Number 5

Where do the weekends go? I hadn't even replied to a friend's 'hey, it's Monday again' email from last week and I find myself at Monday again. Again.  I swear that time passes by faster on the weekend, even if you're not having fun. Not that I didn't this weekend, because it was a pretty great weekend all round, but even the not-so-fun parts seemed to go by quickly.

I made a return to running after two weeks break and a horrible head cold. It was slow and I huffed and wheezed my way around the neighbourhood and still had plenty of the morning left by the time I got home. I spent pretty much all of Saturday moving furniture, packing away things in preparation for our next big house renovation project, and cleaning and yet all of a sudden it was almost 5pm and I was expecting a guest. 

But a very exciting guest she was: my long-lost bestie has returned home from living in the UK! To celebrate we decided to make use of a groupon I'd got a while back and headed to Number 5 for a long overdue catch up. Number 5 has long been recognised as a fine dining destination but it has kind of fallen off the radar lately with dining out really taking off in Auckland. With so many other wonderful restaurants I've yet to try I don't think I would have chosen to eat here were it not for the groupon, but I am glad we did.

We were shown to a table upstairs and a fire, festively decorated for a mid-Winter Christmas was lit. At first we'd thought we'd be all our lonesome, but very quickly the room filled up and a mild chatter overtook the mellow jazz soundtrack. 

Since we had the voucher for the degustation we decided it would only be right to opt for the matched wines, neither of us was driving and it certainly made it easier than choosing a bottle from the small book of a wine list presented.  Plus I had spied a favourite from my trip to Hawkes Bay earlier in the year and was excited to share it. 

Our first course was Atlantic scallops on a oyster cream with Waikane crab, an oxtail ragout and coconut paired with a Marlborough Chardonnay that was pleasantly refreshing without a hint of oak. The scallops were punchy, the ragout rich and velvety with just the right amount of sweetness from the coconut. We finished this course all too quickly, but had a lot to catch up on as we finished our glasses.

Next up was a venison carpaccio which was one of my favourites of the evening. Served on a licorice puree with cherries, hazelnuts and cocoa wafers it was an interesting blend of sweet and gamey, nicely washed down a sauvingon blanc which was a surprising twist and certainly not an unpleasant one as the crispy flavours helped cut the sumptuous dish. 

The third course was a pork dish, with a classic pairing of cauliflower, cinnamon and honey and a few macadamias for a bit of crunch. It was superbly tender and washed back with a not-too-shabby celebre-merlot/syrah from Ata Rangi in Martinborough.  I'm starting to really get into reds and should pay more attention to those I enjoy. *mental note, take notes* The teeny tiny meringues were fantastic and oh so cute.

The last savoury course was veal, prepared with yoghurt, white chocolate and soy milk. It was creamy as veal should be and the sweetness was of the white chocolate was decadent and silky, but not overly sweet.  The John Forrest Pinot Noir served alongside was excellent and this time I remembered to take notes!

The dessert was probably my favourite course. I hate to be predictable but it was chocolatey and wonderful and served with one of my (so far) all time favourite drops: the Clearview Sea Red Merlot, a light and slightly sweet red that is fantastic slightly chilled and served as a dessert wine. Heaven. However the absolute best part of the dish was the tarragon icecream that just blew me away. I would have licked the plate had we been in a quieter dining room, or had my dining partner taken off to the bathroom and the right moment.

Throughout the meal service was excellent from the two female servers who attended us, although at one point plates were dumped on the table by a male server with no explanation or fanfare. Thanks to trusty google we had the menu beside us and could enjoy the dish a little more so for knowing its components before we started. 

Having never been before I can't say whether Number 5 is going through another renaissance or whether it's been like this all along, but I'd certainly recommend it if asked and would consider returning, if not for so many others to try nearby!

Number 5 is at 5 City Road, Auckland