Address: 46 Parnell Rd
Phone: (09) 377 2170
We walk through the door of Red Brick to be greeted by an ex-sailing mate of Bill's.
Admittedly, Mike hasn't been out on a Thursday for a year or so, he's been too busy getting this new venture up and running, but the connection is there.
Six degrees of separation? I don't think so. So we discuss the joys of setting up in a listed building. Formerly Rimmer's Coffee House, and before that Rimmer's warehouse and Royce's warehouse, the wee brick building sits behind pretty little Fraser Park, just off Parnell Rise. Because it's Category II, internal restructuring has been virtually nil. That's great, because buildings like this should be preserved, but it can cause problems.
For example, the only way to get the garbage out of the kitchen to the storage area is through the bar area, which is less than desirable. We do our best to ignore the elephant in the corner, and attend to more pressing matters - food and drink.
The menu is short, but covers all the usual bases. Bill's scallops with capsicum and saffron and potato salad are tender and succulent, but there's rather a lot of potato, a refrain that haunts the meal. Merima goes for the mushroom and goat's cheese tart, set off by thyme, rocket and truffle oil, robust flavours that work well together.
George's chorizo and sage tortellini come with the makings of a Waldorf salad - apple, celery and walnuts - with decent pasta. It sounds an odd mix, but it works. I order the confit duck leg. The accompanying kumara mash is generous to a fault, leavened by a red leaf and watercress salad. The duck is perfectly cooked, falling off the bone if you so much as look at it, and the mash is just that.
Bill's fish of the day is hapuku, a favourite, is excellent, as befits its status as the king of fish, and comes with mash. George's trio of pork - twice-cooked belly, pan-seared fillet and Toulouse sausage - arrives with a pile of sage mash, just for a change, but there's apple and cider jus as well. The sausage is great, full of spice.
Merima's lamb fillet is a standout, tender and still pink inside, but what's this? No mash? No, it's couscous with vegetables and minted yogurt, a method of getting the requisite mint alongside the lamb that I hadn't thought of. Excellent idea. I'm not a big dessert fan but Bill's mango and ginger brulee feels the edge of my spoon more than once.
George and Merima opt for the selection of icecreams and sorbets and the chocolate and truffle plate. The wine list gets a bit of a pasting over the night as we are walking, Officer. I can recommend the Jules Taylor sauvignon blanc.
Mike and his chef Gavin Spinley have been at Red Brick only about two months, so there's some tweaking to do, but it has the makings of a good weekly local.
Good on you, guys.
Rating out of 10
Food: 7
Service: 8
Value: 7
Ambience: 8
Our meal: $372.50 for three starters, four mains, three desserts, and rather too much wine. No mains over $30.
Wine list: Mainly top-end New Zealand options, priced accordingly, and a good beer selection.
Verdict: Calm, assured service and well-presented food make this historic building a place worth visiting.
