Rocco, Ponsonby Road

The staff at Rocco are flamboyant, fastidious and funny. Picture / Carolyn Robertson

Herald rating: * * * *

Perhaps a cocktail on the deck to start?" murmured Simon, the cocktails guy - or, as Rocco spells it, coctels.

"No perhaps about it," I told him, as Alice gave him her umbrella, that indispensable accessory for summertime in Auckland.

Simon Taukiri's coctels are an another indispensable accessory for summertime in Auckland. We chose classic margaritas, though tempted by his Marmalade Martini: vodka, napoleon mandarin, lime marmalade and lemon juice. Breakfast of champions, I thought.

"Did you try the Marmalade Martini? You'd like that," said Blair Russell, one of the two partners, when we spoke a few days later. This is one of Russell and Mark Wallbank's trademarks: superlative service born of knowing their clientele, their tastes and distastes.

For I admit bias. The funky, buzzy, Spanish-influenced restaurant has been a favourite over several years, several chefs (Karajin Molema for the past couple).

And now there will be Son of Rocco. Or perhaps Sons. Or maybe Son and Daughter. As Russell awaits the arrival of his first child, he and Wallbank, along with new business partner Melissa Morrow, are opening a new cafe.

Like Rocco, the new baby (no, the cafe) is a family affair. Morrow is Russell's sister in law and was general manager when he worked at Peter Gordon's Sugar Club in London. Morrow flew into Auckland five years ago to see her sister, stayed, helped set up Rocco and moved on to the Hilton.

Christened Blake St, the new place is on the ground floor of an apartment building on the Blake-Prosford St corner, Three Lamps. The chef - Russell can't divulge her name or details - is a Kiwi just back from London.

The idea is breakfast and lunch. "Something like risotto and a glass of wine and you're out of there for $20, maybe $25. We're not planning nights ... " with the sigh of a restaurateur who's spent too many late evenings and early mornings on the wrong side of a dishwasher and broom, "but these things take on a life of their own."

And when lunch is over, chef will scrawl another menu on the blackboard - a couple of courses to be taken to the surrounding homes for dinner.

Alice and I moved inside, where the flamboyant, fastidious and funny staff guided us through the latest incarnation of the strong-flavoured, boldly cooked, Spanish-influenced menu.

Alice has known me long enough to know I don't do seafood, so her sauteed scallops with offbeat accompaniments of spiced parsnip puree, prosciutto and onion salad were safe. She took one look at my starter and demanded a forkful.

Fair enough: nuggets of quail, roasted in a spice and almond crust, were tempting. They begged to be picked up and nibbled. They were.

Chef was doing interesting things that night with snapper and peppers and other colourful vegetables and a sauce that involved cream. Alice, with no fashionable dairy allergy, enjoyed.

"I suppose you had the pork chop," Russell laughed. He knows that weakness. It's stuffed with chorizo, pancetta and apple, garlic, honey aioli on the side. I think it was last time, too. I don't care.

We left the wines to Simon, because you know you can. He paired the scallops with Margrain chardonnay '04, the quail with Isabel pinot noir '02, and moved up to Ata Rangi's Celebre and Petrie for the mains.

"Still one of your favourite restaurants?" Alice asked after we'd divvied up a fine cheeseboard and were sauntering taxi-wards. "Yes," I answered without any thought. "It's fun, eating out with a bit of theatre. And the food is better than ever."

Address: 23 Ponsonby Rd

Phone: (09) 360 6262

Open: Mon-Fri lunch and dinner, Sat dinner

Cuisine: Med

From the menu: Chicken liver parfait, spiced nectarines, warm crostini $15; Toasted sesame tuna, cauliflower puree, green beans, bagna cauda $26
Frozen coconut parfait, strawberries $13

Vegetarian: Lots

Wine: Superior