Stop what you’re doing. Get up. Get into your car (or on your bike, this is Cape Town after all) and drive to Kloof Street. Find a parking anywhere because those don’t come easily. And walk toward The Deckhouse Crabshack and BBQ. Get a table. Sit down. And order the Shrimp Popcorn.
Not my usual way to start a review, but damn, if you’re only going to read the intro before you get distracted by a cat video, you may as well know how great the shrimp popcorn is. So without further ado…
Shrimp Popcorn // 195 for 450g
As I have already mentioned, these were divine. It’s worth going there just to give these bad boys a try. These firm little shrimp were in a light spiced crumb, not a thick batter with a big pocket of air inside, hooray! They were served with a citrus sriracha mayo that wasn’t my fave, they were perfect as is. 10/10.
Sriracha Hot Wings // 95 for 500g
If you like it hot, these guys are for you. A bucket of deliciously fiery chicken wings. They weren’t silly little wings where you barely get anything off of them – they were big and meaty. Perhaps from bodybuilder chickens. Who knows.
Selfish Platter for One // 495
You need to read the menu carefully, or you could get a big surprise with this one. The Deckhouse has a range of cold platters, where the shellfish is served chilled on ice. This bad boy was made up of: 1 split crayfish, 4 langoustines, 250g of prawns, sriracha mayo, tartare sauce and a side of your choice (we went for the creamed spinach). The platter seemed enormous, but you forget that after you’ve gotten rid of the shells, there isn’t that much to it. Each element was perfectly cooked and served plain, so that you decide what you want to dip in the sauces.
Die Westkus Steampot // 375
One of the more affordable dishes, this hot main includes a whole crayfish, mussels, prawns, baby potatoes and corn on the cob served in either a marinara, yellow thai or garlic and herb sauce. We went garlic and herb baybay, and I pretty much couldn’t talk to anyone for a month afterwards – but it was worth it.
It was good that we shared the two dishes, as you can find yourself overwhelmed by a single flavour (be it the garlic and herb or the plain cold shellfish).
Apple Pie // 50
Mmmmmmm girl, do I love me some apple pie. And this one did not disappoint. Perfectly crumbly pasty with a spiced apple filling that held its own, served with ridiculously delicious vanilla ice cream. Not shabby at all.
Whether you’re into seafood or meat, The Deckhouse has you covered. I have heard great things about their steaks and ribs, but we decided to go full seafood madness, so I’ll have to go back again. From the giant plastic bibs, to the buckets for your shells and the lobster cracker tool thingy – it truly is a fun, engaging and delicious experience.
