The minute you step foot in Clooney you realise that you must be on your very best behaviour. This place is an up-market restaurant of the cool-kids kind.
What was once an abandoned industrial building now oozes a sort of speak-easy sexiness with its low lighting, muted décor and the promise of whispered secrets in dark corners. (If only cigars were still permitted!)
The room is divided into large circular areas separated by impressive floor to ceiling black fringe curtains that the waiters brush creating a shimmying, dynamic atmosphere.
The tables are low and round - something you don't see much of these days in fine dining - and even as a twosome we are seated on the same side of a particularly round one. It's odd at first, but then there's a feeling of intimacy that comes with not having any corners to contend with - and Clooney is all about intimacy.
The fringe curtains create enough of a barrier between the tables to make you feel cosy, but at the same time allowing you to indulge in a spot of people-watching. The lighting is subtle, arranged in clusters of low-lit glass balls over selected tables, nicely contrasted against the curtains. The chairs are low-backed, covered in tan leather and I guess would be the dining equivalent of the armchair. The maître d' and Restaurant Manager, Tony Stewart, is hospitable and somewhat humble and the waitstaff are busy, but so good at their job that you hardly notice them.
A delectable amuse-bouche of jellied kingfish with wasabi foam arrived, courtesy of the kitchen, to ready the tastebuds for what was to come.
Much to my dismay I'm not overly hungry, so despite being seriously tempted by the Tasting Menu (next time) I skip an entrée and order à la carte: the Freedom Farms Pork. It is sensational. An orgasm of the palate with each mouthful. Rather than serving up a pork chop with Grandma's apple sauce, Chef Desmond Harris has created small morsels of delight with a spectrum of flavours that play off each other and harmonise beautifully, while ensuring that every bite is a new experience. Visually, the plate is a delicate masterpiece - as is its eating.
Our waitress is polite and knowledgeable, offering to match the perfect wine to complement our meal. I opt for a french red from the Rhone region (one that I'd never heard of) and it too, is delicious.
The experience is over all too quickly as it is the evening of the Breakers ANBL final and incidentally, the Royal Wedding, so we don't stick around for Dessert, which is something that I regret - although a decision would have been hard to make. Between the Black Sesame Parfait and the Brûlée with green sherbet and prune beignets, or the Buttermilk Panna cotta and Soft Licorice with textures of passionfruit, pineapple and lime, I would have needed a good half hour or so to choose.
In short, Clooney is truly as smooth as its might-be namesake, and just as sexy. The whole experience was a sumptuous combination of New York-suave with a hint of 1920s gangster, mixed with a bit of industrial grit and some serious mood lighting. It really is a pleasure that must be experienced for oneself. Oh, and note the impressive cigar/cigarette menu - maybe all is not lost on that front!
http://www.clooney.co.nz/
Ratings out of 10
Decor: 8
Atmosphere: 8
Service/Staff: 8
Entree: -
Main: 10
Dessert: -
Wine list: 9
Coffee: -
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