It was that moment of panic. You know the one – where you need to find a place to eat in the immediate vicinity and there are no seemingly viable options. The place that I was taking my mother for her birthday lunch was closed, unexpectedly so and we were driving around Kirribilli trying to figure out where to go. My mum was flexible, anywhere was fine. It was just me that wanted to make it somewhere nice.
“Why don’t we just go to Yum Cha?” Mr NQN says. The only problem was that the Yum Cha I knew was in North Sydney and I had already written about it so I wasn’t in the mood to reblog it.
“Fine but I can’t blog it” I whispered to him.
Mr NQN thought about it and realised that a meal eaten and paid for and not blogged is a missed opportunity so we kept driving. Until we reached Broughton Street. I suggested Garfish guardedly. You see Mr NQN, Queen Viv and Miss America had dined at the Crows Nest branch years ago (B.B.=Before Blog) and had a highly unimpressive meal there. The waiter was rude, the servings were tiny and we left hungry and poorer. But figuring that lightening the wallet in aid of a birthday was probably the best excuse and besides, these people were hungry we decided to go back.
We choose an outdoor table. Our male waiter is friendly and explains the menu. There is the paper fold out menu that sits on the napkin and then there’s the daily specials menu with fresh fish of the day as well as specials. He recommends the Singapore Chilli Crab which at $70 for two including bread and salad is actually not a bad price at all. We choose the crumbed garfish with a coleslaw with apple, pomegranate and dill mayonnaise as well as a salt and pepper squid. The prices thankfully haven’t seemed to risen from our visit the years before.
Salt & Pepper Squid $16
While waiting for out entree, we ask three times for the side flap to be pulled down as the sun is shining directly on us. We’re on the brink of doing it ourselves when the tall waitress does so. Our salt and pepper squid arrives and true to the warning, it’s small. Ahh yes a reminder of our last visit. It is quite good though and the chilli and ginger sauce is moreish. My mum loves it so she asks the waitress if she can keep the chilli sauce and the waitress says that she’ll bring out a fresh one for our mains. She never does and we have to ask for it later when our main arrive. Then the waitress takes my knife and plate but places my used fork back on the left hand side of my setting. She takes my mum’s fork and knife but leaves my father’s fork and knife. Odd.
Crumbed Garfish with apple, pomegranate and dill mayonnaise salad $30
The wait for mains is a little longer than we’d like but it looks to be a small kitchen. The crumbed garfish is quite good although I don’t often go for crumbed fish when dining out (my mum’s choice, she loves crunchy deep fried things). The accompanying salad is very good and we try it with the chilli sauce.
Singapore Chilli Mud Crab $70 for two including salad and bread
The waiter brings our mud crab out and it’s certainly spectacular looking. It comes with 3 slices of bread and a green salad. It’s huge – much bigger than we’re expecting. We don’t seem to have much luck with crab at Chinese restaurants, they’re mostly empty and disappointing which is why we order lobster nowadays but this one has gigantic pincers and is very large with an abundance of meat (I wonder if they have better luck selecting crabs here?). Even my father who grew up in Hong Kong and doesn’t partake of eating food with his hands happily hoes in with both hands. We ask him if he likes the crab and he nods “It’s the best crab I’ve had” and we’re constantly murmuring about the amazing amount of meat in it although we understand that the fullness of crabs is often pot luck, at least as far as our experiences are concerned. I ask my mother, born and bred in Singapore whether it’s a true Singapore Chilli Crab and she says “No but it’s very good”. There’s no egg swirled throughout it and the sauce is sweet and sour sauce with chilli and pepper throughout it which I understand is a modernish variant of it although not the one my mum grew up eating.
Mega crab pincer!
The bill comes and it’s reasonable and unlike the previous visit, we’re more than happy to pay. Strangely they have charged us for the extra sauce – not that strange in itself but considering the waitress took away the mostly full sauce only to promise to bring a fresh one back only to not it’s a bit odd to be charged for it. Hold onto your sauces if you need to 
So tell me Dear Reader, do you feel squeamish eating with your hands?
Garfish
Shop 2, 21 Broughton St, Kirribilli NSW
Tel: 61 (02) 9922 4322
Open 7 days for breakfast, lunch and dinner
www.garfish.com.au
If you enjoyed this post, why not share it with your friends?
What is NQN up to now? 
NQN on Facebook
RSS
44 Comments | Add your own
I used to be squeamish about using my hands, but have since become brave and now I don’t give a hoot.
Those pincers are MASSIVE! So glad you had a better experience this time, Lorraine. 
