Phone: Ph (09) 817 2664
Rating out of 10: Food: 8, Service: 6, Value: 8, Ambience: 8
It was a joy to see that Deco, Titirangi's latest restaurant is as stylish as the rest of the newly restored Lopdell House. This Spanish-style arts centre is a Titirangi icon and the restaurant and cafe is designed to cater for visitors from breakfast until dinner, so we were pleased they'd reserved us a table through the arches that sit back from the main room and gave us a slight feel of intimacy and remoteness from the rest of the crowd. It wasn't as noisy either. The views over the bush and out to the Manukau Harbour are breathtaking and the fit-out - mostly white with blue tiles and blond wooden clean-lined tables - give an excellent background to Deco's cool pottery plates and Turkish silver water jugs.
Despite the rain the place was full, and despite the pressure, service was excellent. Our table was waiting - and the menu looked great. However, the wait-staff still weren't completely familiar with the menu and wine list, while someone hovered around, orchestrating the whole performance.
Although is predominantly a Turkish restaurant, Deco offers the usual local favourites, including eye fillet, tuna and salmon cooked the local way, and other dishes are scented with cumin, cinnamon, allspice, even dates.
We started with a glass of wine, soon joined by a mezze platter so large our waiter had difficulty fitting it on the table. For $25 we received eight beautiful bowls brimming with hummus, labneh (a silky Turkish ricotta), falafels, a white bean salad, tabouli, tarama, dolmades and, on the side, slices of crispy warm Turkish bread. And just because it sounded so great, we also ordered an Aegean capsicum stuffed with pine nuts, herbs, rice and labneh.