Vinnies, Herne Bay

Herald rating: 18/20

There is a win-win when you marry a restaurant with a sound reputation and one of Auckland's top chefs. Geoff Scott needs no introduction and nor does Vinnies. What has always set Scott's food apart, as those who have followed him from White will attest, is his passion and enthusiasm for excellent quality local produce.

It's my first anniversary with this column and there is no better way to celebrate than with world-class New Zealand food and wine. If it were not for the support of our growers who provide us the best, it would not be possible to lure our best chefs home. Neither would it be possible to lure top chefs from around the world.
I don't need a load of superlatives to describe the food at Vinnies; it speaks for itself. Still on the menu are favourites such as the confit duck leg and lamb shank, which will be given a rest over the summer; and the savoury cones inspired by Thomas Keller - he of Napa Valley's French Laundry restaurant. The fillings include ostrich carpaccio with Japanese pickles; labna - a yoghurt cheese - with watermelon-rind pickle; and vanilla-cured salmon.

The menu keeps evolving with what is seasonal and available at the time. Scott picks fresh sorrel, rosemary, mint and thyme from his garden, his mother-in-law supplies him with parsley and lettuces and his neighbours' lemons are transformed into a light lemon dressing. He's also getting a kick out of some early blueberries that have a spiciness about them. Three fish suppliers afford him a fresh selection which changes daily, snapper, john dory or flounder perhaps.

It was my fiance's birthday and it has become a tradition to celebrate with one of Scott's degustation menus. Vinnies' degustation tasting menu can be requested with ($140) or without ($80) matching wines.

The poached oysters arrived in a whisper of champagne froth amid a tangle of lemon-scented linguine and matched with a William Fevre Chablis Mont de Millieu 2002. Next , a small piece of salmon with almond crust, sweet savoy cabbage and bright coral bubbles of briny salmon roe caviar. The fish was circled with almond cream sauce. The wine was Chanson Vire Clesse Bourgogne Blanc 2002. The match was delectable.

The citrus sorbet gave a welcome pause before the quail saltimbocca - legs flavoured with sage and pancetta and roasted confit-style. It came with a small disc of brioche, foie gras pate topped with truffle and a quenelle of fig all sitting on a simple silverbeet and potato risotto. Delicious flavours with the Faivevly Gevry-Chamberlain 2000.

My native manuka smoked king prawns were small but sweet - smokey, petite mouthfuls enlivened by a salad of daikon and fuchsia-pink pickled ginger shoots - surely worth looking out for to serve with ultra-fresh sashimi.

Also on our menu was first-of-the-season white and green asparagus from the South Island to accompany fresh-baked salmon fillet and fingerling golden kumara. The pan is deglazed with Craggy Range verjus into an unctuous beurre blanc.

We shared the praline nougat icecream with apricot coulis and French bittersweet red cherry confit with two glasses of Perrin Muscat Beaumes de Venise 2003 and complimentary slivers of French washed-rind, blue and goats cheeses.

At the end of the month Vinnies will close for a week for refurbishment and will reopen on Tuesday, October 4 with a new menu and wine list.

We're sure it will be worth booking for.

Overall: Relaxed and trustworthy Herne Bay local with a fine team serving fresh seasonal flavours.
Where: Vinnies, 166 Jervois Rd, Herne Bay
(09) 376 5597
Dinner Mon-Sat from 6.30pm
Our meal: $217 for two, including one degustation tasting menu with matching wines; entrees $16-23; mains $29-34; desserts $16, cheeses $10
Our wines: by the glass $8-20; by the bottle from $45