Where: 19 Davis Cres
Ph: (09) 524 8997
Rating out of 10
Food: 8
Service: 8
Value: 8
Ambiance: 8
Our meal: $234.50 for three entrees, three mains, two beers, four glasses of wine, a grappa, Calvados and coffee.
Wine list: Plenty of choice, but not cheap.
Verdict: An excellent and affordable addition to the off-Nuffield eating establishments. Roll on summer and outdoor dining.
Annie is bereft. Her husband Charles has taken off on one of his sailing expeditions, this time from Cork in southern Ireland to Reykjavik in Iceland - rather him than me - and she's here in Auckland. She needs a wee treat, we think.
Market Kitchen took over the premises of the former Olympic Cafe in Newmarket a little over a year ago, and co-owner Matthew McAlpine says they're doing as well as expected, given the economic situation. They've given the old cafe a makeover, with a wood-panelled bar area, and a white, raised dining room with dark banquettes and art deco lightshades.
The courtyard is not an option on such a damp and chilly night, but will be given some serious consideration come summer. The menu is short - six or seven entrees and mains, plus vegetarian options. Bill eases the selection process with a Guinness, but with such an appealing range, the order takes time to complete.
In the end, it's a smooth, potted chicken liver and green peppercorn pate with balsamic onions and pear and pea shoot salad ($16) for Bill. It works extremely well, from the little I'm allowed. Annie chooses smoked fish and potato cake, with witloof topped with horseradish cream and smoked salmon ($18), and is well pleased. The horseradish lifts it from the ordinary to the sublime.
My shredded ham hock and chive wontons in a ginger and mandarin broth ($17) are crisp and well-stuffed, and come with a spoon so that I shouldn't miss any of the broth. Candice, our waitress, suggests a glass of Te Whare Ra pinot gris for Annie and me, and while Annie enjoys it, it's a little too honeyed for me, so I change to Wandering Piano sauvignon blanc.
Just for the name really, although it's very drinkable. On to the mains, and Bill has a bit of a pot dinner thing going, ordering the evening special of beef pie and mash with salad ($25). It's beef stew, he declares, slow-cooked and tender, and the pastry hasn't had time to go soggy. Bloke heaven. His Jim Berry shiraz cabernet is a good partner.
We know that pork belly in its many guises has been on Auckland menus forever, but Annie has never tried it before. No time like the present, and hers - with fennel-roasted sweet potato, pear, pancetta and baby pea shoot salad ($29) - is a great introduction and has her declaring she must eat it again, especially the sticky skin. My chicken saltimbocca ($32) is tender and redolent with sage, and comes with buttered spinach, roast new potatoes and pan juices.
So far, two courses each and we've cleaned up every scrap. Even though the creme brulee with feijoas in ginger syrup, or the Valrhona chocolate tart with macerated berries are tempting, dessert is just not possible.
So it's chocolate grappa for Bill and Calvados for me, and we stagger out into the night. Market's head chef Jo Blanche uses local seasonal produce to their best advantage and we, as diners, are the winners. We'll be back.
