When a Bloody Mary Oyster Shooter and a glass of champagne welcomed me upon arrival, I knew I was in good hands. Tonight the Zomato meetup was all about showcasing an incredible selection of seafood from SOS Charcoal Seafood in Hawthorn. Guaranteeing there was no shortage of conversation either, the Zomato team and SOS’s owner George were on deck to greet the lucky bloggers and make sure we were all having a good time.
charcoal grilled king prawn
Tins of sardines and salty anchovies and plates of smoked salmon and trout whet our appetite for more tasty treats from the briny deep. We then moved inside the restaurant to try our hand at oyster shucking. Despite being incredibly accident prone and a person who should not be trusted with sharp pointy things, prying apart these bivalves turned out to be my favourite activity of the night. The final score: 3 delicious oysters, 0 personal injuries. If you like fresh oysters and saving money as much as I do, slurp these babies down during happy hour for only $1.50 each.
Bloody Mary Oyster shot
We also participated in a little Master Chef role-play when we were introduced to the kitchen’s charcoal grill. Made in Barcelona, the grill cooks seafood in a flash. The chef imparts smoky flavours by adding cinnamon sticks, apricot, or cherry wood to the hot charcoal.
Greek Ouzo
While we tried our hand at grilling swordfish and king prawns, the kitchen served up chowder, ceviche, and traditional fish & chips. Guaranteeing that nobody went home hungry, house-pickled octopus, charcoal-grilled toast, and calamari also lined the bar. Fish and chips just got an upgrade!
– Jenny
Jenny Schmidt is an event addict. She earned a BFA in theatre and has participated in arts festivals on three different continents (plus a couple of islands). When she’s not attending live shows, you can find her sampling the latest craft beer or sipping a classic cocktail.
SOS Charcoal Seafood
616 Glenferrie Rd
Hawthorn VIC 3122
