Eric and the Giant Prawn
Imagine being a 6 year-old in the 1960s, walking into the grandeur that was the Cockatoo Inn. In its prime, the Cockatoo drew patrons from all corners. Recently, one lucky lad sent us his memory, feasting like royalty in the dining room decorated in ‘ye olde English’ style. This is the brief tale of Eric and the giant prawn!
First impressions
In a recent message, friend of the Cockatoo, Eric Whitaker recounted:
Thinking back to my childhood in the late 1960’s, I remember my father, who was an Air Force officer in the missile business, taking me there, for an overnight visit, before my airplane flight, leaving early the next morning to visit my grandparents in North Carolina, for the summer.
The first thing he told me–The Cockatoo Inn, as he called it, was a very special place. I walked in the place with him when I was 6 years old, and I felt like a King! Wow! What a place it was! Just Grand.
I must admit, the first time I stepped foot into the Cockatoo, also as a kid, I had similar feelings as Eric. My brother was a contractor in the defense industry, and this was THE spot in Hawthorne.
A Giant Prawn
He continues:
We sat down at a really nice dining area, a beautiful table set before us, and I had no idea what to order from the menu, so my Dad helped me out. He ordered the giant prawn shrimp, for me! He knew I liked shrimp, because my grandfather introduced me to them, at a pier restaurant at the beach in North Carolina.
The waiter at the Cockatoo brought our dinner to our table. On my plate was a Sea Monster!! The biggest shrimp I ever saw in my young life–a 1 whole pound giant shrimp (prawn) broiled and buttered, along with the best garlic toast I ever tasted…..That was a hell of a great dinner for a young kid! One I’ll never forget.
When we left for the airport early the next morning, I saw a beautiful Rolls Royce car in the parking in back for the staff. It was locked up really good in a fence chained parking spot with barbed wire around it. I asked my dad about that and he told me the car belonged to the lady who owned the place! (This visit we made was around 1969.)
That was my memory of The Cockatoo Inn, and Andy Lococo and his wife, super nice people, I will always remember.
We thank Eric for his lovely memory. Have a Cockatoo memory you’d like to share? Reach out to us at friends@cockatoooinn.com!
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