Mint, Takapuna

The truffled spring pea soup with pan-seared scallops, herb marscapone and grilled pancetta.

Herald rating: * * * *

There's nothing like a new restaurant to liven up an eatery street and Mint is nothing like a new restaurant. It has a different name and a new menu but those familiar with Takapuna's Papermoon will find little to unnerve them, from the staff to the style of food. When we telephoned to book we were even greeted with the old name before the correction hastily followed.

This absence of the shock of the new is probably no bad thing. A senior colleague had identified Papermoon as one of the few oases in the culinary desert of the North Shore (and she can get away with this observation free of the taint of Ponsonby food snobbery because she is a Shoreite). Certainly it is popular.

We actually visited twice in quick succession, once under the former brand, and on both occasions business was lively and perhaps the switch did have an effect because our second visit was more successful.

On the first date the communications between the front of house and the kitchen resembled a game of Chinese Whispers played by the hard of hearing.

For the encore the blemishes had disappeared and the professionalism of the maitre d' was almost matched by the rest of the delivery.

I started with what they called their al fresco plate, antipasto by another name. This was one dish in which Mint's tendency to gild the lily by chucking in yet another ingredient worked well. There were too many tempting bits and pieces to list but there was plenty of choice with the squid as delicate as the paella croquettes were solid.

I enjoyed it and the truffled pea soup surrounding some fine fat scallops was also good. Our vegetarian said her crayfish and marscapone ravioli was more than respectable, having decided the description alone of the pan-seared squid with preserved lemon with blistered plum tomatoes, wilted baby spinach, black pearl Israeli couscous caviar and chilli butter was a bit too clever by half.

My main course of veal loin with fava beans and a sweet little vegetable tart was original, thinly sliced and strongly flavoured which seems to be the house style with meat. My beef on our first visit was particularly robust.

But the chicken breast with a confit leg was well done and not overpowered. The trimmings with the tuna were within reason and the fish itself was expertly judged.

The chocolate dessert turned out to be deux feuille rather than the mille suggested, which was just as well because it was spectacularly rich, as was its partner chocolate sorbet. I had opted for the espresso sundae, a grown-up version of a childhood favourite.

The wine list is rather more ambitious and varied than the average and we all enjoyed the Aunts Field 2003 Marlborough chardonnay.

Mint is, perhaps, not as excellent as it would like but, when it's on song, it's no bad place to spend a Takapuna evening.

Overall: A busy, lively restaurant, hearty food but with ambition exceeding achievement.
Where: Mint, 174 Hurstmere Rd, Takapuna (09) 489 4727
Our meal:  $204 for three first courses, three mains, two desserts, one bottle of wine, one coffee.
Our wine: One bottle $47.50. The range: glasses from $6.50 to $17.50. Bottles from $29.50 to $260