WHY CHOOSE THIS RESTAURANT?

An oyster bar and eatery it may be, but Frank’s is so much more. Settle in for freshly shucked local oysters, beautifully handled butcher’s cuts and vegetable dishes that are every bit as tempting. The cooking is modern, vibrant and designed for sharing, while the drinks list delivers some seriously good cocktails. Add a buzzy room and warm, assured service and it’s the sort of local restaurant you wish was in your neighbourhood.

ABOUT THE MENU

Seasonal changes abound, but long-time favourites tend to remain in one guise or another. Marlborough oysters, grown in Pelorus Sound and shucked to order, need little more than Frank’s excellent house mignonette, although on our visit they were equally irresistible grilled with burnt spring onion butter. Yellowfin tuna in a sauce spiked with green olives, alongside guindillas, endive and anchovy, was superb. Croquettes are another regular fixture and for good reason: crunchy, golden and packed with flavour, ours were filled with wild pork and served with tartare sauce and pickled zucchini. Don’t overlook the vegetables. Brussels sprouts with green tahini, currants and fried shallots are a must, while a mushroom and Jerusalem artichoke quesadilla, oozing with cheese, was a knockout. Confit merino lamb with lamb jus and soft herbs remains a definite keeper, while the new-season, new-menu grilled prawns with prawn butter, lemon, capers and butter beans sound equally hard to resist.

ABOUT THE OWNER

Owner-operator Sam Webb’s roots in Marlborough run deep, but his cooking career has taken him considerably further afield. After formal training in Auckland, he cooked on superyachts in the Caribbean and in kitchens across Russia, France, Italy and Greece before returning to Marlborough. Here he has built a reputation for fresh, produce-led food with plenty of flavour and little fuss. Alongside Frank’s, Sam has also brought his cooking philosophy to Number 11 at Wairau River. Both restaurants are impressive and underpinned by a strong sense of place and his knack for creating venues people genuinely want to spend time in.

ABOUT THE TEAM

Powerhouse hospitality duo Timothy Chittenden (head chef) and Gabrielle Ratahi (restaurant manager), keep the kitchen humming and the room welcoming, delivering seriously shareable food with an easy-going polish.

OF NOTE

Frank’s channels the energy of a classic New York neighbourhood bar, while remaining resolutely Marlborough. That busy cosmopolitan feel can sometimes be elusive in the regions; Frank’s captures it beautifully, delivering a little taste of city life in the heart of Blenheim, without losing its local soul.

28 Scott St, Blenheim
Mains: $26-$40
03 579 1778103
@eatatfranks – check for current opening hours