If you hadn’t heard, Cajun-style seafood in a bag is available at the Kickin Inn in Woden.
We went to visit (some months ago) for a weekday lunch. Kickin Inn is spacious with several small booths and tables, as well as being able to fit the larger groups. We are seated at a small table for two. The table is covered in large butcher’s paper, taken from a giant roll of paper to the side of the restaurant. The table is kitted out with a bucket of shellfish utensils such as crab picks, scissors and a hammer.
We’re given bibs and black gloves to wear. Oh yes, this is a hands-on experience. Cutlery is optional.
Prices are expensive for seafood on the menu. The best option and bestseller seems to be the Mixed Bag (for $139.95) which comes with crab, prawns, bay bugs, mussels, pipis, squid, potatoes, and corn. We looked at ordering a DIY ‘drag n drop bag’ where you can pick your own shellfish instead – these only have 5 pieces of each shellfish in them. In the end, the Mixed Bag still worked out to be better value (more pieces) and it has the shellfish I want. We are told that due to shipping delays, a lot of the seafood is currently not available (which also limits the drop bag option). So yes we paid $139.95 for the two of us. Expensive for what I thought would be a quick lunch in Woden!
One of the wait staff advised that a side of rice is also popular to soak up the sauces. We opted for the starter of crispy fries ($11.95) instead of rice, thinking we could use the chips to mop up the sauce. I ask if this can be served alongside the seafood rather than as an appetiser. You are able to choose the spicy heat level and sauce for the seafood bag. I choose the original spice level (which I think has no heat to it, as the next level up is mild) and the Sha-bang sauce which is a mixture of all 4 sauces – might as well try them all!
Although there are only 3 other tables of diners around us, it still took about 30 minutes for any food to arrive. The chips arrived first, before the seafood bag’s arrival about 10 minutes later. The chips were nice and crunchy, and soft on the inside. A tick for the chips!
The seafood bag is carried in a metal bucket by the waiter, before being poured onto the table in front of us. Everything is steaming hot. Where to begin? I enjoy the Sha-bang sauce of cajun, garlic, butter, and lemon pepper. I think it’s a good combination and tasty on seafood. The prawns are large but didn’t seem to absorb any of the sauce flavour, so they must have been cooked in a separate pot and then tossed in. You also need to peel them. The bay bugs are cooked nicely and easy to pull out. The corn is delicious. The crab seemed over-cooked and too soft, and lacked any sweetness and natural flavour. I found the same thing with all of the other seafood.
It is difficult since we do live inland to have fresh seafood. I also tend to avoid crab – it is so much work for so little reward that I didn’t even bother with the little crab legs. I think if we were at the coast or in Sydney, everything would taste a lot fresher. The chips did soak up the sauce easily, but by then we had carb-overload since we forgot the mixed bag came with large potatoes.
We saw the table next to us order the giant shrimp martini – served in a super giant martini glass the size of a plate. Not sure if it tasted any better as it’s deep fried rather than saucy.
Overall, the food is pretty average and service is rather slow. The music on repeat playing over the speakers advertising the restaurant can drive one mad. It’s not something I would do again, but it’s a bit of a novelty to wear a bib and gloves, eat seafood served from a bag with your hands, and enjoy the experience with a friend/partner/group.
See my reel of the experience below
If you plan to go to Kickin Inn, just note it might time some time for the food to arrive. Parking at the venue is a Wilsons parking, and $4 for the hour! You may want to park at the Westfield across the road instead.
Kickin Inn
Corner Hindmarsh Dr & Ball St, Phillip ACT
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