Win a romantic dinner at Molten

Photo: JASON OXENHAM

Special salmon: Molten owner and head chef Michael Van de Elzen with one of the dishes to be served on Valentine’s Day.

It will be love at first bite for couples heading to Molten Restaurant this Valentine's Day.

The Mt Eden restaurant would generally be closed on Sunday but it is opening especially on February 14, running two sittings for diners celebrating the day of love.

Owner and head chef Michael Van de Elzen and his wife Belinda opened the restaurant six years ago and opened Liquid Molten, which is less formal and serves tapas, two years ago.

Molten was recently named best neighbourhood restaurant in the Cuisine Restaurant of the Year awards and Mr Van de Elzen says the restaurant’s success, even during the recession, comes down to hard work and looking after customers.

"For a restaurant that works hard when times are good, when times are bad the people you work hard for and look after come back to you.

"We are always working hard, in the good times and the bad. We’re here from 8am to 1am and if we’re not here, we’re thinking about what we’ll do when we get there."

He says looking after local patrons is important because they are the people who keep coming back. One woman had been dining there every Friday at the same table for the past six years.

"The only time she didn’t come is when she had a stroke and she called us from hospital to say she wouldn’t be there."

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, Molten has teamed up with Regal Salmon to offer one lucky couple a royal romantic night out.

The four-course meal for two, valued at $250, will include a hot and cold smoked salmon terrine with crispy duck, beetroot puree and gingernut crumbs.

To enter the draw to win the dinner, send your name, address and daytime phone number on the back of an envelope to Molten and Regal Salmon Competition, Private Bag 56910, Dominion Rd, Mt Eden, Auckland 1446.

Or you can email your entry to edcl@snl.co.nz with Molten and Regal Salmon Competition in the subject heading.

Entries must be received by 5pm on February 10.

- © Fairfax NZ News