The Shrimp Shack: Suck. Peel. Eat!

As we had our restau-hunt in MOA, we can’t find somewhere to eat. I know its impossible because there are a lot of restaurants, bistros, food stalls, and bars in there. I don’t know why we can’t find one. Lucky we passed by this beachy vibe restaurant. I am also a seafood muncher, so I asked myself, why don’t we try this one?

The Shrimp Shack intends to capture the culinary experience of traveling to a wonderful destination. Their mission is to give their guests an authentic Hawaiian shrimp Scampi experience. As we ordered our dinner, we notice that they really stand on shrimp – from dishes, pasta, salads to soups, snacks and desserts. Of course, they also offer other dishes like Grilled Baby Backed Ribs and Country Smoked Fried Chicken. But you’re in a shrimp country, so you might as well go shrimping.

Garlic Shrimps Scampi

Oh! You can’t just leave The Shrimp Shack without having their specialty, the Garlic Shrimp Scampi! It’s the sauce that takes me there because it’s buttery and savory and the garlic flavor just sits with it. I appreciate that they peeled the body hence, the shrimp flesh was able to soak in the flavors. Actually, I can happily eat the rice alone because even the rice has infused the butter garlic flavor. And did I mention that a plate has two cups of rice? I want more shrimps, too!

Surf and Turf

The Surf and Turf is an upgraded version of the Garlic Shrimps Scampi. If fast food has combo meals, Shrimp Shack has this. It’s basically their butter garlic shrimp with the addition of angus beef barbecue and macaroni salad, creating the Surf and Turf name. Truly, the fusion of flavors will make you feel like you’re surfing. They were consistent with the shrimp. The beef is doing what it’s supposed to do, which is contributing sweetness and tenderness, given that it was a thick bite of beef. My tummy was already full but my mind said that I want more.

Crispy Shrimp Heads

The famous Filipino saying describes shrimp as “Tapon ulo, Kain katawan.” But with this starter, you can’t allow your hands to throw the heads because this restaurant’s Crispy Shrimp Heads exhibits the true zest of it and makes us realize that the shrimp’s flavor is all in its head. I also love that we’ll just have to munch without minding the inedible hard shells. You’re gonna get a light crisp when you had a bite but you’re just gonna keep going back for more. That’s how addicting it is!

Shrimp Bisque

As I said, shrimp heads are the juiciest and tastiest of them all. This soup, which is naturally made with shrimp heads, will let you know about that. It’s thick and rich yet light, creamy and full of flavor. The soup doesn’t only warm the tummy, but it also warms the heart. The croutons are good toppings but, I think, it would be better to just include toasted bread on the side. Instead of those croutons that gets soggy easily, I wish I can get some flesh of shrimp and not the just the liquid form.

Surfers Delight

For our dessert, we had The Shrimp Shack’s Surfers Delight. I’m happy that they chose a Strawberry Funnel Cake as one of the desserts as it gives crispiness between those fun intricate designs. It’s already satisfying at this affordable price. But I would prefer to pay a higher amount if they added some fresh strawberries on top. Jam and cream aren’t just enough to sweeten the dessert. When it comes to serving, it definitely makes one full. I must say that this is perfect to end a festive Hawaiian meal.

Before I end this, The Shrimp Shack guys wanted to give us some advice. As what the locals of Oahu do, it is best to suck the shrimp first to get all that tasty flavor into your mouth, peel off the shell, eat and, lastly, enjoy!