Room with a view: Waitakere Estate

Waitakere Estate lounge. Photo / Supplied

Rating out of 10

Food: 7

Service: 8 Value: 7

Ambience: 5

Value: 7

Address:

573 Scenic Dr, Waiatarua

Ph:

(09) 814 9622

Our meal:

$157 for two entrees, two main courses, one dessert and five glasses of wine.

Wine list:

Dominated by New Zealand wines, reasonably priced and with a small selection by the glass. Palliser Estate sauvignon blanc $42, Stoneleigh Rapaura Series pinot noir $53

Verdict:

The setting is stunning and the service friendly, but the decor is dated and the menu could do with a good dollop of inspiration

When I phoned to book for dinner at Waitakere Estate, I was surprised that the receptionist asked if we could come any earlier than 8pm.

I didn't realise it was such an ungodly hour for eating out on a Saturday night, but I could see what she meant when we arrived in the dining room and noticed that the four other tables of diners had almost finished. The early diners were certainly in tune with the decor, which harks back to a time when the entire country was tucked up in bed, lights out, by 9pm.

And finding the dining room on this rambling estate took a little doing on a misty and drizzly night as we nursed the car through the rainforest and down what seemed like the longest concrete driveway in creation, with little lighting or signage to help the uninitiated.

But once ensconced in front of the open fire, I was ready to embrace this retro experience, especially as it was backed by a soundtrack from my youth, what seemed like the playlist of Gisborne's 2ZG back in the summer of '79. Jane didn't seem to mirror my delight at this.

For entree, I opted for the calamari salad ($17) with a glass of Montana Reserve sauvignon blanc ($9), while Jane chose the soup of the day, creamy mushroom ($12.50) and an Odyssey chardonnay ($8) to chase it down. Both meals were nicely cooked but without any noticeable flair.

By this time our fellow diners had departed so we had the dining room, the fire and the view all to ourselves. Because the hotel sits high on a ridge, surrounded by bush below, it has captivating views back to the city. The carpet of twinkling lights that was Auckland City appeared and disappeared as the rain and mist lifted and descended throughout the night. Our chatty and amenable waiter, Louis, kept the fire well stoked, but left us to our meals and conversation, which was a refreshing change from some restaurants where the staff hover so much that it frays your nerves. It gets to the stage where you daren't look around the restaurant for fear someone will rush over and fill your water glass.

The mains arrived in a timely fashion — Jane's eye fillet of beef ($35) and my slow-roasted pork belly ($29) — along with a glass of Taylors shiraz ($8.50) to accompany the former and a Stoneleigh Rapaura Series pinot noir ($12.50) to go with the latter. Again, they were adequately executed without being inspired.

Jane's beef was tender and cooked exactly to specifications, and came with sauteed potatoes, roasted vine tomatoes and merlot jus. My tender pork belly came with beautifully cooked roasted carrots and parsnips, braised savoy cabbage and rosemary and pomegranate jus. It was the most generously sized slab of pork belly I've had in a restaurant — and I've had a few. As it's one of my favourite meals, I was mortified when Jane blithely informed me it's soon to become unfashionable on restaurant menus.

We rounded out the night with creme brulee with berries ($14), a large portion that came with ice cream and was serviceable without pushing the envelope.

On the night we dined, the restaurant had a special midwinter Christmas menu running, but it will soon be reverting to its more traditional offerings, such as lamb shanks, seared venison, crispy duck breast and coq au vin.

As well as a restaurant, the sprawling property boasts guest rooms, wedding and conference facilities and extensive gardens. We didn't get to take a good look around during our rainy night-time visit, so we'll be back to try the weekend brunch and enjoy the view and the grounds during daylight hours. c