Where: 279 Parnell Rd, Auckland
Ph: (09) 309 6289
While in Sydney recently for Crave - a festival of food, wine, art and gadding about - I attended a number of showcases hosted by international and local chefs, among them one by Rainer Becker, whose Japanese-styled Zuma restaurants (London, Hong Kong, Istanbul and Dubai) are much-acclaimed.
Becker prepared a simple, yet elegant, scallop dish - but all I could think of was why it is the norm in Australian restaurants for scallops to be the size of large marshmallows and in New Zealand we often have such paltry wee things?
The thought occurred again at the VBG when my scallops (with pea risotto, a quail egg and crab) arrived, because while undeniably tasty, they were tiny. I'd foolishly imagined something more substantial.
More Australian perhaps? But we take what we are given, and this was a very fine dish indeed. We hadn't been to VBG in some time, but the pleasant welcome we were given was as if we were old friends.
My wife arrived five minutes before me because, like all Aucklanders, I expected to find a parking spot right outside but had to search out something not too far from Hamilton. With friendly but professional service and wines and water arriving promptly, time was given to consider the menu, an opportunity to settle in and chat ... Great start. As was my tuna tartare, neatly offset with the fresh taste of cucumber, and thin strips of crispy pancetta.
Megan's pumpkin, ricotta and spinach cannelloni was deliciously fresh. My scallops were, as I said, rich and tasty and Megan's duck breast, confit duck dumplings and citrus salad - especially the flavour-filled and moist dumplings - was clearly a winner.
Curiously, given the place was only a third full, the mains took longer than expected to arrive and the salad we ordered didn't show at all. Our waitress was apologetic, said she would make sure it wasn't on the bill - and it wasn't. To her credit, she recommended a decent wine match for my scallops and I noted our chocolate truffle ($4.50) didn't appear on the account either.
Megan finished with the refreshing apricot souffle, with peach and lychee sorbet and a cappuccino, I chose the cheese board (excellent and very generous) and a sweet Church Road semillon.
In many ways VBG was overtaken a few years ago by many other restaurants working a similar, sound-but-upmarket menu. The last time we went, however, it was feeling a bit tired, which explains our delayed return. No regrets this time, though. The place was cheerful without braying, the menu focused and refined (the New York sirloin at the next table looked superb and the comments we heard confirmed it).
I was told later that Philip Sturm - formerly of Cibo, Otto's and an old stone building in Mt Eden where no sane person would want to reside, let alone eat - is the man who has pulled the VBG up a few notches.
If so, then we should be grateful, and I can forgive them for not matching my Sydneyside expectation of scallops the size of my palm.
Rating out of 10
Food: 8
Service: 8
Value: 8
Ambience: 8
Our meal: $196 for six glasses of wine, two entrees, two mains, dessert and coffee, a cheese board.
Wine list: Very decent, but too few by the glass to be fully satisfying.
Verdict: Not the shock of the new but the welcome comfort of the familiar.
