The Oyster Inn
Te Matuku Oysters, with Lemon
Awarded by Rachel Greenwood
It seems obvious to select the oysters at The Oyster Inn but the dish really did stand out, so much so that now, eight months after my visit, it's still what instantly springs to mind when I recall our evening there. I was with my daughter to celebrate her 21st birthday, along with her teenage sister and my nephew, their cousin. We were seated on the balcony as the sun sank below the horizon and we watched Waiheke Island life pass by below us. I'm so pleased to have children who appreciate fine food and have no qualms about eating raw seafood. It was a HUGE dish of oysters, but we ate them all in no time, carefully parcelling them out, "you've had two, okay you can have one more.” While every dish we ate that night was inspired, exquisite and cooked and prepared to perfection, I'll never forget that big oyster dish and spending time with my family feasting together.