Craft

By EWAN McDONALD for viva

This is one of the most interesting new eateries we've tried in a while. It's one that has its act together from opening day (all of two weeks ago); one that is trying something with food and tweaking traditions; one that has a superb, experienced professional in the kitchen.

Phew. That's quite a rave, and we haven't even told you where to find Craft yet. It's at the top of Richmond Rd, where it meets Surrey Cres, in Grey Lynn. From the city, you drive past such icons of West Lynn life as the Listener office, Mamata bakery (now in the deserted Bayou cafe) and the organic butchery.

Craft is on the ground floor of one of the former factories now home to new industries like Uno, the furniture designers; and an architect company. You can see a new suburb growing here in the next few years, just as soon as the church and school and community groups are over-ridden in their objections to having several hundred apartments overlooking playgrounds and backyards.

Decor in the split-level bar and dining room is relentlessly industrial, the walls stripped back to the grey building blocks and the floor concrete.

Those hard surfaces are complemented by a bleak choice in music (Nick Cave, Bob Dylan, even Rod Stewart's cover of Handbags And Gladrags) and warmed by the conversation of everyone from toddlers and grandparents who've quickly settled into the place. Few look out-of-place anywhere in this most bohemian of suburbs, though the six Asian suits seemed a touch uncomfortable.

An enthusiastic waitress (and how long is it since you've seen those words in close proximity?) brought menus and a savvy winelist and explained the house style.

"It's unstructured," she said. "Unstructured eating. You can share a series of plates, like tapas, or you can order a starter and a main."

Whetted by more than 20 suggestions, we went the tapas route, plunging into exotic combinations like lime polenta fries with sumac aioli (yes, I, who sneer at the pointlessness of polenta, was wowed); strips of seared chorizo in a light artichoke and celery salad; pork rillette (shreds, really) smeared on flatbread and eaten with relish. In both senses of the word.

And we had to pass up the vego treat of aubergine, red peppers and onions, vanilla and saffron, the tandoori marinated fish with black rice and cucumber salad ... maybe next time.

No mains for us, though the suggestions of lamb in tamarind and coconut cream on tumeric noodles or oven-roasted snapper with creme fraiche, porcini, artichokes, gremolata and chili did tempt. On to the desserts: a light touch with rhubarb and pistachio tart, and chocolate mousse with minted cream, the only bum notes being that it was rather too cold, a large unmelted chocolate lump at the centre.

A glass or two of red, Craig Miller's excellent espresso and plenty of conversation, all for less than $100. It was like a night in a Barcelona tapas bar except that the food was considerably better.

As it should be. The chef behind these subtle, passionate inspirations of flavour and texture is Pip Wylie, a protege of Peter Gordon at the Sugar Club (Wellington branch), later resident at the River Cafe in London (cue: "where Jamie Oliver used to cook"), and in her own restaurants, Tabac in London and the superlative, innovative Point 5 Nine, a few stops along the 045 bus route in Pt Chev.

After hunting out the best of ingredients, she fuses Mediterranean and Asian influences with her typically light touch into the sorts of delights described above.

Craft has been stitched up by Ponsonby residents Rob Roughan, who engineered Beresford's and the Waterloo Bar out of the defunct gentlemen's conveniences just off Pitt St in the mid-90s, and Liz Garneau, better known as a filmmaker. It'll be worth watching this one to see how it comes out.

Open: Dinner Tue-Sun, Lunch Thu-Sun

Owners: Rob Roughan, Liz Garneau

Chef: Pip Wylie

Food: Tapas, bistro

On the menu:

Lime polenta fries and sumac aioli $6.50

Spicy coconut and lentil soup with chicken dumplings $12

Lamb in tamarind and coconut cream on tumeric noodles with autumn vegetables $24

Poached warm feijoas with rosewater and cardamom icecream $10

Vegetarian: In Grey Lynn? Absolutely

Wine: Shortish but far from ordinary list

Noise: Dylan, Nick Cave

Bottom line: Relentlessly industrial decor, bleak choice in music, warmed by enthusiastic service, a savvy winelist and extraordinary choice of tapas or more substantial fare. Subtle, passionate inspirations of flavour and texture by Pip Wylie, once of the Sugar Club, River Cafe and Point 5 Nine in a relaxed, chatty and bohemian atmosphere.

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