I was thinking of trying the Crows Nest one, but now I might go to this one instead… I can’t say I feel comfortable eating with hands…
Interesting review, Lorraine – although the chilli crab alone might make it worth a visit!
I hate being overcharged for sub-par food and service. So, it’s nice that your second visit was an improvement, but charging for the sauce is just wrong!
I have actually never tried Crab! I think Mr BBB did when we were in Singapore – but I recall that it was quite overpriced…tourist tax I expect?
Its disappointing when you go to a restaurant and the food is good but it is almost forgotten when the service isnt up to scratch.
I have no qualms about eating with my hands as long as their is some water to clean them or a mosit towelette.
The salt and pepper squid looks fabulous – yes please! I am not a fan of crab, but like your dad, I think I could be persuaded if this was served up to me – it looks magnificent. I am not squeamish about eating with my hands, not since I started baking in earnest about 5 years ago which entails lots of digging in with your hands at various stages.
He he this is the problem of food bloggers, you feel like a fail when you can’t take pics or isn’t planned.
I’m not accustomed to eat with hands but it is normal all over the world.
Happy you have had a tasty experience there
Cheers,
Gera
No not squeamish, I like eating with my hands as long as they are clean
Opps… I forgot to say that I really prefer the ritual with eating prawns and peeling them.They are my favourite food and I like to do abit of work to get he reward.You cn only do that with your digits
The salt and pepper squid is making my mouth water! I don’t know if it’s the dish or your beautiful photograph – yum!
The other great place in Kirribilli is Catalonia on Fitzroy Street. Great Tapas and awsome desserts!
Ooh that crab looks lovely! I do hate having to repeat requests to wait staff though, very frustrating.
I have no problems eating with my hands as long as there’s a dish of water present if it’s seafood/saucy. There’s only so much sauce you can classily lick from your fingers in public!
ok- this scenario rings so true. Driving around looking for somewher to blog. I love that you refer to life B.B – how true. When you start writing a blog, you never imagine it will take over whole life. But it does! There seems to be some really funny things going on here- charged for extra sauce- – removing some knives and not forks etc etc- they need to sort that out. But the crab does look amazing!
I think it’s fabulous how Mr NQN completely understands our food bloggers’ mindset about meals eaten and paid for and wasted opportunities and not blogging the same place twice. Someone should start a support group for spouses of food bloggers…I know Mike would probably want in, lol!
This looks like it was a gorgeous birthday meal for your mom…even despite the waitress’s odd behavior.
Crabs! Considering I grew up eating crabs, not squeamish using hands in the slightest!
But I have to say, that pincer is HUGE!
Hi Lorraine,
That is one spectacular looking Chilli Mud Crab!!
My partner and I actually like garfish, although I must admit the portion can be quite small. We tried this restaurant @ Kirribilli few years ago and fell in love with their pesto pan fried gnocchi. Haven’t been back since then as we are busy trying other restaurants :p
I’ll definitely pay a visit after reading your post and hopefully we’ll experience the same quality.
Cheers
ST
On my first trip to Australia a few months ago, my colleagues and I admittedly were taken aback at first by the prices of food. But then we realized that Australian restaurants don’t have the same tipping custom as in the States, where you leave 18 or 20 percent with the bill. As a result, the prices already have that built in. So after catching myself at first when you said the crab was $70 (!!), now I realize on second thought, that’s not outrageous at all. And heck, it looks so good, I’d gladly pay that.
Bad service is the worst. We were in a restaurant 2 weeks ago, ordered drinks and a bottle of water. When she brought the water out to us she had 3 glasses tucked under her arm, put the bottle down, looked at us all, then took the glasses away. We were tempted to have a swig out of it when she was walking past. Looking back, I wish we had.
I don’t mind eating with fingers, it’s people who can’t use cutlery properly that makes me mad lol
the chilli mud crab looks great shame about the odd service! and happy birthday to your mum!
Hahaha, I love how well-trained MR NQN is about the importance of blogging now. Brilliant!
And nope, I love eating with my hands. I honestly think food tastes better that way. I think I’d eat soup with my fingers if I could
I love eating with my hands (when required, I’d never pick up a steak!) but my dad hates it too (he eats popcorn with a spoon!)
Although I’m curious as to the connection between growing up in Hong Kong and not eating with your hands… I’ve never heard that before? I’d love some clarification on my ignorance.
