Totara, Albany

By JOHN GARDNER for canvas

There may be faster-growing areas of Auckland than Albany, but if there are I don't want to visit them. Turn your back for a moment and what used to be a field has a new crop of substantial houses fresh for the estate agents to harvest.

There are whole estates already looking as though they have been there for years, complete with a shiny four-wheel-drive in every driveway. There is light industry, offices and a rich and varied crop of new eateries.

So it was something of a relief to visit an establishment that hadn't sprung up like a mushroom in the latest drop of rain. Totara has been around for some years, being reviewed in this newspaper as long ago as 1999.

Although it is in the old village centre from which through-traffic has been seduced on to the new motorway, Totara was still doing good business on our midweek visit and it's not difficult to see why it appeals to its audience.

It relies on traditional, almost old-fashioned, virtues. The table settings are spotless and the service from the proprietors, gentlemen of style rather than in the first flush of youth, is courtly as well as efficient.

We are not suggesting the food is in a time-warp. The chermoula, shaved fennel bulbs, star anise and mirin-dressed Japanese coleslaw all put in an appearance on a substantial menu. But if there is a hallmark in the choice of flavours it might be a tendency to the sweet and fruity.

My opener, a terrine of duck and rabbit ($15.50) came with fruit as well as mustard and cress. The tarte tatin of tomato and goat's cheese ($14.75), praised by our vegetarian, came with pears and rocket salad, while our third starter, an outstanding smoked quail ($15.25) had pink grapefruit and roasted parsnip as its grace notes.

Onion and raisin relish and bubble and squeak were on offer with the braised pork hock, which was my front-runner until I switched, and was glad I did, to a very good veal rack ($27.75) with a sweet caponata and marinated mozzarella bruschetta.

Fortunately our vegetarian eats seafood, and there was a choice of four fish dishes, and her selection of the seared yellowfin tuna ($27.75) with pickled ginger and mirin coleslaw was a substantial meal.

Our third choice was similarly comforting, an eye fillet ($27.75) on garlic and herb mash with caramelised red onion jam and wild mushrooms, satisfying without being a revelation.

The desserts ($9.75) did not afford the shock of the new, although my excellent and lavish selection of dried fruits was not something many places would offer. The cappuccino brulee and baked wild berry cheesecake were declared perfectly acceptable.

The wine list is good with some interesting Australian selections and I felt a little conservative in sticking with a favourite West Brook Marlborough barrique-fermented chardonnay. But perhaps going for a tried and tested option sat well with Totara's moving spirit.

Cost: $216 for three, each having three courses, one bottle of wine and two pre-dinner drinks.

* Read more about what's happening in the world of food, wine, party places and entertainment in canvas magazine, part of your Weekend Herald print edition.