A delicious shrimp sandwich from a wharf-side restaurant in Watsons Bay, Australia has gotten me thinking about my own shrimp sandwich ideas.
Last year, our family spent some time Down Under. After nearly a month, we had visited the expected beach spots around Sydney (Manly, Bondi and Coogee) and a few others off the beaten path (Shelly, Delwood & Fairlight). Watsons Bay was not in the itinerary. Lucky for us, that changed. A random encounter with a fellow Dominican in Sydney pointed us to the dreamy bay on a sunny week day. The ferry ride from Circular Quay near Downtown Sydney reaches Watsons Bay harbor in twenty-five minutes. It was past lunch time when we arrived, and Doyle’s just happened to be on the wharf. After catching our breath from the amazing views, we got in line for what we thought would be the usual fish and chips. It was then that this piece of heaven began talking to me through the food display:
Oodles of fresh shrimp – rolled in what tasted like a mayo, pepper and tomato sauce – sat chilled on a perfect sesame bun. Screaming for attention under the shrimp were bits of onion, lettuce and tomato… but they screamed in vain. This sub is all about the shrimp. I had never had a shrimp sandwich before. So, my first thought was, why a shrimp sandwich? After the first bite I had my answer. Sydney is swimming in fresh sea food and this was another yummy reminder. As if life could get any better, we ate the sub while enjoying this view:
Yes, Aussies are a lucky bunch for having spots like these. I may not be able to enjoy the view any more, but with a bit of imagination, I bet I can create a fusion version of that sub – coloring my mayo with bija! Shrimp sandwich ideas anyone? Until the next bite…
