Occam

By EWAN McDONALD

You want a history lesson, you don't usually turn to a restaurant review. Promise we'll be brief.

William of Occam (who lived from 1284 to 1347) was an English philosopher. This period was known as the Dark Ages because it would be several centuries before coffee would arrive in Europe and even longer until 1901, when Luigi Bezzera would build the first espresso machine.

Since there was no reason to go to a cafe, William sat in his monk's cell thinking, until he figured out that in science, the simplest theory that fits the facts should be selected. This principle became known as Occam's Razor, or the law of parsimony.

Now, any place named after a bloke who came up with "the law of parsimony" should be a starter when you're looking for a neighbourhood cheap'n'cheerful for those nights when you've forgotten how to cook, right?

Which was what we'd been seeking since we'd moved a few streets and renewed our allegiance to Grey Lynn Foodtown, "the Supermarket to the Stars". Occam (more history: founded 1997) is right across the road from the Shortie Streeters' corner dairy. And this place is so quintessentially Grey Lynn: a storefront on a corner, umbrellas at the outside tables furled against winter winds. Inside, a damn fine fire, bar to the left, cafe to the right, newspapers and magazines everywhere.

Again, because this is deepest Grey Lynn, the menu contains rather too many healthy-sounding things that our mothers would never have dished up for our dads.

The other night we dumped the groceries and found a table at Occam because it was too late and too cold to go home to cook. Because they're a bar, wine prices are reasonable, particularly by the glass. A Lake Chalice merlot solved the too-cold part of Occam's equation and resolved the too-late part.

Ann chose zucchini, dill and feta fritters, which came with mesclun and dollops (or maybe it was globs - how many globs in a dollop?) of mayo. The fritters arrived soggy, and when the mayo went on top the poor little fellas had no chance.

I liked the sound of blue cheese, spinach and walnut terrine with mesclun and honey-roasted pears, but if the cheese was blue it was only because it was cold. It wasn't sharp and salty, rather it was creamy and bland. Love those pears, though.

Both portions were large - although Ann had asked for entree size - but in your interests, dear reader, we had mains, too. The grilled chicken breast in a gastrique, or orange-based sauce, with comforting braised parsnips and spinach was a good winter meal. Lamb fillet, marinated in harissa then cooked rare - very rare - on couscous salad with mint, capers and hummus, sounds politically correct. And that's how it came across, a meal that sounds good for you rather than being good to eat.

Service can be hit-and-miss, and looking across to the bar, it's a surprise to see how many smokers are living and breathing among the good green folk of Grey Lynn. Perhaps William of Occam could explain how come Nandor couldn't get elected here?

Open: Weekdays, 7.30am till 10pm; Saturday, 8am till 10pm and Sunday, 8am till 5pm

Owner: Michael Bramley

Head chef: Thomas Norberg

Food: NZ bistro

Smoking: Bar area; it drifts

Wine: It's a bar, so there's a reasonable if conservative selection by bottle or glass

Noise: Urban beats

Cost: (mains for two) $40

Vegetarian: Get real, this is Grey Lynn

Bottom line: Quintessential Grey Lynn, from its location opposite "the Supermarket to the Stars" to the harissa, couscous and hummus-flavoured menu, Occam works best as a lunchtime cafe or an early evening bar rather than a neighbourhood dining room.