Otto's, Kitchener St

Herald rating: * * * * *

We went to Otto's to see what all the fuss was about. Viva had just named it one of the most stylish eating establishments around and I'd heard about its great food for ages.

I took my uber-waitress friend Louise to get her take on the service. It's a two-way performance, she says. The key is to participate. If the waitperson is aloof, the client will be, too. And of course the reverse is true.

The French maitre d' greeted us warmly in the beautiful, chandelier-lit lobby and took us through to the main dining room. The old Magistrates Court with its high ceilings and elegant architecture has been preserved brilliantly. Ceiling to floor curtains, a huge fireplace and a large central flower arrangement make this one of the most beautiful dining rooms I've seen.

I started with a glass of Palliser pinot gris ($12.50) and Louise had a glass of a Peter Lehmann shiraz ($14.50) — she actually ordered something else but liked the Lehmann so didn't insist on her original order despite the Italian waiter's insistence that he correct his mistake.

Two demi-tasses of parsnip and apple soup arrived to clear our palates for the treats ahead.

My crispy South Island salmon with sweet and sour cabbage ($20) entree was glorious — the salmon's delicate flavour offset brilliantly by the well-cooked cabbage with sultanas. Louise had never had ostrich so I encouraged her to try the tataki knowing it would be a treat. And it was. Little drops of bright red beetroot jus surrounded the beautifully presented slivers of rare ostrich meat that melted in the mouth. "I'm so down with ostrich," said Louise, savouring every mouthful.

By this stage we were settling into a real two-way performance with our urbane Italian waiter. There was lots of banter which, given his Roman heritage seemed fine — although from a New Zealander it would've been a bit much.

Our mains arrived after just the right amount of wait. My apple-glazed duck ($38) was great — tender and moist and falling off the bone. Louise's steamed hapuku farci, stuffed with crayfish, ($40) was to die for. It came with a parcel of vermicelli and was easily the best piece of fish I've ever tasted.

A seven-leaf salad ($9) was the finest green salad I've ever had in a restaurant — Otto's obviously has a special supplier. The small plate of green beans ($9) we could've done without — I'm not averse to crunchy but these were bordering on tough. The baby new potatoes ($9) were perfect, however.

We were pondering the dessert menu when the waiter suggested the True Decadence ($28) — a combination of the other five desserts ($16 each). So we decided to share one. The liquid-centred chocolate and banana pudding with malt icecream was the best (Louise went cross-eyed with ecstacy, momentarily) and I relished the sugar-poached tomato with maple and walnut salad with a red wine glace. Tomato is a fruit after all, so it seemed completely natural that it made a fabulous dessert.

Executive chef Philip Reynolds came by for a chat. He's mates with the big boys (Peter Gordon and Gordon Ramsay among them) and has cooked in several three-star Michelin restaurants in Europe. He's ripe for his own establishment here and on the lookout.

Otto's is still one of those special-occasion places — the prices are high, but you get what you pay for: outstanding food and excellent service in beautiful surroundings.

Actually we got a little more than we paid for — no charge for our drinks (except for a bottle of Pellegrino $8), presumably because of the minor stuff-up with the shiraz.

Where: Otto's, 40 Kitchener St, City(09) 300 9595
Our meal: $200 for two. Bread, two entrees, two mains, salad, potatoes, beans, one dessert, one coffee, one bottle of water.
Our wines: By the glass $12.50 — $14.50 or $1550 for a bottle of vintage Krug champagne.