TriBeCa, Parnell

By CARROLL Du CHATEAU for canvas

TriBeCa, in the old Foundation for the Blind building on the Parnell side of the Domain, is the perfect lunch restaurant. The drive from the city is leafy and uplifting, the food good — and you can be pretty sure of dodging the people who know you should be hard at the desk as you sneak a second glass of chardonnay.

The dinner experience is a couple of notches upwards. By night, TriBeCa's big glassy main room is transformed. Gone is the alfresco feel, in comes the comfy richness of white tablecloths to match the draped roof, the polished table in the centre of the room with its crystal glasses and flowers. Even Jean-Jacques, the maitre d', formerly of the Bohemian in Ponsonby Rd, seems to get more French. Not only does he greet me as a cross between a friend and a princess, he also remembers my son's name, produces some of the largest red wine glasses I've seen — and knows his tucker, too.

The night we were there, they were about to change the menu, so I won't go into our individual dishes in detail. The point is that this was superbly selected food to start with, brilliantly cooked, elegantly served.

The Bluff oysters, though expensive at $19, were so Walrus and Carpenter-fresh and arranged so artfully I didn't mind, while the rest of our entrees — seared squid, smoked fish cakes, chicken livers (between $18-$16) — were exciting, yet not so fancy the taste got messed up. Generous, too.

Our more irascible dining companion, Barb, declared her squid followed by Hapuka fillet in coconut lemon grass broth ($28) her best meal ever. This is seriously high praise.

Marion and Brian loved their seafood medley and hotpot ($30 and $32 respectively) and my duck, which I'm happy to say will make it through to the winter menu, was delectable.

Thinking back, the seminal talent of TriBeCa is that the food is adorned and accented just enough to make it interesting and bring out the flavour. No sign of fussy sauces, larks' tongues or clashing flavours here. And our dessert, vanilla croissant pudding with whisky sauce and home-made butter pecan icecream, was as sticky, stodgy and delicious as anything I've devoured in a long time.

I feel confident — and slightly jealous — in urging you to try TriBeCa's new menu for yourself.

Ambience: worth getting dressed up for

Cost: $327 for four entrees, main courses, a large platter of vegetables, two desserts and a bottle each of Allan Scott Reisling and Te Awa Merlot.

* Read more about what's happening in the world of food, wine, party places and entertainment in canvas magazine, part of your Weekend Herald print edition.