Paramount, Auckland city

By JOHN GARDNER for canvas

Mayor Banks can say what he likes, but central Auckland can be depressing when the sun isn't shining. Watching the tourists doggedly trudging up Queen St in their sensible trainers and shorts, wondering what they've come to on their expensive holiday as they mooch through an atmosphere as dark as Balclutha in winter, it's hard not to feel almost embarrassed.

But there is the consolation that if they strike it lucky, they could find food that will stand comparison with any of the alternative holiday destinations they wish they had chosen.

Handily situated on the corner of the through-route to the Art Gallery, Paramount is a decent flag-bearer for New Zealand food. It has an expansive dining room and a pleasant bar which on our visit hosted a mixed bag of bright young things and suits. The decor is of the functional variety, although I'm told the ladies is distinctly utilitarian.

The food, however, is far from drab. I started with the crumbed lambs brains, ($16.50), routine enough but lifted with a deliciously appropriate spicy, nutty salad.

Our other first course was described as a baked avocado French goat's cheese gateau ($15) and we were not sure what to expect. A pretty little concoction arrived with elegant sides of avocado topped with a cheese hat. This was served with a tomato and onion salad and olive Melba.

The main dishes offered the usual range with the imagination kicking in with accompaniments different enough to be interesting without being bizarre. The beef fillet ($32) came with a pungent blue cheese rosti, thyme carrot compote and a rich brandy mushroom sauce.

I also went down the meat road with the pork tenderloin ($29.50). I boobed slightly by not noticing that after my breaded brains, one of the main items of this dish was also crumbed, in the form of a herb croquette. But I bravely soldiered on because it was rather tasty. There was a nice strip of crackling and a piquant baked corn celery slaw. The meat itself, like the beef, was of the highest quality and the prosciutto wrapping gave it an edge which rendered a comparatively plain dish memorable, although, for my taste, the prune jus was on the cloying side.

The meat servings were generous but we had room, or greed, enough to share a dessert. The mango Malibu tart with coconut icecream and the passionfruit Pernod brulee had their charms, but we fell back on something called chocolate, chocolate, chocolate and more ($13.50). This lived up to its billing, but was rather more than just lumps of chocolate, including a white chocolate sorbet and an alcoholically enhanced dark chocolate mousse in a white chocolate cup.

The service was adequate without being impressive, and the wine list, shortly to be changed, is well presented and varied. We gently worked our way through a Hollick Coonawarra Cabernet Merlot 2001, which was no hardship at all and contributed to the warm glow which lasted as we dodged the rain and the world's saddest buskers, back to the car.

Ambience: Spacious, urban

Cost: Two first courses, two mains, one dessert, bottle of wine. $154.50


* Read more about what's happening in the world of food, wine, party places and entertainment in canvas magazine, part of your Weekend Herald print edition.