This is a simple meal that can seem humble or extravagant; for the latter, add some oysters with lemon and have with the drop scones, or have caviar on the smoked salmon and lobster in your stew.
As the shadows lengthened, we ate some oysters with the hospitable Mr. Forsyth, a former management consultant, tasted a lot of wines and gazed back at the towers of Auckland, shimmering in the distance like a mirage.
They're right in the heart of the town, a two minute stumble from the pub, just round the corner from many restaurants (and wine merchants Magma's if you fancy getting cosy with a bottle and some oysters).
I began with some glazed oysters flecked with osetra caviar, a dense blast of sea flavors, followed by a rich concoction of spiced squab on a bed of vegetables exuding an aromatic fog of cumin and citrus.
Consider starting with some fresh oysters from the raw bar and pairing with a cocktail they call Eastside of the Pier: Barr Hill honey-infused gin, muddled cucumbers, mint and lime.
We are plied with local oysters (some of which we pick and shuck ourselves), wine (there's a trip to the cellar door at Bruny Island Premium Wines for a tasting) and succulent smoked pulled pork from pigs raised by producer Ross O'Meara a few minutes away from our camp.
It's a lovely pub though, and you shouldn't go wrong lounging in front of the fire with wine, oysters or some dressed crab.
Recipes: Chicken With Clams | Oysters With Sausage | Mussels With Chorizo | Clams With Prosciutto.
We started with two local beers, the creamy Rodney's Oyster Stout, which, oddly enough, is brewed with some liquor of Malpeque oysters from Prince Edward Island ($3.25 a pint).
It was fun, it was tasty, and I thought people who refuse to drink white wine would now have some enjoyable options with oysters.
