Northern Steamship Co, Auckland CBD

The Northern Steamship Co's tuna steak with malt dukkah crust. Picture / Babiche Martens

Herald rating: * * *

He stood on the corner and waited for the lights to change, collar of his leather coat turned up against drizzling rain and evening chill, one more of the lemmings scattering from offices to railway station, bus, ferry.

They had agreed to meet in a bar by the docks to plan the operation. Somewhere none of them were known, could be observed or overheard. Secrecy was essential: discovery now, a week before the big day, and all was ruined.

And that was how, or why, I joined S, V and A in the brewbar headquartered in the old Northern steamshippery offices. If this is a taste of what the revamped, revitalised Britomart precinct will bring, it's going to be a stonking spot.

As for the beer, and food, the Northern Steamship threatens to breathe life into that ghastly, over-worked term "gastropubs". If more like this open, I could enjoy eating in them.

The place opened earlier this year in the 19th-century building, a sober square of Victorian brickery. Until 1976 it was the home port for the steamship company. Seven months' refurbishment saw the pub retain the ornate ceiling and massive curved windows. Two riverstone fireplaces, leather couches and booths complete the look.

Installed, along with the taps and tanks for all nine beers in the Mac's range, is Luke Shore, co-owner and manager, who's been out west running Lone Star Waitakere for seven years. Head chef Brendon Peterson came from Tank in Cape Town, which the people at New York's Conde Nast magazine believed was one of the top 60 new restaurants in the world in 2004.

Steamship literature informs us that Peterson has written an exciting menu using fresh New Zealand produce combined with local herbs. Thus, my pork belly sailed into port with a kawakawa, scented apple and maple sauce aboard, alongside red sauerkraut and a leek and potato mash; Marlborough salmon is pan-roasted and served on olive and herb mash with "creamy crustacean" sauce and tempura pikopiko.

This is a hand-cut chip above pub grub. Bar food - though we didn't get too far into it - offers pan-fried haloumi with salsa verde, seasoned pork riblets (somewhere near the cutlets, maybe), Thai fish cakes.

Not only more inspired than pea, pie and pud or platters of greasy wedges and battered sausages, it's remarkably well executed. S is particular about her food and was a little wary of what might come her way. She quizzed the cabin boy:

"Does the chef know what he's doing?"

"Oh yes, he's very good. Far better than you'd expect to find in a place like this."

With this endorsement of the galley's accomplishments, S gave specific instructions for her tuna (pan-fried, malt dukkah crust, aubergine and wilted tomato salad, sticky rice cake, kiwifruit salsa).

"I like it very well cooked. No blood. I know this may not be how the chef would like to present it, but it's how I'd like to eat it." She was gratified when her instructions were carried out - precisely. My pork belly left the oven with its juices just sizzling, the red cabbage a delightful touch in midwinter.

Some had beer, some had wine. Keeping with its mission, the menu matches mains with beers and offers the "full experience" - meal and beer - or meal-only.

Coffee cups swirled and swilled, the four disappeared into the night. The office would enjoy the team-building day they'd planned. As he strolled to the bus, the man in the leather coat smiled to himself. Must stop reading so much John Le Carre, he mused.