OVER THE WINE GLASSES
Ewan McDonald takes a visitor
from Parnell to a city restaurant that's just
getting better.
ADDRESS: St Patrick's Square, CBD
Ph (09)368 419
OWNERS: Annette and Michael Dearth
CHEF: Michael Meredith
OPEN: Mon-Fri lunch and dinner,
Sat dinner only
FOOD: Fusion
ON THE MENU:
Smoked eel beignets with cauliflower hummus, pomegranite, baby cress and curry
oil $18
Braised leg of duck with peppered breast, kaffir lime polenta and baby bok
choy $33
Mahoe Greek yoghurt pannacotta with orange, grape an pomegranite salad and
vanilla verjuice syrup $14
VEGETARIAN: even a six-course tasting menu
WINE: Ranges far, wide and pricey
Parking Best to take the $10 valet option
BOTTOM LINE:
Michael and Annette Deart were brave to open a fine-dining restaurant in the
CBD and smart to install Michael meredith in the kitchen. The Grove has settled
to become a must-eat for fusion fans
The Guest: Tell me why we're
here, again?
The Writer: A few clues – tables,
chairs, knives, forks, nice white linen,
glasses, and no doubt you'll find a use for
those.
The Guest: Sarcasm doesn't become
you. when you mentioned Viva i expected a certain
level of style, refinement and wit.
The Writer: Which is precisely
why we're here. That, and the fact I thought
it was about time you ate somewhere other than
Parnell.
The Guest: There is nothing
wrong with having Antoine's as my kitchen.
The Writer: I couldn't agree
more. Though, since you married a chef, I'm surprised
you even remember what a kitchen is.
The Guest: Perhaps we could
refrain from the personal remarks for a while
and you could answer my original question.
The Writer: Fair enough. The
Grove opened last August in this room, which
you may remember as Le Brie and a few other ideas
that didn't quite make it. A couple of young
operators, Michael and Annette Dearth, came to
town from the United States and opened last August.
Brave to open a fine dining place in the CBD,
because it's very hard to break into the top
end of business in this town from a standing
start. They've pulled it off, as you can tell
by the crowd. Their first move was possibly the
smartest – Michael Meredith, who had trained
in your kitchen, was just finishing his season
with Vinnie's and they installed him as chef.
The Guest: Hold on a moment.
You were a touch unkind about Vinnie's in those
days.
The Writer: Yes, but that had
more to do with the loss of atmosphere and style
while Pru Barton and David Griffiths were in
Hawkes Bay than the quality of the food. Since
he's lobbed up here, meredith has had a free
rein to develop his own menu. Some of his early
experiments were fairly rococo – boned
and stuffed quail, on a chestnut and cinnamon
risotto with soused figs was one. I've been here
two or three times over the months and he's pulled
back from the parlour tricks, and his combinations
are a little more in sync.
The Guest: I think the nice
lady would like us to order. I can't resist Bluff
oysters.
The Writer: It's only fair I
try the new version of quail.
The Guest: Perhaps we could
have some wine?
The Writer: Of course. This
is not so much a wine list as The Times Atlas – Europe,
America, Australia, Aotearoa - but we're going
to pay for the choice. Chard farm River Run pinot
noir, 2003?
The Guest: Perfect. These oysters
are absolutely divine. The quail?
The Writer: As I said, he's
simplified things. An asian-influenced salad – papaya,
enoki, peanut – and there's a sharpish
ginger and spring onion relish to set it off.
Lots of flavours, but they're nicely balanced.
The Guest: I'm going outside
for a smoke.
The Writer: Sorry, I forgot
how unreconstructed you are. Quite possibly the
only unreconstructed woman left in parnell. [The
maitre d' arrives at the outside table: Your
mains are at your other table now.]
The Writer: Your pork?
The Guest: Gorgeous. Two meals
in one, really – grilled fillet and slow
-cooked belly. apple sauce and roasted fennel.
And the last flavour is . . .
The Writer: It's a quince jus.
I read it on the menu. This lamb rump is rather
special, too. I was a little wary about the accompaniments – tahini
and kumara, shitake mushroom and sweetbreads – but
it works. It's in a soy reduction, which brings
'em all together.
The Guest: So does the pinot
noir. You were right when you talked about refinement,
style and wit. That goes for the room and the
service, as well as the food. Pity about the
view.
The Writer: That happens to
be my office across the road. Are we doing dessert?
He does this thing with green apples in a brulée,
a sorbet and a spring roll; and a chocolate cake
with nut praline, armagnac anglaise and orange
sorbet; and . . .
The Guest: Not with your cholesterol,
mate. Now, could you ask the nice lady to get
my car brought out front? It's time I got back
to Parnell.
