Wildly misunderstood and extremely luxurious, caviar has had a reputational overhaul in recent years. Caviar bumps became the snack du jour in 2022, quickly popping on bar and restaurant menus across London and New York. But chefs in the know have been utilising caviar’s buttery, briny notes for years to add an elegant lift to everything from silky chawanmushi to opaque slices of sashimi.
The ingredient’s rise has come alongside a renewed love for martinis and a doubling down on our collective penchant for champagne. And as we settle into the roaring twenties, ready to spend our house deposits on life’s little luxuries, restaurants across Auckland are showcasing black gold in all its glory. Whether it’s bumps of oscietra or vibrant pearls of salmon roe, grab a glass of bubbles and ready your pearl spoon — go on, you deserve it.
Jervois Steak House
If you want to do caviar properly — we’re talking crème fraîche, brioche, gaufrettes, chives, the full monty — then head to Jervois Steak House. As if this bastion of exceptional grilled meats wasn’t already wonderful enough, earlier this year they added a caviar service featuring the option of Siberian Ossetra Superior or Imperial Osceitra. Pair it with a glass of Mumm Cordon Rouge, and follow it up with a charred steak with all the necessary accoutrement for one of those meals that will go down in history.
Kingi
If you’re looking for an education in the versatility of ikura caviar sourced from some of New Zealand’s finest salmon, head to Kingi where the vibrant roe is served in a multitude of ways. It might be found perched atop a Mount Cook salmon rillette, on a confit salmon fillet, or even as a garnish on your pre-dinner cocktail.
Onslow
For a masterclass in high/low pairing, set your coordinates for Onslow where Josh Emett and his team are using caviar in a downright gluttonous fashion; scooping a pile of ossetra caviar on top of a cripsy golden piece of friend chicken paired with the acidic hit of tendrils of verdant courgette pickle. Find yourself to be more of a purist? Add Onslow’s caviar service onto your booking, with everything from single bumps to tins of ossetra accompanied by chopped egg, chives, crème fraîche and brioche.
Kureta
Unsurprisingly, given its delicate flavour and hallmarks of quality, caviar has become a common ingredient in high end Japanese cooking. Take Kureta as a key example of that. The restaurant made quite a splash when it opened in November for its elevated take on teppanyaki. Caviar features throughout the menu, arriving atop a tangle of wagyu yakishabu topped with kina sauce, as delicate orange pearls sitting dantily on pearlescent scallops, or to decorate impressive piles of sashimi.
Lillius
While the menu at Lillius is fluid and ever-changing, the Newton fine dining restaurant has a penchant for caviar which may see ossetra spooned atop a snack at the start of your meal, or salmon roe bringing a visual vibrance and briny dash to a dish. Keep an eye on their one-off collaborative dinners, too — a recent event saw chef Fraser McCarthy designing a menu that centred around Sturgeon Valley caviar.
