Deve Brasserie, Kingsland

I can see problems with this place. I really wanted to dislike it, purely so I'd never be the one saying "shall we go to Deve?", or "I'd highly recommend Deve". Because, you see, I've no idea how to pronounce it. Deeeeeve? Dev-ay? Dave? Neither really sounds quite right, somehow.

Unfortunately, I'm going to have to get over it, because Deve is really very good (see, it's easier when you write it...). Sunday lunch here provided a startlingly good salade Niçoise, a fat slab of fresh tuna perfectly seared and rosy pink (though warm) inside, and all the attendant bits (olives, green beans, red onion, new potatoes, semi-soft boiled eggs, salad leaves) all in good order. Purists (bores) will harp on about true Niçoise only ever featuring canned tuna, but for my part I much prefer fresh, if it's decent quality and well cooked, as this was.

Very prettily presented it was too, and well-matched with a glass of Mount Dottrel rosé, whose tart strawberry flavours balanced the fattiness of the tuna and the salad dressing nicely. To be honest, the only thing about it that wasn't spot on was the service, which I'm never really that fussed about but here it did grate a little bit, probably because hard work and talent in the kitchen were being blunted by a lack of thought front-of-house. Simple things, like why would you come to take a table's order when the whole party's not there (my other half having nipped across the road for a paper)? And my personal most-hated waiter slip-up, taking away one diner's empty plate whilst the other one is still eating? So rude, so low-rent and the perfect way to spoil an otherwise great lunch.

As for the name, the staff themselves didn't know how to pronouce it. Apparently everyone says it slightly differently. Either way, get yourself down to 'that Brasserie just by Kingsland train station' and you won't be disappointed, especially if someone has a quiet word with the staff in the meantime.


Deve Brasserie

460 New North Road
Kingsland
Auckland

(09) 846 9997