Prawns vs Langoustines in Dunmore East: What's the Difference?

Stand on the harbour at Dunmore East and you'll see both prawns and langoustines come off the day-boats. They look similar in the box — long bodies, shells, claws — but they're different species with different flavours and textures. Peter at The Spinnaker Bar, Lower Village, Dunmore East works with what the boats land that morning, and he knows the difference matters when you're choosing what to eat.

What Prawns Actually Are

Prawns are crustaceans with a segmented body, a curved shape, and they live in both saltwater and brackish water. The prawns landed at Dunmore East are Atlantic prawns — Palaemon serratus or Pandalus borealis depending on the depth the boats are working. They have long antennae, smaller claws than langoustines, and a sweeter, more delicate flavour. The meat is firm but lighter in texture. Most Irish prawns come from inshore pots or trawls off the south coast.

When you order prawn cocktail or mussels with prawns at a harbour pub, you're usually getting these Atlantic prawns. The shells are thinner, the meat pulls out easily, and the taste is clean — salt, sweetness, no mud. Peter at The Spinnaker Bar uses local prawns in the prawn cocktail (€12) and in the seafood chowder (€13.50) when the boats bring them in fresh. Ring Peter on (051) 383 133 to ask what's landed that day.

What Langoustines Actually Are

Langoustines are also called Dublin Bay prawns, scampi, or Nephrops norvegicus. They're not prawns. They're small lobsters with long, narrow claws and a pale orange shell that turns bright coral when cooked. Langoustines live in burrows on muddy seabeds 20 to 800 metres down, mostly off the south and east coasts of Ireland. The flavour is richer and meatier than prawns — closer to lobster, with a slight sweetness and a denser texture. The claw meat is prized.

Dunmore East boats land langoustines year-round, but the best hauls come in spring and autumn when the langoustines are full and firm. You'll see them sold whole on ice at the harbour or cooked and shelled for scampi. The Spinnaker Bar on the harbour serves langoustines when the day-boats land them — check with Peter by ringing (051) 383 133 or messaging him on Facebook to see what's on this week.

How to Tell Them Apart on Your Plate

Size: langoustines are usually bigger — 10 to 25 cm long — and heavier in the hand. Prawns are slimmer and shorter, 5 to 12 cm depending on species. Claws: langoustines have long, prominent claws like a lobster. Prawns have tiny clippers or none at all. Shell colour: raw langoustines are pale orange or pink; raw prawns are grey, brown, or translucent. Both turn pink-orange when cooked, which confuses people.

Flavour: prawns taste sweet, light, quick to eat. Langoustines taste richer, almost buttery, with more chew. If you're eating something labelled 'scampi' in batter, that's langoustine tail meat. If it's a prawn cocktail with small, curled pieces, that's prawns. At The Spinnaker Bar, Peter will tell you which one you're getting when you order. He doesn't mix them up or substitute without saying. Email him at spinnakerbardunmore@gmail.com if you want to know what's fresh before you drive down.

Which One You Should Order in Dunmore East

If you want something light, sweet, and easy to eat with bread or in a salad, order prawns. The prawn cocktail at The Spinnaker (€12) is cold Atlantic prawns with Marie Rose sauce, lemon, and brown bread. If you want something richer and closer to lobster without the lobster price, order langoustines when they're available. Peter cooks them simply — grilled or in garlic butter — so the flavour comes through.

The best answer is to ask what came off the boats that morning. Dunmore East is a working fishing village at the mouth of the Waterford Harbour, and the day-boats land different catches depending on weather, season, and what the pots pull up. Peter at The Spinnaker Bar posts what's fresh this week on Facebook, or you can ring him on (051) 383 133 and ask directly. Walk-ins are welcome most days, but ring ahead for Friday and Sunday evenings or any group of six or more.

Where the Boats Land Them in Dunmore East

The harbour at Dunmore East is small, sheltered, and busy. Trawlers and day-boats tie up along the stone pier, unload into crates, and the catch goes straight to the fish merchants or the harbour pubs. You'll see langoustines on ice outside the harbour office or on the pier in the morning. Prawns come in mixed with other shellfish — velvet crabs, brown crabs, lobster — depending on what the pots caught.

The Spinnaker Bar is on the harbour in the Lower Village, so Peter can walk to the pier and see what's landed. He buys direct when he can. That's why the menu changes week to week and why he posts what's available on Facebook. If you want to eat prawns or langoustines that were swimming yesterday, this is the place. Ring Peter on (051) 383 133 to book a table or ask what's on.