Oamaru
Reviewed by Diana
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Date/Time:
3 Jan 2008 12.15pm
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Restaurant:
Riverstone Kitchen
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Where
to Find:
1431 State Highway 1, Oamaru. (3kms south of the Waitaki River
bridge.)
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Parking:
On site
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Service:
Pleasant and friendly, but slow to start with and not particularly
efficient initially ... no-one minds being told that items on the
menu aren't available, but you do need to be told of them. Ordering
a dish which you're later told is unavailable is annoying. Nice
time-taking touches such as being individually greeted at the door,
and tiny dishes of salt and pepper laid after you've ordered.
Presentation:
New purpose-built restaurant on the family farm of chef and co-owner
Bevan Smith, who runs the place with his wife Monique. Fresh, interesting
food perfectly prepared and simply but beautifully presented. A
few seriously good groceries on order (I couldn't help myself and
bought some of their farm-grown, spray-free cherries and fresh bayleaves).
Great gift shop complex worth a visit.
Wine List:
They're licensed, but no-one brought us a wine list ... I thought
I'd wait to see how long it took to arrive, and it didn't.
Value for
Money:
Excellent, and meals not over-large
for lunch for once
Ambience:
Chic though somewhat industrial
decor with blonde wood furniture and lots of concrete surfaces which
multiplied any noise. Choice of indoor or outdoor seating, with
an extraordinary view over farmland to the mountains. Some inventive
combinations, such as the different mints in the great thai chicken
salad
The feel
good factor:
By far the best place to eat
'on the road' between Christchurch and Dunedin
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Worth a trip back
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