How's the lamb, Mr President?

By Peter Calder

We're not saying they're a bitchy lot, but it would not be a surprise if the city's chefs were relishing the chance to pick holes in David Williams' Apec menus.

But the line-up for the leaders' dinner on Sunday and the lunch on Monday have drawn good reviews from the harshest of critics - Williams' peers.

Glynn Christian, the recently-returned British celebrity chef and author of The Delicatessen Food Handbook, pronounced himself "really impressed" with the bill of fare, which he described as "creative without being poncy."

Any menu which included whitebait and watercress was "really neat", he said. "Watercress is one of this country's most underrated culinary treasures."

The range of choices available and the difficulties of satisfying the dietary taboos of a religiously diverse guest list made the selection difficult, he said. But the choice of a loin of lamb had the added advantage of "sticking it up President Clinton" who had imposed tariffs to protect US sheep farmers.

"They haven't gone for expensive things - paua and all that sort of stuff. They're going to eat very well but more importantly eating what they can only have in New Zealand."

Tony Astle of Antoine's in Parnell was a little worried about the lamb.

"I would have done it more simply," he said. "There are too many flavours all on the one plate and the lamb might get lost."

He added that the corn-fed chicken at the lunch was "very un-New Zealand" but all the flavours married together well.

Simon Gault of Euro, at the Viaduct Basin, reckoned the menu would "show off the best of New Zealand, especially the whitebait at the start of the season.

"I just hope they are being supplied with the best quality stuff. Normally we get the rubbish and the best gets exported."

New Zealand's best doesn't come cheap. Most of the wines being served retail for more than $30 a bottle - the Pelorus, a highly regarded bubbly, is over $40 as is the Dry River Gewurztraminer, if you can get it.

Astle said he'd want $160 a head if he was serving the dinner (not counting GST) and another $50 for wine. He could get that lunch on the table for $75, he says, with another $45 for wine.

The seafood entree at the dinner alone would cost $80 a head, he said; whitebait at $80 a kilo and truffles at $5000 a kilo would see to that.

"But," he adds, ruefully noting that he's catering a lesser function himself, "the Government wouldn't pay that. We're all being very nice to them. We're practically giving it away."