Pyrenees easily lives up to its 'taste and tradition' mission statement. Photo / Doug Sherring
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Herald on Sunday Rating: 3.5/5
Address: 371 Remuera Rd, Remuera
Ph: (09) 520 2900
Website: pyreneesdeli.co.nz
It's a bit of a hoot that the word "delicatessen" comes from the German. I hasten to add that I can't live without a nice plate of bratwurst and sauerkraut every 10 years or so, but the one thing German food can never be accused of is being delicate. Even
the cheesecake, which the Professor said was an excellent reason to stay in Berlin for the rest of her life, is more hearty than refined.
As it happens, the Germans borrowed the word from the French, which makes more sense since that's the language of food. Not for nothing do we use French words to talk about food - roux, bisque, hors d'oeuvre, gratin, even cuisine, which is their word for kitchen and, well, cuisine. German, by contrast, gives us food words for things we don't really want to name: "pumpernickel" comes from the words for devil and fart.
Generally speaking, then, I am more drawn to a deli when it has the word "French" in its name and Pyrenees has always been a benchmark deli for me. I first found it in Cheltenham, near where the Professor's mother used to live, which ensured I visited her often. Now there's a branch near the Rocket Park in Mt Albert where the women behind the counter say "bonjour" so winsomely that I instantly feel like buying a tarte citron along with a crunchy baguette and a slab of terrine.
A reader, who plainly shared my enthusiasm for the deli, emailed to tell me that, from Wednesday to Saturday, the Remuera branch transforms into a wine bar and restaurant. I reserved without delay and it was soon plain that my correspondent was not alone in liking the place. When my mate Andrew and I ate there, it was full of cheery diners, some of whom plainly regarded it as a second home.
