If you enter from Fort Lane, you certainly feel a sense of drama. A jolly Bostonian greeted us and marked off our names before pressing the lift-call button. A broad-shouldered bouncer loomed nearby, a reminder that downtown Auckland after dark can be an unpleasant place.
The lift delivered us into an impressive space. Set into a white-tiled wall is a servery with a plain view of the kitchen. The rest - walls, tables, chairs - is dark wood and the end wall has a racked library of premium wines. The globe lighting forms a hanging forest and the white linen lifts the eye and the spirits.
It's all most salubrious and the waiting staff who ply their trade here are among the best I've ever encountered. If their pace is one notch above brisk, it's a small matter; they are crisply professional, observant without being intrusive and personable without acting as if they think they are having dinner with you.
The sensational crusty but chewy bread comes from Elske in Newmarket, the bakery of chef Sean Marshall's partner Kristina Jensen, and was served with unsalted butter and some beautifully green olive oil. An amuse bouche of a cauliflower and oyster soup - topped with cauli crisps - had us in the mood.
What followed was an almost impeccable display. Kingfish sashimi with grapefruit and radish was a bright salute to the fading summer. My wagyu beef carpaccio was succulently thick and served with a raw quail-egg yolk and a deconstructed baked spud (puree beneath; jacket crisp on the side) and tiny meringues flavoured with Worcestershire sauce. It was a winking homage to steak, egg and chips.
My "whole duck" entree was an array of treatments, complete with advice on how to approach them. Duck consomme poured over a savoury custard, to be stirred and drunk; a duck parfait creamy as mousse, with sweet brioche toast; leg meat; a salty duck bacon; and some crisp skin showed each part of the bird at its best. Duck is poorly done at many places and this was a standout.
The Professor's lamb rack was a sour note. She wasn't asked how she wanted it done (her answer would have been "as the chef wants it done") but it arrived seriously rare, almost raw inside, although the Mediterranean-style vegetable accompaniments were lovely. My pork - shoulder, belly, sausage and crispy ear with a celeriac puree - was a shade dry; some courage with the seasoning would have been welcome. But the desserts redeemed these faults. A passionfruit souffle - into which I was told to dig a hole so I could pour a mix of coconut and lime juice - was the nicest sweet thing I've had this year. And of the Ecuadorian chocolate I can only report that the Professor said "Do you want some? Because you're not getting any" and asked whether we could come back weekly just for dessert.
I can't say this was a flawless experience but it was very, very good - though obviously not cheap. It's occasion dining, all right, but that's all right, on occasion.
Need to know
Value: $$$
$ = $20-$40; $$ = 40-60; $$$ = $60+.
(Price guide reflects three courses for one person without drinks)
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Everybody's next door. Imperial Lane is a bold addition to Auckland.
