19 Tamaki Drive,
Orakei
Auckland,
(09) 521 4400
The ViewAuckland Review
5 out of 5
Hammerheads is such an institution on the waterfront drive that it seems to be taken for granted: it has been a very long time since I have read a review of it by mainstream newspapers reviewers.
It has long been a favourite of mine for any number of reasons: it is a great place for lunch or a drink the late afternoon where you may sit and take in the view back to the city; and obviously for dinner where they really know how to do service and seafood.
So I am delighted that it recently took out the Metro magazine award for best seafood restaurant, it deserves to.
I have never been disappointed by any meal I have had there, but on a recent visit -- before the Metro awards I should say -- the kitchen seemed on especially top form.
I have long given up on reading the wine lists in most restaurants -- too long, often too obscure or unfamiliar -- and in places like Hammerheads I put myself confidently in the hands of the wine waiter. And the Matakana pinos gris which arrived were the perfect compliment to what we anted to order.
After breads and dips to take in the last light fading over the skyline, I opened with the lemon scented snapper which comes with roast eggplant and on a bed of tart mint salad with pickled papaya, red grapefruit, lime and chilli ($22 as an entrée, $34 as a main). It would be hard to imagine a more interesting confluence of flavours from sweet to sharp, and I was prepared that anything thereafter would be an inevitable disappointment.
But my perfectly seared tuna which followed ($32, with grilled zucchini, potato and an olive and watercress salad) was its equal.
Across the table Megan delighted in her entrée of vanilla and lime cured salmon ($19, although I got most of the capers which I adore), and her main of pan fried snapper ($34) which came with a memorable lemon and basil risotto which we have gamely tried to replicate at home. We also, somewhat unnecessarily, ordered a rocket salad ($7).
I rarely bother with desserts -- I am the cheeseboard and port guy, they had one for $19 -- but on this special night I needed no persuading: the selection of ice creams and sorbet with a pistachio praline ($12) was the perfect end to a memorable meal.
Although Megan said her vanilla bean panna cotta ($14) should take that honour. It was the caramelised rhubarb compote which was the clincher.
In many restaurants we find, as do many people I suspect, that you often wish you’d had what the other person ordered.
On this night -- and this is testament to the consistency of Hammerheads -- we both left utterly satisfied with our choices, and wondering why so many food writers have seldom bothered with this marvellous place in favour of Viaduct restaurants and familiar standbys such as The French Cafe.
Iconic is a word which is bandied about far too frequently these days, but Hammerheads in the old Sea Scout building is certainly that.
Hammerheads Seafood Restaurant has been reviewed by 7 users