Signature Restaurant

Mokhatjane, Mokhatjane, Mokhatjane (Mo). If you are wondering what that name represents at Signature, it is the personification of unprovoked hostility. I have dined at the most prestigious establishments in the States, Brazil, China, Denmark and many other countries, but I have never experienced a welcome as cold, heartless or as calculated as the one provided by Mo. I walked in on New Year’s Eve, smiled warmly at her, and politely asked for a table for one. I had been in the building for less than thirty seconds. When I turned my head for a moment to check a noise behind me, she snapped: "Where you are looking is where you gonna go." Let’s be clear about what that means: before I had even been seated, the hostess was telling me that I should turn around and leave. It is the ultimate insult. Imagine greeting someone with genuine kindness only to have them tell you to get out through a cryptic, nasty riddle. When I called her out, she didn't even have the grace to apologize, instead gaslighting me by saying it was a "joke" and I was "too serious." The manager (Kwanele) got involved and the contrast was staggering. While Kwanele, was offering a sincere apology, Mokhatjane stood there, rolling her eyes and glaring at me with a level of malice I have never seen in the service industry. It is a tragedy that an incredible server like Thando and a talented kitchen team are being represented at the front door by someone who treats guests like an inconvenience she needs to get rid of. If you want to be treated like a human being on a holiday, stay far away from Mokhatjane. For those curious, I had Oysters with caviar as a starter, T-bone steak, Pina Collada, a Creme Brule for dessert and spent just under 2k.