The enigmatic Richard Pepper has been working front of house in and around Auckland since the 90s.
Over that time, Richard has really come to understand the tiniest nuances that are essential for great hospitality — a delightful customer experience from beginning to end.
Combined with super talented Head Chef Parick Jankovich, they make a great team. Back and front of house in harmony with each other. Oyster & Chop is essentially a classical brasserie style establishment. Always hustling and bustling (and that’s just the eighty staff!), an incredible location, a strong wine list catering for all and a classicism and voluptuousness to the dishes that hint to the decadent and are composed from only the finest generally local ingredients.
Richard smiles and brings out the Knappstein Clare Valley Shiraz. The wine fits so well with the place. Itself bursting with flavour with velvety tannins washing over your palate sublimely, showing violets, lavender, red and black cherry, hints of leather and chocolate. There are two signature dishes from Oyster & Chop that just fit with this wine like hand to glove. Richard brings them both out.
The confit of lamb to start, incredible and so unique. Pan fried in butter and then oven roasted at 75 degrees for 16 hours with a sautéed finish. It is a must try dish in Auckland and shows off Chef’s skills completely. Following this is the slow cooked beef cheek braised sous vide and then pan fried, you could not do this dish any better. On top of this, your choice of accompaniments in that bistro style and happy faces all round.
This is good Kiwi tucker done with unique flair and European influence. From the gumbooted Kiwi bloke to the custom -designed Skechers of hip city metrosexuals, Oyster & Chop is broad spectrum and never lets you down.
The sun sets across the viaduct water and streams into the restaurant bathing me with magical UV as I take my last sip of Knappstein. I look at Richard, a smile comes across my face and I find myself uttering the words…”Another bottle then?”(PUNEET DHALL)
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