Across the way from Kings Plant Barn and a short hop, step and jump from the Meadowbank Railway Station, lies Copia, a gem of a restaurant complete with a master chef at work.
Copia conveys a level of cuisine not often appreciated by slick, city diners. The menu is small but comforting and enlivened with visionary dishes that are plated with pride, flare and lots of care from the kitchen. Chef Ken O’Connell is the owner/operator supported by Fiona his wife. Ken, a keen culinary competitor who has won the New Zealand Chef of the Year title twice, the last occasion just last year, was also a member of the Irish culinary team before emigrating to New Zealand 17 years ago.
There is a glow to the dishes, not only by the way the ingredients are treated (many from their own garden) but also the harmony that is present on the plate. Brown soda bread ($10) and creamy butter washed down with a glass of wine was a good start. For mains we sampled duck breast ($45) with kumara gratin, endive, pea puree, duck and cherry jus; and fillet of snapper ($42), chiffonade of leak and cabbage, carrot puree, oyster mushrooms, buttercup, and finger lime chive oil dressing. The intensity of flavour and richness was nothing short of divine.
Sweet pleasures were cutting edge and another high point. Our coconut baked meringue ($19), lemon curd, citrus ice, mandarin and lemon tuille set the taste buds alight and proved exceptional and one of the best sampled over a very long time. The wine list was interesting as the food, sensibly priced with a selection of well-chosen drops by the bottle and glass.
And the verdict? Dishes showcase the technical savoir-faire on produce, the cuisine is so luxurious, so resolutely creative and crafted that dining here is a dining adventure and an engrossing masterclass. The presentation of dishes, hot plated food, and great service completes the picture making a meal here worth a visit.
Menu: 8; cuisine: 8.5; presentation: 9; wine list: 7.5; service: 8; decor: 7; value for money: 8.
236 Orakei Road, Remuera
09 520 2234
copia.nz
