You can also order soba with various toppings: seaweed, mushrooms, even giant fried prawns.

"The best fried prawns, the best smoked eel in Setubal - gone."

It was thumbs down, though, on the greasy, overcooked breaded fried prawns, the tough spareribs and the sliced roast pork covered with a congealed cornstarch-thickened honey sauce.

I'd like some fried prawns, but hell, it's been almost a year since I saw them.

Also recommended are the fried prawns in a lip-singing chili sauce.

"Too many ingredients stir fried prawns" ($9.75) is as coyly named as it is complexly seasoned.

A basket of fried prawns and scallops, promptly served, goes for $5.95.

A fried prawn in one hand, Thorisin Gavras used the other to pound on a tabletop until he had everyone's attention.

"Just a place where we can get fried prawns," Barrows said.

Come on, love," he said to Helvis, "you have to try the fried prawns.