For me, this summer has been the Summer of Seafood. I think it actually started last summer when I got quite ill on a road trip and, against all logical thought, all I craved was fat juicy prawns. I dreamed of cracking their thin shell and peeling out the soft white flesh, dipping it in a tangy sauce and gobbling them up. All year, I have been thinking about summer and prawns. Somehow I made it all the way through Christmas and new year without indulging. My family has never done a seafood christmas (a tradition i’m keen to adopt in the future though!) so it wasn’t until the first few weeks of January that I was able to start thinking about when I would be able to get my hands on these little suckers.
I had already planned to go up to Palm Beach for a swim sometime and serendipitously hubs saw a photo on facebook that showed a huge bucket of prawns at a restaurant at Palm Beach. The website and facebook page were sufficiently fun and quirky to warrant a lunch trip to Cranky Fins Holidae Inn. I always plan to go to the beach in the morning as the afternoon summer sun in Australia is so damn strong that I always get burnt no matter how much sunscreen I put on. There is also the added bonus that the beaches always seem less crowded before lunch so its easy to park and there are fewer people in the water which makes frolicking so much more fun! Hubs and I arrived around 11 which gave us enough time for a relaxing swim and a little bit of sunbaking before lunch. Crankys opens at noon so after our swim and sun we sauntered over around and snagged a booth inside.
Bucket of fresh local tiger prawns with salad, cocktail sauce and lemon ($39)
I was so happy when my bucket of tiger prawns came out that I did a little dance in my seat. These were exactly the big fleshy crustaceans that I had been dreaming of all summer. Absolutely delicious! They also came with a light salad and a little pot of that seafood sauce that has no business being so tasty. I think that the huge bucket is supposed to be shared with a group but there was no way anyone other than me was getting to these babies!
Cranky’s famous fishwich: crumbed john dory fillet, slaw and tartare with a side of chips ($22)
While I got to work gleefully cracking open prawn shells, hubs tucked into a fish burger. I’m not really a fan but he wolfed it down and hovered up the chips. I’m pretty sure that is a clear vote of approval! Overall, our lunches were succulent and fresh which is what you need from seafood. The staff were all very friendly and the place had a relaxing vibe which means that we will definitely be back. (I have my eye on a couple of cocktails that I just couldn’t justify having for lunch not to mention the icecream sandwiches!)
Cranky Fins Holidae Inn
1 Beach Road, Palm Beach
Phone: 02 9974 1159
Website: http://www.crankyfins.com/
I’ve been following these guys on instagram for awhile now, and i’m dying to go… (If accessible)
Yes Laura! You must! I cant remember if they’re accessible but it should be. Prawns are a basic human right.