Where: 1st Floor, Viaduct Quay, cnr Lower Hobson and Quay streets. Ph (09) 309 0412
Our meal: Two breads, two entrees, two mains, bottle of water, one cocktail, three glasses of wine, two coffees, $209.50
Wine list: Extensive and impressive, with by-the-glass options in all varieties.
Verdict: World class location and ambience. A menu to treat the palate and test your language skills.
Out of 10
Food: 9
Service: 8
Value: 8
Ambience: 9
KEY POINTS:
In Britain there has recently been an interesting storm in a demitasse. Some local councils are moving to veto French and Latin phrases in documents because they say such terms are no longer widely understood.
In lieu of phrases such as "in lieu" they have offered English versions. This quid pro quo is unacceptable to some and organisations such as Friends of Classics argue this is no ad hoc undermining of the status quo but a concerted attack on root languages which have added immeasurably to the pool of English.
I have some sympathy with those who say English is complex enough without these imported phrases. But my answer - or question - is, so what? Languages can be difficult and if words bewilder me I offer a very unembarrassed "please explain".
However, there are areas where some simplicity and plain speaking - or even just a step back from pretentiousness - are welcome: in writing about the contemporary arts and on menus.
Some menus today offer a befuddled mix of French and Italian; others inflate the ingredients (how many ways can you describe foam?); and still others simply browbeat you with detail. I would not deny epicurean elitism but such language can wilfully exclude rather than include. At the recently re-opened and very beautiful Kermadec we had to do the "please explain" on any number of items, and to her credit our waitress turned the menu description into plain English.
We had been welcomed by a friendly maitre d' (who later proudly showed us the discreet bar and the intimate dining rooms) and were offered a window seat to take in the harbour view while we enjoyed a complimentary amuse bouche (which, I should tell non-French speakers isn't a German who stops by and tells free jokes).
Megan started with a cocktail ($16, a little bland she felt) and I spotted my favourite Matakana blend by the glass ($14) so was very happy. We were asked if we wanted bread for the table (two servings arrived, one would have been enough and we thought that's what we had ordered) and my entree of scampi on a sliver of pork belly with crushed apple and mustard ($23) was exceptional.
Megan's salmon ballotine served with Detroit red beetroot, horseradish and a toasted seaweed brioche ($18) was equally divine. Our mains - roasted hapuku with crispy cuttlefish and lightly smoked aubergine caviar ($38), grilled snapper with hand-rolled macaroni, leeks, squash and mandarin puree ($36) - were excellent: subtle, prepared to perfection and a visual delight.
We passed on desserts - you really needed an interpreter for some of them - and settled for coffee to enjoy the evening view over our handsome Viaduct.
Kermadec is not cheap, but when people toss around the cliche that Auckland should be "a world class city", I would point them to this restaurant as the equal of anything in San Francisco, Naples or Sydney.
It is world class - and classy. And that, I hope, is very plain English.
