Restaurant review – CrawDaddy’s

Being new in Ballito, it was quite an accomplishment for CrawDaddy’s to be voted by our readers as their second favourite restaurant in our Taste of the Dolphin Coast competition held at the end of 2011.
I went there for a lunch last week to find out just what it is that won them the second highest amount of votes.
My first impression is that it is a fun and vibey venue with lots of space. They have a great view of the ocean from their balcony and  the staff are friendly and welcoming.
I found it quite difficult to make a choice and think the menu is too extensive. I also found some of the combinations on offer to be a little unorthodox and interesting – a sweet chillie and wine sauce, for example.
I eventually settled on the sirloin steak with camembert and caramelized onion. The steak was very tender and while I had asked for it to be rare, it was pretty much raw – not a huge problem for me but I would have prefered bit more colour on the outside would have made it better.
A dining partner’s chicken schnitzel was prepared well. The cheese sauce was delicious with the jalapeños adding a nice zing to the dish.
The winning dish for our table was the cannelloni calamari tubes – tender and the filling was divine! I wouldn’t put as much cheese on it but that’s my personal taste.
The restuarant has a really nice vibe and their music was right on point. All in all a very nice place to eat if you like a huge selection and big portions. I score them 7 out of 10.
With over 80 restaurants and takeaways from Zimbali to Tinley Manor, restaurants are going to have to fight hard, now more than ever, to fill seats. Interesting times ahead, watch this space.