The Barnacle

Orakei has seen a spruce up of mass proportions lately, with a plethora of new and delicious food options, boutiques and more attracting all breeds of Aucklanders to this once relatively quiet suburb.

A proud newcomer to Orakei from the team at Brothers Beer is fine-dining cohort, The Barnacle. The fit out is a stunning and a sophisticated mix of textures and deep greens, offset by natural wooden benches and detailed tiling. You feel instantly at home in its warmth and comfort upon entering, armed and ready to tuck into some tasty dishes.

Although it neighbours and shares a big boss with Brothers Beer, that is where the similarities end. Led by a seafood rich menu, alongside several other fine dining options, there is something to keep everyone's mouth watering. The eye-catching oyster bar sits towards the front of the restaurant; the perfect greeting and introduction to the overwhelmingly good menu.

The menu is the carefully curated work of Sara Simpson from Kumeu's The Tasting Shed and Clooney and James Kirkpatrick from Depot; surely the perfect match for success. A dish that instantly caught my eye was the market fish tartare with oyster cream, and as delectable as it sounds, the taste certainly did add up. For the red meat inclined, the smoked venison carpaccio with pickled shiitake, certainly stood out amongst the crowd.

The Barnacle is open for dinner Tuesday to Sunday and lunch Friday to Sunday. With an oyster happy hour, boasting $2 oysters and other drink specials on weekdays, it will be a popular spot through the hours of 4-6pm.