Verbena, Birkdale

Verbena's oxtail, gently stewed and served with jasmine rice and bok choy. Picture / Glenn Jeffrey

Herald rating: * * * *

You should," said Vic, taking a wedge of my Moeraki blue and spiced pear and walnut bread, "put this place on the map."

"I will," I replied, scoffing crumbs of his Whitestone cheddar, oat cake and feijoa chutney. "When I find out where on the map we are."

When I consider where to eat out, Birkdale is - was - not front-of-mind. Ponsonby, Viaduct, Mt Eden, Parnell, yes.

But Vic is a man of ineffable taste and emailed: "Get in first!" He continued: "This place has just opened, up the road from us. The owner is Stephen Thompson ... " and attached a tempting menu.

I replied with history; Thompson was long-time head chef at the Sheraton here and in Fiji, who (his words) "semi-retired" to the delights of Verrans Corner some years ago. Birkdale locals already have a fine cafe, Verrans, to thank him for.

Across a warming Matariki cabernet-merlot, Thompson explained he'd always wanted to run a neighbourhood winebar-restaurant. Two shops up from his cafe he took what was once a bakery, still with original ovens, bought Rondel tables and chairs from Sky City's late Tamarind and converted two shops into a lounge bar.

In another smart move he let the downstairs flat to Stephen Locke, who'd been beside him in the Sheraton kitchens. They put together a piquant, seasonal menu and a compact list of reasonably priced wines.

At Verbena, Vic was in an avian mood: quail followed by duck. His entree showed how the kitchen likes to meddle with the expected. Twice-cooked crispy quail has become a staple. Had it with a carrot and cumin salad or aioli recently? Playful, we thought.

His main was the good ol' boy dish - if the good ol' boy comes from the Languedoc - braised duck leg, bean cassoulet and pancetta. Both lively, juicy dishes served on that all-too-rare beast, hot plates.

I played favourites too, partaking of pork belly then oxtail. Again, both are offered from Orewa to Bombay. Not like these. The pork is deliciously tangy: Thompson says it's marinated in a brine of fennel seeds, ginger, salt, vinegar and chilli flakes, rinsed and slow-roasted in the century-old bread ovens. The cheeky lentil jambalaya is a meal on its own.

Oxtail. Good British food, huh? Oh, no. The rich red meat is ever so gently stewed and served with jasmine rice and bok choy. Ease the meat from the bone, dip in the sauce, coat with rice or green. What's that elusive taste . . ?

Vic solved the mystery. He grinned to Thompson. "You've put tamarind in there, haven't you?"

Le patron smiled. "How did you figure that out?" Vic laughed. "Connie Clarkson's recipe."

Yes, the doyenne of cross-cultural New Zealand cuisine invented it, and Thompson is only too happy to acknowledge his debt. Word of warning, chef: she works just up the road. She'll be in to check out if you're doing it right. We reckon you are.

Address: Verrans Corner, Birkdale
To get there: Cross the bridge, Onewa exit, past Highbury to Verrans Corner, 15 minutes from Downtown. As they say in the Michelin Guide, worth the detour.
Phone: (09) 483 9571
Open: Lounge bar - Tues-Fri from 4.30pm, Sat from 5.30pm
Restaurant - Tues-Saturday from 6.30pm
Cuisine: Modern NZ
On the menu: Smoked salmon, prawn, potato and dill salad, avocado salsa verde $17.50; Panko crusted pork fillet, apple and walnut chutney, red cabbage and baby fennel salad $27.50; Knickerbocker glory $12
Vegetarian: Option on menu
Wine list: 8 whites, 10 reds, $28-$80