Posted on April 29th, 2024 by Ronel
Seafood is a favourite choice when hosting special occasions in Mediterranean countries. Recently, the prawn platter has gained a similar status in the UK, becoming a go-to option for everyday enjoyment. Prawns are regarded as a delicacy wherever they are available, although, locally, they are most often found on a fishmonger’s slab for home cooking.
However, home-cooked or expertly prepared by a seafood chef, few people appreciate these delicious crustaceans more than Greeks and South Africans. It is, therefore, no coincidence that Greek cuisine and South African hospitality were the ingredients that, in 1995, turned a small Mediterranean-inspired diner in the heart of Pretoria, in South Africa, into a global seafood restaurant chain with over 200 outlets and over 18 million diners annually. Needless to say, even then, prawns were a prominent feature on the somewhat limited menu offered by its Greek founders, Fats and George Lazarides.
Today, many things about Ocean Basket seafood restaurants may have changed. However, our prawns are still a favourite choice with our diners when hosting a special gathering or as a casual weekday dinner. With the opening of our Bromley branch in February 2022, followed in October by a second in Kingston upon Thames, UK residents can also enjoy these delicacies any day of the week.
All seafood served at Ocean Basket restaurants is of the highest quality and purchased only from proven, responsible sources as evidence of our commitment to marine conservation through sustainable fishing. However, our insistence on quality is also your guarantee of food fit for any occasion, and the cherry on top is a good, old-fashioned South African welcome that ensures all our guests become part of the Ocean Basket family. But let’s talk about the prawns.
If you wish to feast on the crustaceans alone, try them with a refreshing twist of lemon and our Village Salad, prepared from tomatoes, green peppers, onions, cucumber, olives, feta cheese and oregano. If you’re hungry, go for the 16 king prawns or, if you are sharing, the 24 prince prawns weigh much the same.
On the other hand, if you are dining out to celebrate and want to impress your guests, why not go large? Instead of opting for just prawns and salad, try ordering one of our impressive mixed seafood platters and view their amazement as it arrives at your table. These delectable prawn platter medleys are of four types and differ mainly in the number of prince prawns and the mix of other seafood delicacies that accompany them.
All also feature grilled, fried or tender calamari, crispy calamari popcorn, any two of these or all three. Three of these mouthwatering seafood platters are served with Cape Hake, while just one has a pair of whole sea bream in a lemon and herb sauce. My personal favourite is the Full Deck Platter. It’s a feast of flavour and, after all, it has the most prawns.
If you are looking to celebrate the best of seafood with Mediterranean flair, be sure to book early and enjoy a fun outing for the whole family with unforgettable dining and warm hospitality – the signature of our Ocean Basket restaurants.
