26 Normanby Road,
Mt Eden
Auckland,


(09) 630 5790

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4 out of 5 stars

Is it a bar or is it a restaurant? Since I’m pretty keen on both eating and drinking, I’m happy to call C.A.C. both. Especially when the drinks list is so interesting and the tapas-style small plates are so tasty. Tonight the emphasis is on a few drinks so let’s call it a bar this time around.

Apparently C.A.C. stands for the Colonial Ammunition Company and the old bluestone building that houses this difficult-to-define place dates back to 1922. Now the interior is more contemporary but there are still plenty of heritage features intact including polished wooden floors and wide-beamed rafters.

Auckland’s summer is doing its best impression of a warm Mediterranean evening so we secure a table outside in the sheltered courtyard. A few punters are propping up the bar, and multiple plates of C.A.C.’s excellent tapas are being ferried upstairs to the spacious mezzanine floor.

All of the Mac’s range is on tap, and there’s a handy selection of interesting bottled brews from countries including Germany, Belgium, Mexico and Australia. I defer my eventual graduation to Little Creatures’ Pale Ale with a glass of flinty Yealands Marlborough Riesling. Carol has a glass of the oaky Bushmere Chardonnay from Gisborne. Both are excellent with our food when it arrives. (Everyone knows it’s not wise to eat on an empty stomach, OK?)

Just maybe Auckland’s best hummus comes topped with spice lamb and pinenuts, and the seared squid with Israeli couscous, tomato, chili and olives is perfectly light and summery. Mountains of still-warm sour dough bread means I can safely line up a second (and maybe third) Little Creatures. C.A.C. is like that. You go along planning a relatively quiet night, but then you’re still there by the time the DJ or live jazz kicks in.

C.A.C, has just launched a full takeout menu, but it’s really a place to linger in, stay late, and work your way through the tapas menu with a few cocktail, wine and beer diversions along the way.

Mind you, if they do free delivery to Epsom I might be tempted. The hummus is pretty damn good and I could always pick up a six-pack of Little Creatures on the way home.