Herald rating: * * * 1/2
Address: Level 4, PWC Tower, 188 Quay St, Auckland.
Phone: (09) 357 0188
Open: For lunch Monday-Friday 12-4pm.
Tapas/barTuesday-Friday 4-7pm.
Cuisine: Classy lunchtime fare.
Vegetarian: Plenty to choose from.
Wine: Good selection for all tastes and budgets.
KEY POINTS:
Power lunch: a working lunch where important discussions are held. Exactly what is required on a busy Friday afternoon.
I am due to catch up with The Blonde, a former colleague and friend, to have a much delayed and much-needed Fashion Week debrief. An occasion that requires something a bit more special than the usual Ponsonby Rd cafes. Somewhere close to downtown Auckland, somewhere smart but unpretentious, somewhere neither of us had been before. Prime Bistro fits the bill.
Situated on level four of the Price Waterhouse Cooper building, I expect it to be brimming with serious suit types talking loudly into their cellphones or networking with very important clients. Or possibly even an Ab Fab type female duo, dressed in silly clothes sitting on the deck gossiping loudly over a glass of wine. Hang on a minute - that is us.
As for the suits, there are none to be found. In fact, it's rather quiet for lunchtime, with only three other tables occupied.
We choose to sit outside on the deck, which we have to ourselves. It's a gorgeous view, looking out to the harbour, ferries and the Hilton hotel. Although with the road down below and ferry terminal beyond that, not exactly peaceful - and while it's a gorgeous spring day it is a little windy too. Our helpful waitress suggests moving to a different table where our hair won't fly into our meals. Perhaps sitting inside, which is simple, sunny and reminds me somewhat of a boardroom, would have been wiser. But who could resist that view?
The waitress helps us decipher the extensive wine menu (both of us are fans of drinking wine, yet we know very little about it). One of my big fears when eating out is getting a pretentious waiter who'll turn his nose up at you for not "knowing" wine, but my fears are unfounded here as the waitress helps us choose a good glass of sauvignon blanc.
We're both tempted to sit here for the rest of the afternoon, but there are deadlines and meetings to contend with today so we power on. I order the the tortellini of dolcelatte cheese, with apple, celery leaf and parmesan salad ($19), and The Blonde orders cumin-spiced goats' curd with beetroot jelly, almond, honey and baby coriander ($18). We keep up the style stakes with a side of pomme frites.
"Good vegetarian options," notes The Blonde. But there's still plenty for those who want something meatier to sink their teeth into: braised rabbit and parmesan gnocchi, Hawke's Bay lamb, poached beef and fish of the day. There's also an appealing sounding tasting plate to share, which for $18 gives you bite-sized versions of everything on the menu.
Our meals arrive quickly enough, and they're delicious. The goats' curd meal may look small but is rich, flavoursome and deceptively filling, and my tortellini is crammed with velvety soft cheese. As for those chips, they're thick-cut and tasty, with the best aioli I've tasted in a while.
We both get entree-size meals, the perfect size for a quick power lunch (and for those with a small appetite). We've also saved enough room for dessert. But after an hour of gossiping, we only have about 10 minutes before we're both required back at the office.
The dessert menu, like the main menu, is compact, perfect for the indecisive and rushed.
There are cheese courses for $12.50 and a cheese selection to share, as well as the obligatory slices and puddings (hot chocolate fondant, bread and butter pudding, coconut and raspberry slice). Unfortunately none can be made in the 10 minutes we have left, so the helpful waitress recommends the last piece of chocolate cake, to share.
It is delicious - but when you're paying $11.50 for a piece of cake, it should be.
We're both tempted to turn this power lunch into that other infamous lunchtime tradition, the long lunch.
We'll definitely be back come summer to put it through its paces.
