Cocoro
Auckland, New Zealand
Cocoro brings a quiet, intimate Japanese dining experience to Auckland’s Ponsonby neighbourhood. The restaurant occupies a modest street address rather than a large hotel or waterfront development, with timber and restrained details giving the room a composed atmosphere. Its name suggests heart and spirit, a useful reflection of the attention paid to the meal’s progression. The kitchen works with Japanese techniques and New Zealand ingredients, with seafood playing a central role. Sashimi, seasonal preparations and more elaborate courses are arranged within menus that encourage an unhurried approach. The treatment of texture and temperature is important, allowing subtle differences between ingredients to register across the sequence. Sake provides a particularly rewarding accompaniment, although the drinks selection gives other options too. Staff can guide diners through unfamiliar styles and explain how they relate to the food. Cocoro suits an evening set aside for a considered meal, with advance booking advisable and dietary requirements best discussed before arrival at the restaurant.