Where: The Foundation Building: 8 George Street
Phone: (09) 379 6359
Website: tribeca.co.nz
What I really wanted were the Bluff oysters: fat and juicy, the very soul of seafood. But duty called. We were there to test the performance of the kitchen at TriBeCa and there's not much technique in dishing up an oyster.
So it was the seared duck livers instead, with fresh fig, white onion puree, verjus and cracked pepper "air". And very nice they were, too, pink, moist and earthy - a landlubber's equivalent of the oysters, I suppose. The trimmings were complementary in being rather delicate - "oh, you've got foam," as my wife pointed out.
She had started with the tuna, little seared medallions, simply done but with sweet little chickpea fritters, cauliflower, pea puree and a date and pinenut couscous. These embellishments were of the decorative variety, rather than items of substance, more to be admired for their hints of flavour rather than as food.
The main planks of the menu are fairly traditional with the individuality of chef Elliott Warne being displayed in the trimmings. Little comes unadorned, with even the humble sides like pumpkin partnering pecan, baked cream cheese and chopped rocket, while the new spuds were teamed with macadamia dukkha and creme fraiche.
Thus my sirloin steak was a straightforward, well-cooked example of this flavoursome - if not particularly tender - cut and I could have done without the gristle.
According the menu it was enlivened by the presence of white bean truffle and thyme cakes, smoked potato and horseradish and Swiss brown mushroom and confit. I don't pretend to have identified all of that but the various small deposits around and under the meat were all interesting. So were the array of garnishes with our other main course, melting slices of roast duck breast, a standout dish from a good meal, although I don't know if it was the same duck that sacrificed his liver to my first course.
The dessert choice came down to the chocolate and toasted cumin seed tart where the chocolate was so deliciously rich it overpowered what might have been the influence of the cumin. The three little sour cherries and the lemon olive oil icecream were nice touches.
My subtle date and cardamom parfait was paired with a pleasing orange, almond and ricotta filo and pomegranate syrup. So the food lived up to the reputation TriBeCa has maintained for some years and it was easy to see from the rest of the act how it has won a faithful following. It has a large amount of seating outdoors when the weather is kind and the main dining room where we ate is one of the most comfortable around.
The tables are well spaced so you don't suffer that involuntary eavesdropping which is a feature of some Auckland establishments but even on a Monday evening there was enough buzz to make us feel we were having a night out rather than tending hushed devotion to the worship of haute cuisine.
The wine list is solid. The offerings by the glass afforded us a Saint Clair Block 6 "Oh!" Block sauvignon blanc, a Nevis Bluff pinot noir, a CJ Pask Gimblett Road merlot and a Peter Lehmann "The Futures" shiraz. The wine is elegantly and generously presented and the service is efficient and low key - that is, we hardly noticed it, which is a compliment.
For no good reason and despite its high standing, TriBeCa had not figured before in our list of restaurants to visit and recommend. It will now.
Out of 10
Food: 8
Service: 9
Value: 9
Ambience: 9
Our meal: $214.50. Two entrees, two mains and two desserts. Four glasses of wine and a dessert wine.
Wine list: Comprehensive. New Zealand wines to the fore but plenty of overseas choice and a good range by the glass.
Verdict: Comfortable surroundings, excellent and good, if not sensational, food. A place to relax in and feel at home - if you have a very nice home.
