Bluefins

By EWAN McDONALD

She eyed my expanding waist and, in precisely opposing ratio, diminished length of remaining belt and, in that tactful way that wives have, didn't use four-letter words like "diet". She merely suggested a little less red meat and more fish might make for an interesting nutritional regime. And so I found myself at Bluefins at Mission Bay, for what its chef and co-owner, Alan Smith, has called "Pacific Rim, in as much as you get New Zealand's freshest seafood and prepare it in ways that use a whole lot of flavours from Japan and Asia to South America".

Though Smith's menu includes meat options (tamarind glazed chicken breast, chargrilled spiced kangaroo), you will almost certainly take the doctor's prescription. Unfortunately temptations get in the way of your good intentions. Like the fragrant homemade breads that arrive moments after you're seated, and you realise that if a kitchen is taking this much care from the outset, the rest of the meal will be, at the very least, worth the trouble of going out on a wet winter night.

Not surprising, really. Smith and his fellow owner, Keith Winders, who runs the front-of-house, have been at this game for some time. Eastern suburbs boys, they met as 10-year-olds, went through Selwyn College, trained as chefs at AIT and worked in Tony's Mission Bay steakhouse in the early 80s.

Both did their OE, Smith spending time at Sutherlands in Soho, which picked up its second Michelin star while he was there. They went into business in the early 90s at the Old Brick in Parnell, and set up Bluefins in a former Indian restaurant and Lotto shop six years ago.

Don't get the idea that this place is formal. With its shellfish mural, giant stuffed snapper on the wall, goldfish tank, hanging baskets and bright blue paint, it's got a laidback feel that plays well against the food's more studied, elegant attributes. In summer, bifolds open to the sun and harbour breeze.

It's popular. Many locals drop in for a drink and chat with Winders at the tiny corner bar before dinner, and a number of tables are occupied by 7.30pm. The restaurant has clearly got over the blip caused when it was identified, then exonerated, in a health scare this year.

Smith brought home a mantra - "What England taught me was presentation: you eat with your eyes first" - although conception and presentation of a dish is sometimes more 90s, more fussy than New Zealanders prefer these days. He combines it with a strong ethic of quality in his kitchen (a note on the menu advises that your main course won't get anywhere near a pan until the entree plates have been cleared from the table).

An excellent entree of tempura vegetables with a trio of sauces offers shapes, sizes, colours and tastes; his whitebait fritters with lemon beurre blanc is a cityfied rendition of a Kiwi culinary classic.

We chose the signature dish, snapper with avocado and pistachio nut crust and lemon beurre blanc, served with potato mash and spinach, and hapuku roasted with dauphinoise potatoes, spinach, artichokes, two types of olives, sundried tomatoes. The fish was supremely fresh and the cooking just so, but we both felt the carrots and beans on each plate were superfluous.

As she took our plates the waitress mentioned the icecream: homemade flavours, pistachio and vanilla. Anyone having a sale on belts and trousers this week?

Open: Dinner, 7 days from 5.30 pm

Owners: Keith Winders, Alan Smith

Chef: Alan Smith

Smoking: Only in bar area

Wine: Gawd, Pacific's tipples star: you'll count 23 NZ whites (8 sauv' blanc, 8 chardonnay, 5 by the glass); four bubblies (3/glass) and 11 reds (4/glass) at reasonable prices.

Noise: Faint, jazzy plinketty-plinks

Cost (mains for two): $50-$56

Vegetarian: Not on main menu

Bottom line: Shellfish mural, giant stuffed snapper on wall, goldfish . . . you've twigged, this is not a steakhouse. It's a seafood palace that has matured over six years in the hands of chef Alan Smith (Tony's, Old Brick, Sutherland's - Soho, 2 Michelin stars) and business partner Keith Winders that combines a laidback feel with elegant dishes.