Waiheke -The Oyster Inn
After our physically and scenically rewarding walk along the headland Sculpture on the Gulf trail, we had earned ourselves a refuel stop, at The Oyster Inn. Secretly, this had been the reason that Fraeulein SoulFood had even agreed to do the walk! Having read rave reviews about it, we were looking forward to taste testing it ourselves. Since the previous night's "dining establishment" had also had rave reviews but had been such a let down, we were slightly nervous as to whether our expectations would be met... Well, we really needn't have worried. Not only did The Oyster Inn meet our expectations, but exceeded them!
As Mama SoulFood is allergic to oysters, these were unfortunately out of question for us, yet we still struggled to decide what to taste first. As this decision required some serious thought, we determined it would be best to start by rehydrating ourselves. As tempting as the Garden Sangria (Sauvignon Blanc, apple, pear, elderflower, cucumber, lemon) sounded, it was only available by the jug (for 4 or 8), and as we did not dare jeopardise our classiness, I opted for a glass of the Homemade Lemonade with crushed mint. Having made our own lemonade at The Brookview Teahouse, I thought I knew all there was to know about the perfect lemonade recipe. But The Oyster Inn has taken it to a whole other level! Perfectly refreshing, and the exact balance between sweet and tart with the hint of mint...hmmm...As far as I'm concerned they could open a stall just selling jugs of the stuff and it would be a success!
Moving on from the best lemonade in Aotearoa, we finally ordered:
Tarakihi sliders burnt butter, crispy capers $18
To. Die. For. The (also homemade) slider buns, are the fluffiest of pillows, their slight sweetness perfectly complementing the juicy fish and crispy saltiness of the capers, rounded off with a smear of creamy something (mayo I would guess?).
Labneh, pickled beets orange, pomegranate, grissini, dukkah $18.50
Again, just delicious. It is a know fact that beets and oranges love each other, top this with some milky Labneh and crunchy dukkah, et voila, a happy marriage.
As Mama SoulFood is allergic to oysters, these were unfortunately out of question for us, yet we still struggled to decide what to taste first. As this decision required some serious thought, we determined it would be best to start by rehydrating ourselves. As tempting as the Garden Sangria (Sauvignon Blanc, apple, pear, elderflower, cucumber, lemon) sounded, it was only available by the jug (for 4 or 8), and as we did not dare jeopardise our classiness, I opted for a glass of the Homemade Lemonade with crushed mint. Having made our own lemonade at The Brookview Teahouse, I thought I knew all there was to know about the perfect lemonade recipe. But The Oyster Inn has taken it to a whole other level! Perfectly refreshing, and the exact balance between sweet and tart with the hint of mint...hmmm...As far as I'm concerned they could open a stall just selling jugs of the stuff and it would be a success!
Moving on from the best lemonade in Aotearoa, we finally ordered:
Tarakihi sliders burnt butter, crispy capers $18
To. Die. For. The (also homemade) slider buns, are the fluffiest of pillows, their slight sweetness perfectly complementing the juicy fish and crispy saltiness of the capers, rounded off with a smear of creamy something (mayo I would guess?).
Labneh, pickled beets orange, pomegranate, grissini, dukkah $18.50
Again, just delicious. It is a know fact that beets and oranges love each other, top this with some milky Labneh and crunchy dukkah, et voila, a happy marriage.
As our "main" we shared the Octopus Salad and we died and went to food heaven. Fraeulein SoulFood's soul was truly healed from the dining disappointment the night before after tasting just a forkful of this dish. Being pescitarians we eat ALOT of seafood, but never, ever, have I tasted so tender and succulent a octopus. The barley again complimented this perfectly and the different herbs kept every mouthful exciting.
The hero dish, Octopus Salad barley, herbs, olive oil $23.50
You can imagine, after really appreciating every mouthful of these dishes, we were positively stuffed. But thanks to the magic of dessert--that no matter how uncomfortably full one is, one usually still manages to fit in something sweet--we couldn't resist the Cherry Fool. Turns out I'm a fool for Cherry Fool, although the not too shabby waiter who delivered it may have also had a positive influence on my perception of this dish. Cherry Fool is essentially cream and yoghurt with fresh cherries stirred through and a side of crisp, sugary shortbread. The perfect conclusion to a perfect lunch.
At this stage, we were ready for our hammocks, the lack of which could be our only criticism of The Oyster Inn. What chef Cristian Hossack and his team proves, is that it is not necessary to create a menu the length of a novel with ridiculous combinations and description that only lead to expectations that are bound to be let down. You need fresh, local produce, to combine it with a bit of consideration and cook it with a whole lotta love! Simple really.
Cheers to you Oyster Inn! Thank you for being you.
Please make the effort to experience my new sweetheart amongst restaurants, you will not be disappointed!
Yours truly,
Fräulein SoulFood x
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