George, Parnell

The wood-fired duck leg and duck and porcini Little Boys. Picture / Richard Robinson

Herald rating: * * * *

When the new executive chef isn't on his mountain bike, he's either working on his 5.8 litre, two-door Cobra or he's hand-making Little Boys gourmet sausages. Jeremy Schmid is pretty passionate about all the above — but best of all cooking.

While teaching at AUT restaurant and hospitality school, Schmid won a Restaurant Association of New Zealand scholarship in 2001 to the Napa Valley to study charcuterie, and the smoking and curing of meats at the Culinary Institute of America. Returning, he set up a small goods business to supply specialist stores and delis.

George has one of the more elegant modern dining rooms on the Parnell strip. Good use is made of the original architecture and it's light and airy due to the high ceilings, sash windows and french doors that open out to the pavement. You can also position yourself in full view of the open kitchen if you so desire.

We'd booked for 7.30pm and, at the last minute, friends back from Oz decide to join us. "It will not be a problem" replied Robere. On arriving we realise why: it's Monday night and we have the whole restaurant to ourselves.  Glasses of Ata Rangi Celebre, Martinborough 2002 ($68) are poured, orders taken and the fun begins. We celebrate that "love can certainly drop out of the sky when you least expect it".

The gentlemen go for the whitebait fritters which please them immensely as they are the size of saucers and as thick as toast. They would make any whitebaiter proud.

I don't usually eat Pacific oysters over summer as they are spawning and become very creamy but I fancied a taste of Clevedon Coast oysters so shared my dozen which arrived grilled until just plumped and warmed through with a buttery lemon emulsion over the top.

The oyster taster in the form of a soup I also favour; it comes with a solo raw oyster to plop into the hot liquid briefly before sliding into your mouth. And as for the aphrodisiac properties, well I'm still conducting research with different species of oyster.

Although more fond of spuds than couscous, the girlfriend chose tender Moroccan spiced Hawkes Bay lamb rump on couscous with green bean salad. I carried on with seafood and omega-3s: seared Pacific tuna — somewhat soft textured and but enjoyed with the avocado and julienned white radish.

The crispy skin, wood-fired duck leg and thigh was served with the award-winning duck and porcini Little Boys sausage, both declared perfectly delicious. Judging the mouthful I was allowed, I'd have to agree. The sausage was juicy and not at all livery, as I'd expected, and would also be excellent with eggs and mushrooms for breakfast.

Our Brisbane guest was pleased with his choice of rotisserie pork loin, accompanied by crackling, kumara and parmesan mash. The pork comes from free-range pigs raised in Paeroa and at George a whole rolled loin is roasted in the wood-fired oven in view of diners.

We ordered pudd so we could enjoy the dining space to ourselves for a bit longer and knew to make the most of the rare occasion where we could have the undivided attention of our lanky maitre d' and the entire kitchen team.

Hot apple and blackberry crumble for the Aussie bloke, the apple crepes for the Kiwi sheila, a lemon and thyme creme brulee for the fiance who adores brulee and a frozen orange souffle with navel orange segments for me.

The other three finished off with that old-fashioned but fab nightcap: Irish coffee. The verdict: from the lovebirds 15/20, the duck lover 17/20, the deciding vote 16/20.

All our plates passed the "heat" test.

George offers proven popular dishes with honest flavours that are not trying to do gymnastics. Schmid's menu has a sensibility about it that avoids pretension and he delivers with an assuredness that Parnell regulars expect — mostly classic European flavours with a modern presentation. It is certainly food that is not being mucked around with and is at reasonable prices.


Overall: Reassuringly good flavours attentively served in a stylish dining room.
Where: George restaurant & bar, 144 Parnell Rd. (09) 358 2600
Our meal: $449 for 4, including 2 bottles of wine, 3 Irish coffees; entrees $14-17.50; mains $26.50-30; desserts $13-14.50.
Our wine: by the glass $8-12; by the bottle from $42.