Piper, Parnell

By EWAN McDONALD for viva

Bert Stewart is salivating. "A real gem. The food must be up there with the best in Auckland. I would rate it better than White's and on par with Otto's, but at bargain prices," he writes.

Ngaire Humphrey is ecstatic. "I was thoroughly impressed by my evening out at 'piper'! It encaptures a very cosy welcoming feeling, while also being very upmarket and sophisticated."

Now these were website "reviews", so we have to accept that Bert and Ngaire are not the waiter's father or the chef's auntie. They're not the manager's mum and dad because Ann and I met them when we were eating there. But when you're in this game and you read that, you fire up the VW and head to Parnell before every other columnist in town beats you into print with news of the next hot plate.

Following Ngaire's directions we make for the alley that leads to the Elephant House, and follow the painted footprints to Piper, which opened about six weeks ago. Even on a freezing night with the gas fire flaring, I like the L-shaped room, laid out around an old-style bar.

Across tasty fresh bread Ann and I were translating a menu which found its way from text to print without benefit of Spellcheck (something that will be remedied in the next edition) we are brought two remarkable entrees: an elegantly laid-out square dish of venison carpaccio, rock melon, monte cristo cheese, port and balsamic dressing; a single, large crab ravioli, bathing in laksa broth, set off with chard and spring onions. A bite later, and we know that someone here knows his way around a kitchen.

That someone is Eiji Ota, the owner and chef, who has had 15 years in the industry, seven of them as an executive chef at Union Fish, Turtle Creek and One Tree Grill, and always wanted his own place. Ota named his bistro after the fish, the music, the champagne. His philosophy is a simple, yet sophisticated restaurant with no clutter - somewhere to enjoy his food at a reasonable price.

As manager he has Kylie Heere, who started young in the industry and still is; and a former pastry-cook from his OTG days who went out on his own and supplies those delicious breads and gorgeous desserts. Ota describes his menu as "contemporary Pacific Rim", a blend of Asian and European spices and sophisticated flavours.

He has a nice take on pork tenderloin, serving that notoriously tricky cut without it drying out, on a ginger and kumara puree and sending it on its way with sauteed radicchio and a granny smith, braised in midori, for company.

Ann chose the eye fillet because she liked the sound of truffle-scented marscapone and potato moemoe. She liked the sound but unfortunately the timing was little off and her dish arrived tepid.

Ota gets that bread and his desserts from the patissiere from OTG days, and the tasting platter of petit-fours was enough for me to tell Madame Editor that we need to get this bloke's name and give him a plug in The Dish so you can all enjoy his baking.

At the moment the wine list is made up of three chardonnays, two cab-savs, three pinot noirs, two sauv blancs and a few bubblies in the rack, though Ota says it is being expanded.

I don't know that I could go as far as Bert and suggest that this is White's or Otto's with a touch less grievous bodily harm to the Mastercard.

Piper is a promising bistro with excellent, well-priced food, at more than reasonable prices. The front-of-house staff are enthusiastic but need some more polish. The location is a little daunting: Kiwis object to walking down dark alleys at night. Try it - you never know what's lurking in the shadows.

Chef/owner: Eiji Ota

Manager: Kylie Heere

Open: Dinner Tues-Sat, lunch 7 days

Food: "Contemporary Pacific Rim cuisine"

On the new menu:

Sichuan barbecue pork salad with crisp lotus root, lychee and cucumber $13. Lime and chilli chicken supreme on sticky grain rice with tamarind coconut curry $24.

Moroccan lamb shanks on a couscous of figs, artichokes and mint yoghurt $24

Vegetarian: Not on menu. Gluten-free menu available

Wine: Shallow

Noise: Sting's greatest hits

Parking: Restaurant offers free parking

Disabled access/toilets: Down lane; outside toilets shared with other restaurants

Bottom line: Eiji Ota, previously executive chef at Union Fish, Turtle Creek and One Tree Grill, opens his first restaurant, offering simple yet sophisticated food at reasonable prices. It's a little weak in the wine list and the service is a touch nervous, but after six weeks Piper is a thoroughly promising bistro.

* Read more about what's happening in the world of food, wine, fashion and beauty in viva, part of your Herald print edition every Wednesday.