Tasmanian Gourmet Seafood + Dad’s Seafood Sauce Recipe

You lucky ducks. Two posts in one!  Where to buy really good fresh seafood in Hobart, and my Dad’s favourite seafood sauce recipe. Easy peasy. I for one used to gorge myself on my infrequent trips to Queensland, on the fresh seafood that it’s famous for. 

And while there’s some terrific fresh and local seafood shops that stock fish caught in these cool waters, sometimes I just have a yearning for those big, meaty tiger prawns that taste sweet, briny and delicious all in one hit.

So some lucky Hobartians have been keeping this place to themselves since it opened up, and I’m here to tell you it’s going strong. Friends from NSW insist it has the best fish and chips around. Super fresh fish, good oil, and a sure hand in the kitchen.

And this particular day, driving from the airport, some oysters and prawns tootled their siren call, and we ended up at the outlet up a country lane (yes, this is Tassie) near the airport. The location is no accident.

These guys are distributors, and pick up the air-fresh seafood off the planes as they land, and truck them to the outlets. Cassy, who runs the retail side saw the opportunity for a café and now they pump out hundreds of meals in a sort of extension with plastic wind-breakers.

Now there’s wooden seating at tables outside as well, and while it’s a long way from fine dining, so are the prices. We’d be mugs to complain. Cheap and cheerful, and as long as the quality is up there, we’re happy.

The dishes range from Fish of the Day with chips or salad for $16, seafood chowder, $13, to Gourmet Meal packs (all dine in or take away) with lobster, Scallops, Prawns, burgers and platters ranging from $16 to $110 for a huge gourmet hot and cold platter that could feed a hungry horde.

Right now they are running a half lobster with chips and salad for $35, and that has to be the best value in town. They boast on their menu, “Proudly serving seafood sustainably sourced from Australian and New Zealand waters,” and yes they do.

We had some Tasmanian Oysters (eat in only) at $12 for 6 or $18 for 12, would have to be hands down the cheapest around, and they were good. There’s no tricked up meals, or any frills, but at these prices, who cares?

Buying some fresh Tiger Prawns (1/2 kg for $20), we scooted them home, and then tucked in. Fresh bread, butter, and Dad’s ‘sauce’ with some lettuce out of the garden (rocket and butter lettuce) later, we sat, all satisfied.

Here’s Dad’s ‘sauce’: First you need some good quality Thousand Island sauce (also known as Sauce Rosé) or Seafood Cocktail Sauce if you can’t be bothered making your own, and raw eggs are the risk, sadly these days.

Add a good dollop on your plate some Mayo, some EVOO (that’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil), the robust tasty kind, and some good balsamic vinegar. Mix it up to taste, and either dip the prawns and seafood in it, or use as a sauce on a bread roll.

We were taught as children, to buy shellfish only in the months that have an “R” in them. We eventually worked out that winter months don’t. Aha…. But it’s easy to remember and keeps us hunting this delicious food when it’s running. How about you? 

Chrissie