Southeast Asian (which is what is on the door) predominates, but edamame beans and sashimi bow in the direction of Japan, laksas and nasi lemak sing of Malaysia, rendang of Indonesia and pho and summer rolls (called winter rolls just now, naturally) of Vietnam. That's a big territory to cover, but it's no problem to Thai owner and chef Vuthichai Tiatrakul, who has worked in some of the more fabled Thai restaurants around town, including Thai Friends in Parnell.
He has a supreme command of his craft and the restaurant as a whole is a class act, several notches above bog-standard Asian.
The atmosphere was relaxed and subdued, even though the place was busy, and the fitout is elegant, the crockery good quality, the service intelligent and attentive. Even the young waitress on her first night, who began laying the table for the next party while we were still sitting at it and recoiled, mortified, when she realised her mistake, only added to the charm.
A medley of entrees included takoyaki (a Japanese snack of muffin-like batter balls) with a creamy filling of octopus, and the lovely winter rolls of rice paper filled with cold crisp vegetables, which you dip into vinegary nuoc mam sauce. The pho, which has appeared in several of my reviews of late, was exemplary, so good in fact that having tasted the broth in the one my neighbour ordered, I immediately signalled for another.
A mild Thai-style red curry included thick and succulent slices of duck and crisp, barely cooked vegetables; my larb -- a minced-meat salad that is a Lao standard -- paired smoky eggplant and fat juicy prawns; there were excellent reports of a prawn sambal (a piquant Malaysian curry). Only a stir-fry foregrounding Thai basil was criticised as undistinctive.
Desserts were sensational, not a common occurrence in Asian restaurants: creamy sago with coconut; sticky rice with mango; and the blandly-named banana delight, which mixed caramelised banana with coconut cream.
This is a first-rate suburban Asian. The customers aren't as hip as on Ponsonby Rd, but they're not as up themselves either. Go soon.
Verdict: Class act in the suburbs.
Cheers
Mix Moon has a flash bar, but if you like to mix things up on your evenings out, you could head along to Black Salt Bar & Eatery for a drink.
Bar manager Dan confirmed that this establishment keeps its website up to date, so you can check out what's happening very easily.
The bar is closed Mondays, but is open 11.30am until late Tuesday to Sunday. Black Salt has a weekly Wednesday quiz night, which starts at 7.30pm. It also has Sunday sessions, which as the website explains "round off the weekend with some chill-out acoustic tunes every Sunday afternoon from 2pm until 5pm, featuring talented local musicians".
There's a function room above the main bar, which has its own sound system and can accommodate up to 120 people.
• Black Salt Bar & Eatery, corner Totara Ave and Great North Rd, New Lynn, ph (09) 826 0060, blacksaltbar.co.nz
- Penny Lewis
