Banque, Remuera

Herald rating: * * * * 1/2

Because my dining companion lives in the neighbourhood, this was the third time in as many months that we had been to Banque, which has become an oasis in the gastronomic desert that is Remuera.

On our first visit we suffered from being ignored in the corner, on our second, with a larger group we had no complaints — it seems to be the sort of place Remuera-ites go for special family occasions. So this our third visit, we decided, would be official.

The long narrow building that was once a bakery where proprietor Dominique Parat — of Ibiza and GPK fame — found his first cooking job in Auckland, has a bar front and back. The back bar is open to the sky for smokers we presume, although it was the outdoor fire doing most of the smoking, this evening. I can't help thinking that outdoor bar could become a regular haunt over the summer.

We began out there with a glass of the Ata Rangi Petrie chardonnay for me ($14) and a glass of the Amor Bendall unoaked chardonnay for the wine aficianado ($10) who subsequently joined me in the Ata Rangi — a superior drop by both our reckoning.

We were delighted to discover there was a new summer menu since our previous visit and maybe it said something about my unusually large appetite that I fancied ordering several of the mains. Squid linguine and the grilled pork cutlet were initially considered.

Decisions were indeed difficult, especially as there were also two opportunities to eat crayfish — one in the soup special and one as the prime ingredient of the ravioli I began with ($15.50). It didn't quite live up to a memorable scampi ravioli I had at White some time ago, but it came a close second.

Seared scallops, which were pronounced plump and juicy, formed the opening performance for my friend ($15.50). They were accompanied with tomato and basil terrine and salad.

Duck seems to be appearing more regularly on menus and I couldn't resist the crisp breast with witlof tarte tatin, steamed snow beans and spiced beetroot relish ($27.90). Initially, the beetroot seemed overly spiced and overpowered the duck, but my tastebuds soon adapted to the combination.

The wine scribe ordered the pan-fried snapper with potatoes, olives, anchovies, basil and tomato, and was well pleased.

And so to dessert. The only entry here that seemed unsuitable for a summer menu was the steamed pudding — perhaps, said my companion, it's to cater for the boarding school tastes that are probably still de rigueur in this suburb. It comes accompanied by pohutukawa honey icecream and I wish now I had ordered it to at least find out what pohutukawa honey tastes like.

Instead, I wanted that more recognisable summer flavour: strawberries. These were served with creme fraiche and sandwiched between vanilla and lemon biscuits ($11.50). Divine — but the sort of thing one needs to eat with ones fingers. I wonder if that's covered in the etiquette manual.

My wine friend, of course, opted for the cheeses, with muscat grapes (a new taste sensation for me) and a glass of port ($19.90).

Each visit to Banque, then, has been better than the last and I suspect that won't have been the last visit for us. I wonder if its presence has affected property prices in Remuera? If that's possible.

Overall: A chic bistro serving reliable food.
Where: Banque, 311 Remuera Rd (09) 522 6688
Our meal:  $167 for two all the way from entree to dessert with four glasses of wine.
Wines: $28 to $140