Eating with your hands should add to the whole tactile experience of eating. Do you realise how many times a good chef actually touches your food before it reaches you? A touch can tell so many things, temperature, density, texture, how cooked it is…etc. Just make sure your hands are clean first!
not good at eating with hands in public. . . wish I could get past the idea that it’s not right!
but the sauce thing – bad form Garfish.
i HATE that kind of silly overcharging for something like sauce. it can really annoy you and give a bad note to an otherwise good experience. the minimal amount that it gains them must surely be outweighed by the bad vibe that it creates? even though the food looks good, little things like that have me re-considering Garfish. (mind you, we did have a bad experience at the crows nest one with ridiculous pricing, so i’m probably already a bit prejudiced against them!)
I would have been a bit frustrated about the sauce thing – especially since you should have been able to keep the original sauce, rather than be brought another one and charged for it – seems a bit unfair.
I’m not very good with eating with my hands – if they get dirty I have to wash them immediately. I’m the same with spoons – if I’m dishing up dinner or ice-cream or something, I can’t use the same spoon to eat with – it has to be a completely clean spoon. Weird? Perhaps.
Mm I’ve never tried mud crab in any form…maybe I should take the plunge (excuse the very subtle pun there) and do it…It seems to me, that eating with your hands is sometimes the most viable option when eating seafood. I rather enjoy it. When I went to india, we ate almost every meal with our hands and it seriously enhanced the experience…I suppose in a 3 hat restaurant it would look a little odd though
I thought it was the usual photographic trick that makes objects appear bigger than they really are but when seeing the claw in your hands, holy moly that’s a HUGE crab! What great value for the price! I usually don’t like dirtying my hands and developed my method for deshelling prawns with a knife and fork but if there are enough wet towels and napkins, the only way to eat a crab is with enthusiams and both hands!
I don’t hesitate in using my hands whetever it’s called for. The issue with the sauce is pretty slack, I would have definitely said something and what kind of stupid logic explains the thing with the cutlery. Idiotic! The crab looks to die for
I’m travelling in Singapore right now for work (my home town) and love singapore chilli crab. I had the most amazing crab while I’ve been here called ‘White Jade Crab’. Its a creamy and milky and nothing like I’ve ever tasted. It comes highly recommended. Yes the crab was meaty too. Yum.
Wow, the crab looks amazing!
the only time that eating with my hands bothers me is when i’m also ripping meat off bones with my teeth–it seems so barbarian!
That crab dish looks delicious.
No, I don’t feel strange eating with my hands. You know, in some indian cultures, they never use fork and knives. Even when eating rice and stuff.
Hope you have a great weekend.
*kisses* HH
The crab looks pretty nice. Been wanting to check out Garfish for their seafood at some stage.
I’m not at all squeemish when it comes to eating with the hands. I really don’t get what there is to be squeemish about.
Sure, there can be an issue of ettiquette but that’s another thing entirely.
Your mom is so nice. On my birthday (well, the month of my b-day), I control everywhere we eat. It’s like the month o’ Miranda’s favorite foods.
HAHA! This post had me laughing so much. What funny behaviour by the staff…very strange.
An ex of mine was going to take me here when we first started dating.
I don’t eat seafood so he changed plans; looks like I did us both a favour.
Every time I’ve eaten at Garfish Kirribilli I’ve had a bad experience. I go to the Crows Nest one quite regularly and it usually is pretty good. Who knows??
It is so true that first impressions of a restaurant are often correct – that’s why I think it is generally not necessarily to visit a restaurant 3 times like the American critics do – seems like your impression of this place was right the first time!
I don’t like to eat with my hands for the most part. Not in restaurants anyway! I’ve eaten in an Ethiopian restaurant in London though and they eat with their hands, so in context it’s just fine. The risk of crab juice running down your arms in a public place is too much for me.
I love eating with hands! No problems eating that crab with hands. YUM!
That crab looks gorgeous! I’m from India and in India it is the norm to eat with your right hand. And food tastes so much better when eaten with hands. Sadly I can never order crab at a restaurant coz I would not know how to eat it with cutlery!!
Wow I absolutely am bowled over by the size of that crab. No problem eating with my hands. In fact it’s an Indo- Caribbean custom to eat with one’s hands. You will get strange looks if you go to and Indian wedding and ask for cutlery
I love hard shelled crabs and yes picking up with hands in the way to go, but we’ve always eaten them at home. I can make a real mess.
2 Trackbacks/Pingbacks
[...] the other. When we went to celebrate a late Father’s Day this year, as we had booked into Garfish Kirriblli for Mother’s Day, we booked into Garfish Manly for our belated Father’s day. It was [...]
[...] * Garfish, Kirribilli [...]
Post a Comment