Euro Bar, Princes Wharf

The Sauterne custard in passionfruit and fennel soup (rear) and the layered pistachio and walnut caramel. Picture / Richard Robinson

Herald rating: * * * *

One of the things — the many things — that out-of-towners dislike about Aucklanders is, I'm told, a certain smugness "and with so little to be smug about". However, a recent prolonged spell of duty as amateur tour guide did confirm my prejudice that when it comes to eating out, Auckland does have more than a head start on other towns.

There are, of course, honourable exceptions and we found some. But often the regional standard is ordinary, with the worst examples being those places with delusions of grandeur that would have difficulty matching delusions of adequacy.

There's nothing like confirming a bias so it seemed a good idea to visit one of the most consistently highly rated Auckland establishments of recent years. Euro has taken back on board the entrepreneurial and ubiquitous Simon Gault as executive chef and co-owner — a move that has been trumpeted with typical Auckland immodesty on the website.

But the hallmark of Gault has been that the food at his restaurants does match the hype, and here he keeps the flag flying.

There were a couple of menu entries that raised the thought, "I'm not sure that will work" but Gault and head chef Shayne Yardley do indeed know what they are doing.

The dessert idea of a Sauterne custard in passionfruit and fennel soup seemed particularly fanciful but was a wonderful mixture of texture and flavour. I was a touch dubious about the starter of Waikanae crab with jalapeno creme fraiche, tuna wafers and wasabi caviar when it arrived looking like a cheese soup. But, oh me of little faith, it was mouth watering.

My main of grilled veal on manchego sausage, creamy mascarpone with wood-roasted tomato and sugar-roasted baby carrots was near perfection, the veal rare and tender, and balanced against the more robust flavour of the sausage.

One surprise was the starter of leg of lamb salad on crumbed eggplant, rocket, roasted olives and kumara salad with Delago feta; a surprise not because it wasn't good but because it was so generous.

Such first courses normally have little more than a passing reference to the featured meat but this was so substantial that the following course of monkfish tail with baby leek, potatoes, vine-ripened tomatoes, almond and red pepper vinegar sauce was almost a struggle.

It was also the least distinguished part of the meal but a short break allowed the arrival of a pistachio and walnut caramel, liquorice panna cotta, raspberry and Cointreau jelly to be negotiated satisfactorily. "It's like a flash knickerbocker glory" was the laudatory comment.

The standard of the food was matched by the service. We thought we had detected a stumble with the delayed arrival of wine with the main courses but it was quickly redeemed and the recommendations of wines was thoughtful, including a 2002 Patatahi Estate Gewurztraminer with the crab.

Being set in my ways I wouldn't have thought of it but it worked well, as did the other choices.

Not surprisingly, Euro is still a hot spot and abundantly popular with large cheerful groups. If you wanted to whisper intimacies you'd have to do it on a broadcast wavelength but the buzz is, I suppose, typically Auckland — loud but good.

WHERE: Euro Bar, Shed 22, Princes Wharf. (09)309 9866
OUR MEAL: $205 for two first courses, two mains and two desserts, four glasses of wine and one dessert wine.
OUR WINES: By the glass $10 to $25. By the bottle $43 to $2174