One evening in Kaikoura we found ourselves hungry and desperately seeking seafood. There’s something about the sea air that does it to you. After realising that the iconic Nin’s Bin was closed, we were told that there was a little shack near the Kaikoura seal colony that sold all sorts of oceanic goodies including whitebait fritters so we hightail it down there.
At the little shack by the beach run by two friendly women, we’re shown the crayfish but as we’re hungry and cold we decide on something abit more warming so we opt for a couple of seafood chowders, a crayfish fritter, a whitebait fritter and some grilled scallops. Alla re served with rice and bread. Prices are very reasonable and we sit ourselves below an umbrella lined table in an effort to stave off the light drizzle.
Seafood Chowder $4NZD a cup
The seafood chowder is deliciously warming and full of seafood (scallops, fish and mussels) although some might say it’s a little on the too peppery side of peppery.
BBQ plate: Whitebait fritters $8NZD, Crayfish fritters $9NZD and Grilled Scallops $8NZD
The fritters are interesting, more like omelettes than a crispy fried fritter they’re chock full of whitebait and crayfish. The grilled scallops are deliciously sweet, even my husband who doesn’t like the roe likes these and they’re the pick of the night. The rice doesn’t fare so well, it’s overcooked and the grains split apart and the wholemeal buttered bread is probably used more as a filler than for taste.
We head off in search of a lone seal that a fellow diner told us about. He is lying there relaxed and peaceful, oblivious to the excited people around him.
Kaikoura Seafood BBQ
194 Torquay Street, Kaikoura, New Zealand
Tel: +64 27 330 0511.
Yes sheep, sheep everywhere. Even by the beach!
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19 Comments | Add your own
Oh that seal is so cute!!!
I find it really interesting how there are so many little food shacks in New Zealand. I wish we had that in Sydney
Loving the seafood chowder – those mussels look so lush & plump!
The chowder looks like great value. I agree with Rosana, it’s interesting seeing all these small food shacks!
Ive never seen whitebait at the shops but I thought they were bigger. These roadside stands look amazing. There’s nothing like that near me
I love the seal! Also, the photos and descriptions of all that gorgeous seafood. I wish there were such magical seafood shacks in Sydney!
oh its too bad that it wasn’t the best, even if it did look rather interesting.
I remember the last time i ate scallops. Years off ago… I had been still lviing with my mother at the time, and working 12 hrs shifts at that point, except during those time, it was also with over time, so sometimes bordering on 18 hrs.
Anyways, back to the story.
I hadn’t eaten for 3 days straight since when i got back from work, I went to bed immediately. So for helping my mother out with the bills, she made scallops and other stuff. I was starving, and as i said, hadn’t eaten for days. So, she served the dish she made and i gulped it down in seconds, since i need to get back to sleep.
After serving everyone, she then served herself, and seconds after the first bite said “oh…these scallops aren’t cooked all the way.” I figured that out just before she said that since i was already running to the bathroom to throw it up. I had to take 2 days off of work because of it.
After that, while i still have fond memories of them (not including that time of course), it makes it hard to try scallops again…
Hee hee that seal is just too awesome! I wish I could fall asleep in that kind of position on pointy rocks too.
I wish we had more simple places like that here. Everything is much too commercialized where I live. I love little stops like this.
Cute seal! Nice looking food as well, I wish these places were all along long drives so I could stop whenever I felt the need to have a nice quick and simple meal.
Shame that the chowder was peppery – it looks delicious, as does the whitebait. I am envious of the seal – it looks so peaceful!
The seal rocks and jealous of his ability to sleep like that.
what a great, interesting little place! this reminds me of jejudo in Korea, where they serve up fresh clams and mussels and abalones right up on the beach!
Oh, I miss going to the clam shack. Where I grew up in Rhode Island, they were everywhere. We, of course, did not have seals. He is adorable.
Well, you’ve managed to inspire me to finally visit NZ!
The seaside looks so beautiful and I think my boyfriend would have the best time stuffing himself silly with seafood!
Hi Rosana-He/she is indeed! It looked so blissed out
Me too, we don’t have any that I can really think of!
Hi MsGourmet-The chowder was really packed with seafood which was a nice surprise! I thought that for $4 it would be light on it!
Hi Gobbling -Yes who could say no for $4!?
Hi Brianna-Yes I’ve never seen it so I didn’t know what to expect at all. Yep nor near me too!
Hi Syn-He’s a cutie that’s for sure. I know, I wonder why there aren’t? It’s such a nice way of eating by the sea…
Hi Angela-Eek! That is absolutely terrible and for 2 days?! You poor thing!
But good on you for trying again!
Hi FFichiban -Haha do you really?
Hi Libby-Yes me too! It’s all a bit sleek here which is nice but I love some variety!
Hi Cappucino-I know, wouldn’t that be the loveliest!?
Hi Cakelaw-Yes some of us found it too peppery but it certainly warmed us up
He was having what looked to be a great time 
Hi Jeff-Haha I really wanted to give him a cuddle but didn’t for obvious reasons
Hi Sophia-Oh cool! Yes it reminds me of Jimbaran Bay in Bali. I think we’re lacking that sort of thing here!
Hi Carolyn-Oh cool, I hear clams are great over there! And you guys have great clam chowder from what I hear too!
Hi red neon hearts-Great! It’s so worth a visit, such a gorgeous country and hey the exchange rate is great for us currently too
Haha yes if he loves scallops, mussels, crayfish and fish he’ll be in heaven!
fritters to eat and seals to observe–sounds like an awesome day to me.
That seal looks so relaxed! Maybe he had some of that lovely warm seafood chowder beforehand..
Hi grace-Yes it doesn’t get much better than that!
Hi Y-Haha perhaps he did!
this makes me miss home (NZ) and my grandmothers whitebait fritters!!
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