Red Restaurant and Bar, Herne Bay

By EWAN McDONALD for viva

When Michael Devereux, the new owner and maitre d' of Red Restaurant, begins to describe his chef's menu and his own wine list, there is passion. Red-blooded, as they used to say in the ad.

Perhaps the visitor should expect that. The shopfront restaurant was, for some years, Copacabana and Mosso, home to Tony Matches, who's now a few doors down the road at Villa d'Vine; and for some more years, the stage for Kal Bouhdoud, the Moroccan chef-restaurateur who sold his business to Devereux and his wife Kate in March. Bouhdoud is planning to open a North African food importer and cafe in Parnell. Neither of those men could be described as shy, retiring sorts.

And when Devereux, a 17-year hospitality industry veteran, declares "I love this menu," and begins to describe venison that's hung for three weeks, or duck leg that's cooked for nine hours, or the correct way to braise cabbage in mustard, or why it's so difficult to produce certain wines north of the Harbour Bridge, you sense: this is someone who knows about food and wine.

His history reveals why. While restaurant junkies may not recognise Devereux's name, there's every chance they've seen his face. Formally trained in silver service at the Regent (oh, if you must, the Stamford Plaza), Devereux did his OE as a private butler to the CEO of BP in London, cheffed in various restaurants in France, and was on the inimitable Robert Johnson's original waiting crew at Euro.

Later he managed MJ's, Michael James' eatery on the Viaduct, and was general manager of a company which managed a couple of bistros around town. We last bumped into him at Sausalito, unwinding before a Saturday afternoon movie at the Bridgeway. The movie was rubbish, the pinot noir not.

When the couple bought Red, head chef Andrew Fletcher came with the deal. Well, he chose to. His decade of cooking began at the Carlton and his CV includes hotel and private service in London and the well-heeled and ski-booted Gstaad, as well as MJ's and Euro.

When we arrive on a Tuesday evening, it's less than two months since the new team took over, but there are subtle changes. I thought the menu had been trimmed, but Devereux insists there are one or two more mains, possibly because several of the entrees are available as full dishes. The pizzas are all but gone; the wood-fired pizza oven is going too, to make way for the rotisserie that Devereux and Fletcher crave, and which has been so popular with customers at Matches' new venture.

"Our food philosophy is about successfully blending traditional European cuisine with fresh, modern styles. All our dishes show the importance of flavour, texture, balance and visual appeal," they say, which is why the host is confident enough to point out that, yes, you can order a side dish of greens or crisp, smoked agria potatoes if you really want to add texture, but the meal has been designed to stand on its own.

Devereux is working through the cellar he inherited and replacing it with examples from New Zealand's boutique wineries. "Our philosophy is to showcase New Zealand - and other's - finest viticulture at sensible prices, to provide the opportunity for our customer to enjoy and experience a variety of wines, by having a large selection of wine by the glass." And this was before he had the chance to read last week's rant on this page, "to give recommendations which suit both the palate and food choice".

Just a few mouthfuls of the entree tasting plate were enough to recognise quality ingredients and slow, subtle cuisine: a chicken liver pate; a parcel of ravioli that burst with flavours and textures and joys; lean ostrich carpaccio. Devereux's accompaniment was an aromatic pinot gris from the Vega family's estate at Matakana.

He steered us towards what he suggested were his favourite dishes, grilled pork loin and duck confit. That comment about traditional European cuisine proved correct: the duck could, as our new friend pointed out, have been served at Antoine's 30 years ago, though in a different presentation. Vanilla-perfumed, the leg is cooked for hours, the breast pan-roasted, a brick of dauphinoise potato, fennel makes an all-too-rare appearance on top and a lip-smacking redcurrant and blackberry jus begs to be spooned over it all.

The pork has a French feel, too, perhaps from the green hills and grey rains of the Auvergne, swimming in a porridge of Puy lentils, with braised cabbage and spiced apple pickle.

This food is rich, hearty, and Devereux matches the pork with Peregrine pinot noir '01, the duck - appropriately - with Fenton "The Red" cabernet sauvignon '01, though he's not convinced that all of Waiheke's reds deserve their cachet.

Fletcher will update the menu every eight weeks, so there'll be plenty for Devereux to get excited about. He also says that he and Kate would like to ensure that Red is a popular local eatery. He may be selling himself short. If the pair keep up the pace, here goes the neighbourhood.

Open: Dinner Tues-Sun 6.30pm-10.30pm

Owners: Michael and Kate Devereux

Head Chef: Andrew Fletcher

Maitre d': Michael Devereux

Food: Traditional European, modern style

On the menu:

Ravioli of smoked beef, roast garlic and crayfish with aged balsamic, roquette leaf, parmigiano reggiano and porcini oil $16.50; Papillotte (cooked in a bag) kitchen-made tagliatelle with smoked bocconcini, grilled artichoke, verde salsa, pine nuts, wilted spinach $25; Tenderloin of beef with thyme-roasted fries, grilled pumpkin wedge, green peppercorn jus, five onion salad $29.50

Vegetarian: Options on menu

Wine: Compact list focusing on New Zealand boutique wineries

Parking: Street - no problem

Disabled access / toilets: Wide street access, appropriate facilities

Noise: Ladies sing the jazz...

Bottom line: Michael and Kate Devereux take over the popular Herne Bay restaurant and persuade head chef Andrew Fletcher to stay on. Good move: the new team is making Red hot again.

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