, it was surprisingly soft, silky, rich and tasty.
The team were wonderful in creating a special evening for us, producing a customised dessert platter for my brother who was celebrating his birthday!
If you’re in Milford Sound, this is a fantastic restaurant to relax and dine in to enjoy Kiwi cuisine.
