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We were invited by Tableau Bistro to a private party to kick off its first annual “Heads or Tails” Spot Prawn Party. I am a huge fan of spot prawns – I love that it’s meaty yet sweet. At the beginning of the season, we had spot prawns three-way at home: sashimi, steamed and baked heads, and I truly enjoyed it. Therefore I was quite excited to be going to this party.

When I arrived, the dining room was already bustling. Looking around, I saw various stations set up for self-serve dishes, while a few others items were being passed around by the serving staff. That’s quite a creative way to get the guests moving around the space.

Guests mingle over wines, cocktails and tasty spot prawns

There were a total of nine spot prawn preparations, and luckily I got to try them all. They were:

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Of everything, my favourites were:

• The Whole Beast – No better way to enjoy the prawns than eating them in its natural flavours
• Spot Prawn Tartare Cup – A refreshing, bite-size salad cup
• Sauteed Spot Prawn Skewer – Prepared in a Western style, but with some Asian influence
• Spot Prawn Corn Dog on a Stick – Light batter and not greasy, and had a lot more substance than Japanese-style prawn tempura

They also offered one of its spring cocktail La Strangiato, of which the ingredients introduced subtle flavours of herbs and spices. It’s citrusy, a little bit sweet, and very refreshing. A perfect patio cocktail.

Overall I think the nine preparations were quite innovative and I did enjoy them all. Tableau is offering to the public a selective items from our party menu above. This special offer is only available May 17-19. For more information, visit its website www.tableaubarbistro.com.