Herald rating: *****
Address: 115 Queen St, Northcote Point
Phone: 09 480 9502
Cuisine: Bistro
From the menu: Chicken and pork terrine $18, twice-baked goats' cheese souffle $19, veal schnitzel $30, lamb shoulder $29, churros con chocolate $14.50
Wine: Fully licensed. Ata Rangi Celebre 06 $15, Clos Marguerite P/N 07 $14 per glass
I need to confess that I have a crush on Natalia Schamroth. She used to co-own and run Reuben, the cafe in the New Art Gallery. I would stop in there on my way to work and the menu was so enticing that I would invariably end up late for work. Then in 2006 Natalia opened The Engine Room with her partner, Carl Koppenhagen. I tracked her down at this Northcote Point location and have been indulging my obsession ever since. I am in love with her food you understand.
It's a cold night as I collect my friend and fellow Schamroth fan and we head across the bridge. Natalia greets all of her diners on arrival so I have to pretend I barely know her and that I haven't been stalking her for years as I don't want to scare her!
Once seated, small, freshly baked olive and parmesan pinwheel pastries arrive because that's the sort of thoughtful thing the team here does. To give you an idea of how good these were: I had to stop my dinner friend, who is an intelligent and well-mannered woman usually, from sucking on the napkin upon which the pastries arrived, so keen was she to extract every last bit of deliciousness.
This same friend then gets in before me and orders the twice-baked goats' cheese souffle. This souffle is worth breaking every dietary rule for. Whether you're dairy free (my friend tries to be), wheat intolerant (I am, but am in denial) or have taken a vow to eat only raw food that has fallen straight from the tree (yes, there is such a group), you need to forget all that and eat this souffle. The buttery, melt in your mouth lightness of this dish will transport you to a very happy place. The goats' cheese imparts its flavour at the end of every mouthful. It is, quite simply, divine.
I chose the chicken and pork terrine which was delectable and complemented by the sides it came with _ wafer thin crostini, baby gherkins and pickled cherries spiced with cinnamon, cloves and a hint of orange. A good terrine is a thing of beauty _ fatty, chunky and full of the flavours of the countryside.
Eating out for me is like going to see live music. You know how you want the band to sound just like they do on your stereo, only better? Well when I eat out I want my food to be the same as I can cook at home but much, much better! And on this night, I was a very happy groupie indeed.
My veal schnitzel with coleslaw and potato rosti, was so simple and well executed that it deserved applause. The veal was thick, tender, perfectly crumbed and golden all over.
My own home-made version often turns out to be a bit patchy, with the crumbs falling off in some places and getting burnt in others. The coleslaw was tangy and shredded to within an inch of its life, making it a joy to eat. The wedge of lemon and caper butter finished the dish off perfectly.
My intelligent, napkin-eating friend ordered the lamb shoulder special. This had been slow cooked in red wine with olives and plenty of garlic cloves, left whole. It was served with cavolo nero, that wonderful bubbly leafed kale that is a dark-as-night shade of green and tastes magnificent. This was such a well balanced dish, with the olives lending their salty selves to the lamb and the kale hinting at healthiness and iron clad goodness.
The wine list at The Engine Room is concise with some great wines available by the glass. I enjoyed a glass of Ata Rangi Celebre 2006 that was rich, spicy and full bodied and capable of standing up to my terrine. The other choice - Clos Marguerite Pinot Noir 2007 - was recommended by our wonderful waiter and was uncomplicated, light and so good that I switched when I'd finished my Ata Rangi.
Desserts caused us great concern. We were trying not to order the churros con chocolate (belatedly trying to honour our food intolerances) but in the end we just gave up. These sweet Spanish doughnuts arrived piled up with a glass of liquid loveliness - chilled cinnamon and nutmeg infused chocolate sauce topped with whipped cream - for dipping them in. We dived in, agreeing that food rules are for wimps.
Had we not eaten too much, we would have cheered and shouted "more, more, more" like real diehard fans do. This place continues to deliver on its promise of creating great food, served up by a fantastic team of people who care about their dining audience. We left wondering what, if anything, they could do better. The best we could come up with was that merchandise would be good - I'd like a T-shirt and a poster please - and I can hardly deduct points for that!
