Where: Matakana Village. Ph (09) 423 0383
Our meal: $129 for three glasses of wine, one entree, two mains, dessert and a cheese board.
Wine list: In the heart of the local wine region means some excellent neighbourhood reds in the cosmopolitan selection.
Verdict: Very pleasant dining in a convivial atmosphere - with piano accompaniment.
Out of 10
Food: 8
Service: 8
Value: 8
Ambience: 8
KEY POINTS:
The village of Matakana, a little more than an hour north of Auckland, is no longer one of the region's secrets: the popular Saturday morning market draws people from around the district; former holiday homes along the coast and in the hills now have permanent residents; and the local wine industry is flourishing. But the town still holds many delights, not the least being the Noel Lane-designed cinema complex with its retro-furnished lobby, and the decor of the theatres which is quite breathtaking.
Downstairs in the cinema building, past The Vintry wine centre and lounge bar, is Tapiano which has the summertime advantage of a deck above the river, a menu which can draw on fresh local produce and a wine list that includes bottles from the many excellent vineyards in the area. And there is a piano.
If you must have music in a restaurant (and really, you don't have to) it is better, in my opinion, for it to be a quietly played piano than jazz-lite through a sound system.
So Tapiano has a lot going for it and people in the district spoke very highly of it when we asked about somewhere sociable for a fine dinner.
With a long bar for tapas and those in just for the music, it immediately offers a warm and spirited welcome, but the dining area around the corner and near the windows (it is still too chilly for outdoor, evening dining) is quieter and more sophisticated.
We started with glasses of wine from their list which includes Italian, French and many New Zealand options, and I had the finely sliced ostrich carpaccio ($13) which was delicate to the point of almost evaporating in the mouth. An excellent start.
We'd walked vineyards and beaches that day so had powerful appetites and Megan's fillet of beef ($32) with smoked cheddar and braised leeks was suitably fortifying. Because she has an allergy to lamb we don't eat it at home, so here was my opportunity - and the generously proportioned lamb rack ($29) with root vegetables and rosemary-red wine sauce was one of those hearty meals during which you savour every mouthful but also has you loosening the belt a notch afterwards.
The menu offered lighter meals too but the plates of duck and pork belly which passed our sightlines suggested Tapiano knows people out in the country have vigorous appetites. We finished up with an interesting cheese board for me (some locally made, $16) and a decent but slightly disappointing Turkish delight brulee ($15) for Megan.
From the cheerful conversations around us, and the fact we settled in immediately and were under no pressure to order quickly - despite how busy they obviously were - we felt very comfortable and well looked after at Tapiano.
So much so, that by the time you read this we will have been back for a long lunch with family visiting from Australia. That, I think, is the finest recommendation.
