So, I’m Dan Dan the Lobster Man.
Our Secret List chat with Dan Dan the Lobster Man, the heart behind one of Porthleven’s most authentic seafood experiences.
As a local fisherman, Dan takes “boat to plate” to its purest form, catching the lobster and crab served at his quayside shack. Dan Dan has become a beloved fixture on Porthleven’s quay, operating from a converted shipping container with breathtaking harbour views.
Dan’s commitment to sustainability and freshness has earned him a devoted following among locals and tourists alike, who flock to enjoy his signature seafood platters, crab sandwiches, and lobster tails.
With minimal fuss and maximum flavour, Dan embodies the authentic spirit of Cornwall’s fishing heritage, offering seafood that makes the short journey from morning catch to midday plate with barely a detour in between.
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We work from Porthleven. Local fisherman fishing the Lizard Peninsula catch the lobsters, come in at Porthleven, land the lobsters off the boat directly to my lobster shack on the fisherman’s quay in Porthleven.
Which is probably 15 paces from the boat to the to the shack, isn’t it?
Absolutely. And that’s what we take our pride in. Everything that we do has to be kept as local as possible.
We also have a consortium of boats. So, we catch some crab also. It’s all caught in Mounts Bay. We send it off to a processor, and that processor processes it and sends it back to us.
It’s a bit of a pain, isn’t it, turning a crab into something that someone eats?
Absolutely. And what we try to do is, bring it back processed. We process our own lobsters. So, we train all our own guys and gals to prepare the lobster. So, there’s no hassle for the customer. They can enjoy just what they’re eating rather than cracking and smashing.
And whilst that seems like fun, it turns eating a crab and sometimes a lobster, into something that can take quite a long time, if you’re doing it yourself.
Absolutely. You hit the nail on the head. And unfortunately, it’s not about the British people, but there’s very few people who know how to do this. So, what we’ve done is our original concept is to take the hassle away. If people want to learn, we’re more than happy to teach them. But we try to take the hassle out of eating seafood.
Perfect.
And so, if you’re going out to grab a bite to eat with some friends, where would you go? Top places.
OK. So, I have to say with no favouritism, Jude at Kota or Kota Kai. He’s been a long-term friend of mine, and they cook some of the best food in the world.
There’s also another place on The Lizard called Coast. Lee is phenomenal. What they do on their menu, particularly in the summer, is out of this world. It’s one of my favourite things. So, for me, I go there, and I eat the the scallop and crab dirty fries.
Oh, lovely.
It is to die for. With no shout of a doubt. I mean, with Jude, we eat the oysters and and the fish is fresh, it’s Hake, you can’t get any better.
So, I’m only going pick two for that reason.
And they sound really good.
And what about if you’re going somewhere for a drink? Where would be your top places to go?
There’s only one place.
There’s only one!
There is only one! So, we spoke earlier on about ‘we come in on the boat and how far my lobsters come’…
Right next to us is The Ship Inn.
So, for some of the older generation, they’ll remember a TV program called Cheers.
Making your way in the world today,
takes everything you’ve got…
You go to The Ship, there is a constant smile, constantly the best service in the world. There are so few pubs like this left in Cornwall, and we need to keep them. It’s a real pub. There’s no hidden agenda in there. The people are real people. The food is real food. That is the only bar for me.
That’s fantastic. And I think you’re right. When you walk into a bar, even if you haven’t been there before, you want to feel welcome, and that’s often a smile and some eyes that are bright, isn’t it? And then you’re like… OK, I’m happy here. And that sets the tone and just sets you at ease, doesn’t it?
I agree. And so, for me, the best way of me explaining it: it’s a family. That’s it. When I walk in there, I feel part of a family.
Although I work here, they make everybody feel the same, which is amazing. You just don’t get that.
That’s a real talent, isn’t it?
There are so many bars and pubs, old pubs, that have been bought up and turned into money making machines. Rather than looking after your customer, loving your customer every day, all day.
And that’s what they get to do.
They need to throw some passion in, don’t they?
And that’s what they do.
And what about a tip for someone visiting Cornwall. If you’ve read a few guides and got a few ideas of what to do, what little secret might you have of somewhere to go or something to do that will be really unique or lovely in Cornwall?
That’s a great question.
Drive to Sennen. On a nice sunny day. And just feel the sand in your toes.
Sennen is a magical beach, isn’t it?
100%. That’s what I recommend.
Find a safe place. Go down for an evening swim.
No one’s around. You don’t want it in big waves. Always be safe, but it’s just magical. You, just your shorts on, and swim.
And that’s it. That’s Cornwall in a nutshell.
It’s simplicity.
You don’t need anything other than that to enjoy what’s all around us.