Craft, Grey Lynn

By JAN CORBETT for canvas

Suddenly everyone around me was talking about Craft, the tapas-style restaurant in Grey Lynn that opened earlier this year. So it seemed only reasonable to want to check it out. I took the precaution of inviting an experienced panel along with me - Jane, a Craft sceptic from previous occasions, and Helen, who was raving about it.

Maybe it was something to do with the solar storm that night, but right from the start things went wrong. First, the maitre d' refused to seat two of us at a table for three, until the third one arrived. No, we did not want to wait in the bar. He directed us to a table for two where there was no hope of adding a third. When Helen showed up as we were just beginning our first glass of wine (Kumeu River Chardonnay $56), we had to take the initiative to relocate to a larger table.

So okay, it took us a little while to finalise our order. But as our normally gregarious trio grew quieter with abject hunger and frustration, watching people who had arrived after us enjoying their food, we didn't think it unreasonable to contemplate protest.

Thankfully, further unpleasantness was averted by the arrival of our six tapas dishes. The prawns with garlic ($16) were as you would expect. The stuffed mushrooms on a kumara mash ($12) were divine; I was the only one who enjoyed the aubergine, roast peppers and onions with vanilla and saffron and labneh - what the Lebanese describe as a yoghurt cheese ($12); the buffalo mozzarella (an astonishing $18) was especially light and fluffy, which was a treat; but both the chargrilled squid ($12) and the chicken kebabs ($14) were tough. However, the bed of celeriac and fennel remoulade was very nice. We cleaned the plates, sat back and thought, "We're still hungry". I know, these were tapas, you're saying.

Eagerly we pored over the $10 dessert menu, ordering the feijoas poached in brandy with rosewater and cardamom icecream, the lime halva cake with coconut parfait, which was the absolute highlight of the evening, and, when it arrived half an hour later after our inquiring after its progress, the coconut and tamarillo steamed pudding with creme anglaise. "Nice of him to apologise," said Helen ironically when the latecomer was plonked on the table without explanation.

By now, of course, the place was buzzing and it is a groovy interior dominated by steel and concrete block and effectively heated. So it was probably only natural that the staff failed to notice the CD had been stuck in the same spot for five minutes. Even when Helen pointed it out, the maitre d' seemed not to believe her. Helen left disappointed that a favourite haunt seemed to have gone off the boil. Jane was too gracious to say "I told you so" and I left $176 poorer and wondering where I might find a satisfying meal.

Sure, we could have spent more.

Ambience: Steely, trendy and buzzy.

Cost: $176 for six tapas dishes, three desserts, wine and coffees.

* Read more about what's happening in the world of food, wine, party places and entertainment in canvas magazine, part of your Weekend Herald print edition.