No bluffing, punters love the oysters

They were juicy, tasty, well-sized and went down a treat.

Diners at the Best Cafe in Dunedin enjoyed some of the city's first Bluff oysters yesterday and all agreed they were delicious.

Among them was Stephen Mitchell, a Taieri farmer who was coincidentally in town for business and thought he would "call in on the off-chance they had some".

He thought his dozen cooked in batter were of a good size and even treated his daughter Amanda to the sought-after seafood.

Carole Tucker from Scotland had her first taste of Bluff oysters while in town visiting her daughter.

"They were absolutely delicious," she said.

Restaurant owner Mabel McCormick sent her husband Ken down south on Sunday night to collect her order at 8 yesterday morning. By lunchtime, she was serving them to eager customers.

Ms McCormick said poor weather meant some boats could not make it out yesterday so it would be a few more days before more were available. However, she had enough to last a while.

The "quite big" oysters would be sold for the same price as last year, $38 a dozen with chips and coleslaw, Ms McCormick said.

One customer enjoyed them so much he wolfed down three dozen - two cooked, one raw - for lunch.

Waihola Fresh Fish Supply "fish surgeon" Al Conley said he expected their order to arrive last night.

They would come pottled and ready to sell for either $25 or $26 a dozen.

However, others were not so lucky. Despite the phone ringing off the hook, Blue Water Products did not have any yesterday.

"Southerners get very excitable when the first lot come in," owner Ross Hutchison said.

He hoped to have some today but expected the "usual difficult first few weeks" for oyster suppliers.

The oyster season opened on Sunday and will run until August 31.

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES