Deep down inside, I know that I’m really quite dorky. It is no newsflash to my friends. After all, I unashamedly love kitsch things, silly humour, I even snort when I laugh sometimes (I’m so sophisticated). As for something else that’s a little bit dorky that I simply adore? It’s a theme. And when you happen upon a theme when looking for the best fish and chips in Sydney when you’re helping to judge the SBS Feast magazines awards? Well that’s just a bonus.
I asked facebook friends where the best fish and chips were in Sydney and many had put their hands up for The Fish Shop in Potts Point. Some had dined there several times and assured me that the food was indeed worth a visit for, beyond the three month enthusiasm that we Sydney siders seem to have for everywhere new. Formerly Lotus restaurant, the new Merivale venture has themed itself in every crook and crevice. There’s the cabin look from the outside and inside the details are replete.
Hooks and nets line the walls, ships in bottles sit on shelves and the facilities are named “buoys” and “gulls.” Even the staff are dressed as if they were going out for a day’s cruising. There is an open kitchen at one side and there’s little to no trace of the former Lotus fitout (although there is Lotus chef Dan’s famous cheeseburger still on the menu). “Fish are friends and food” the paper menu tells us and this and the walls tell us interesting little tidbits about our friends of the sea. All written by reporter Sandy Plankton of course 
When Girl Next Door and I walked in at around 8:15pm there wasn’t a table free. So we waited at the bar pondering the hooks and other decorations until a table becomes ready about 10 minutes later, just as promised. Staff are very friendly and personable and we are given a choice of where to sit and we opt for in front of the action at the bar facing the open kitchen.
A quick look at the menu showed us a neat selection of food items taking up one out of the four column inches, the remaining three for liquid refreshment. A sign on the wall indicates that they serve organic, natural and bio-dynamic Australian wines only. The market board provided seven more options and the waiter explained each one. By 8:30pm the mussels and another item had run out but it’s easy enough to decide. Forks, knives and napkins sit in recycled diced tomato tins.
Steamed dim sim $2.70 (front) and fried dim sim $2.50 (back)
The food comes out quickly. With the deep fried dim sim a greasy spoon favourite, we were curious to see what their version was like. They tell us that theirs is made by their Singaporean chef that they’ve flown in to open their upcoming new Chinese restaurant. We ordered one steamed and one fried but the fried one isn’t deep fried but more lightly fried-as in kissed by the pan so they really end up tasting much the same (although the 20c price difference is interesting, usually it’s the other way around too). They are served with a squirt of Asian ketchup aka Sriracha and are delightfully meaty inside and lack the greasy mouthfeel that you can get from ones that you buy on the cheap or at take aways.
School prawns with smoked garlic mayonnaise $12
Our school prawns come with artfully scrunched paper for visual effect. They’re small, perfectly seasoned, and come with a smoked garlic mayonnaise. This is quite smoked by itself but the seasoning and lemon on the prawn means that the smoked flavour takes a bit of a back seat. Girl Next Door wishes that there was a bit more smoke to it.
Fish and chips $19
The fish in the fish and chips is flathead and comes are three pieces of puffy deep fried beer battered chips and dark cooked fries from the cottonseed oil that it is cooked in. The fish itself is good as are the fries although they’re both a touch cooler than we want by the time they get to us and must have been sitting there for a little while so some of the batter has lost its mojo in places. Alongside this is a fantastic tartare which I just want to take home with me.
Smoked eel $20
Girl Next Door has a spoonful of the eel dish and then whispers “this is lukewarm.” Indeed it is, although the flavour of the rich, deboned smoked eel and terrific mash and surprise rasher of bacon between the two is great. But it really needed to be hotter in temperature.
Celeriac slaw $6.50
The celeriac slaw has thin matchsticks of celeriac and cabbage and shavings of cabbage and red onion and hint of mustard. It’s the perfect foil for fish and chips with the creamy flavour and crunchy texture and I think I ate most of this.
Ice cream sandwich $8
One last course and by now, it seems most patrons have left as it is a school night. There is a choice of an ice cream sandwich or a coconut sorbet so we opt for the ice cream sandwich. It has a creamy vanilla ice cream centre with a soft chocolate outer studded with cacao nibs for crunch. Drizzled all over this is a salted caramel sauce. I particularly liked the ice cream with the salted caramel sauce together although I could have taken or left the biscuit part as I am not a huge cacao nib lover.
And because they seem to love a theme as much as anyone, the bill comes, themed of course, in a sardine can lid!
So tell me Dear Reader, where do you think is the best fish and chips? And are you a little bit dorky or are you cool?
The Fish Shop
22 Challis Avenue, Potts Point, NSW 2011
Tel: +61 (02) 9326 9000
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55 Comments | Add your own
I love this post, Lorraine, what a cool little spot. Our fish and chips places are usually hole in the wall, take out spots, no where you would want to linger and eat. Having said that, there are a few good pubs who serve very good fish and chips. I wonder, do you eat the chips with malt vinegar like we (and the English) do?
Searching for the best fish and chips sounds like a delightful task! I would love this. I could follow that up with searching for the best ice cream sandwich. This one looks fantastic!
I love that bill coming on a can lid. A great sense of humour there
The best fish and chip shop? I’ve got to say, I believe that with food like fish and chips, location is everything.
There’s a fish and chips place down in Bermagui on the south coast that is phenomenal. Ultra fresh, crispy battered and served by the pristine waters of the bay.
LOL, I love a theme too and I think I’d love this place. No fish and chip recommendations, I’m afraid.
The food looks good, but I love the quote on the bill the best. Clever people. And on the lid of a can to boot. Yep, very clever.
I’m not a fan of lukewarm food when it’s supposed to be hot. That really would have bugged me. The one on Lyons rd Drummoyne claims to be the best in the universe. Hehe
Oh and I think I’m part dorky part not
Not your average fish and chip shop, it looks fun and quirky and I might even try those dim sim which I would normally avoid.
I love what the mayonnaise is served in and even the bill with the sardines lid. What clever ones! The best fish and chips I’ve had (and I’ve not eaten it all that much) is just at my local tuck shop. Thick, fat crinkle cut chips with a generous size of fish that has a golden but not too thick batter and of course their home made tarte sauce!
Visited with a Canadian friend – ate delicious blue eye cod but that was all we got. We left starving with the wait staff saying they had clearly told us we could order side dishes – all at an extra cost. Far better to go to ‘Sardine’ exactly opposite where gorgeous Angela serves huge, delicious, hot fish dishes. It’s always packed, overall maybe $2 more but you never go home hungry. Please review it notquitenigella
Oh I’m totally dorky! I love that you call it a school night too.
They do pretty good fish and chips at a restaurant down the road from me. It’s always doing a roaring trade.
Hi Rosie-I have reviewed the Sardine Room
http://www.notquitenigella.com/2009/02/27/the-sardine-room/
I’m definitely dorky and weird and border line crazy hahaha
Now I’m craving fish and chips ~ i’m trying to slim down a little and only save my calories for dessert lol so i haven’t had much fried food lately ~ I remember a place called Fish Bar at the Docklands
Looks yum! But no mention of whether the fish is sustainable?
Ooh, thanks for the reminder that I have to get here soon. Fish and chip shops are very close to my heart
I wonder if they do potato scallops – a fish and chip must-have!
Lorriane, you are not good for the glutton. You post these oh! so tempting! food everyday, and I go snacking on everything that I am not supposed to snack on
I am in love with those clicks.
I agree with Next Door Girl – food at a restaurant needs to be hot.
Sometimes I think, too much emphasis is put on the decor and it lacks elsewhere. I don’t like lukewarm food, either. I love going down to the beach and ordering fish and chips from the takeaway there and eating it right out of the paper with lemon on the fish and chicken salt on the chips!
The fit-out of this restaurant is extremely clever but at the end of the day, it’s the food that should reign supreme! Barely warm when it’s supposed to be hot, is not acceptable, they need to pick up on this important aspect, nothing worse than fish and chips and other food going cold and soggy.
Funnily , just yesterday I was telling my husband about a local fish shop I used to frequent in my younger years and how you just don’t get fish’Nchips that taste like that any more. It was run by two Greek brothers and they used to do a roaring trade, 3 deep queues at the counter, waiting for those ‘babies’ dressed up in newspaper and drizzled in vinegar and salt! Couldn’t wait to break open one end and dig in, the aroma was unbelievable.
Nice review and like you Lorraine I love a bit of theming. Is Jeremy Strode of Bistrode CBD the chef? Looks good even better if chips come with malt vinegar.
Not really done fish and chips in Australia but there is a great place in Mission Bay in Auckland NZ, served in paper, naturally.
Good point about sustainability Sally.
A couple of years ago we had a family reunion in Salamander Bay & paid through the nose for so/so fish & chips there. The next week we happily paid under $10 for 2 serves of fish & chips from the fish shop in Ingleburn – fantastic crunchy batter (battered as you order) and non greasy chips all served with a smile.
What a fun place to hang around…I love a good fish and chips, too bad that it was not hot…thanks for sharing all this dishes and hope you have a wonderful week ahead Lorraine
Best Fish and Chips is still Palm Beach Wharf. I hadn’t been there in almost 2 years since I’ve moved off the Beaches, but when I went back recently I was still impressed
I’LL SELFLESSLY TAKE YOUR CACAO NIBS OFF YOUR HANDS SPAY LADY!
xoxo
For anyone visiting Victoria you must try fish and chips down there. As much as I love Sydney, I do miss the Vic. fish and chips
Looks like a very pleasant little spot and the food looks great. I love good, fresh fish and chips – you just can’t beat it!
I love The Fish Shop! The theme of the place definitely adds to the appeal. And of course The Cheeseburger is one of the reasons I’ll keep coming back. Will be trying the dim sims on my next visit. Love that it’s served with sriracha. Makes everything taste better! ;D
By far, the best fish & chips are from Aussie Bob’s at Shoal Bay NSW. Really fresh, light crispy batter and piping hot! You can’t beat it!
I never thought of smoking fish!
And I’m majorly dorky.
I love the decor and the menu is nothing like the menu at the corner fish n chip shop where I grew up! Where’s the scallop? I am constantly told by my teenagers how un-cool I am! xx
LOVE the receipt hahaha
What a cute little shop!
This place looks fun! I love a good theme indeed
I’m glad you ordered the eel as that would have been my pick as well, but what a shame it wasn’t hot enough. Maybe the kitchen was running down a bit towards the end of the night and the adrenaline had worn off?
Lucky you to be on the judging panel indeed!
DEFINATELY dorky! JUST like you!
Here’s to DORKINESS!! WHOO HOO!
I snort when I laugh, TRUE!
When you describe YOUR dorkiness, you describe me too!
Nothing like good fish and chips on a cold winter’s (or summer’s) day!
Especially when they are made in a unique (or handed down family generation recipe) way!
I’m definitely of the Dorky school. I once stayed in a nautical-hemed hotel in France (accidentally, mind you) and it had portholes and ropes on the wall, the whole lot. I must say I prefer my nautical theme in a fish and chip shop, though!
Love the post as usual!!
You know we all have our very own dorky side and trust me they make us even more adorable..LOL
I love the bill try.. what a smart idea!!
God, I’m such a nerd. Merivale is GREAT at a theme, aren’t they? They know just how to make a theme restaurant fun and cool and just the right amount of dorky. Those school prawns look great!
This place looks so gorgeous – I’d even venture to Potts Point just because I love a good theme too. I’m dorky.
I want those fish & chips, and the ice cream sandwich – I love cacao nibs
so….was it the best fish and chips? seeing the temperature of the food…maybe not…
What a cool place, no wonder your facebook fans told you it was the best. I love the theme, especially nautical, fishy, etc… I would eat The School prawns with smoked garlic mayonnaise for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and snack on it too!
I definitely love a theme too! Thanks NQN for a great post. My picky-eater 3 year old daughter loves fish and chips so she gives me a good excuse to pop in to Ocean Foods on Lyons Rd, Drummoyne. Their fish and chips are consistently good, and good value!
This restaurant sounds like my seafood loving dad’s ideal my friend
Thank you!
But I would tag along just for dessert
Cheers
CCU
despite the fact this is supposed to be our national dish there are far more bad fish and chip shops than good ones. In fact, I now rarely get fish and chips as I expect them to be stale! Perhaps I should go on a search for a goodie. My first stop will be Poppies Of Spitalfields in London which is getting great reviews and has been a chippy since 1945. GG
ive been wanting to go here for dan hongs famous cheeseburger! and of course, the icecream sandwich
To be honest, I think I’d prefer the cheap and nasty fried dimmies over those fancypants ones but everything else looks delish. I will be in Sydney in a few weeks time so I hope I can sneak a visit to Potts Point (probably not though, heh).
I’m waiting for them to do a potato cake/scallop
What a gorgeous little place. Can someone please tell me if you’re meant to eat the whole school prawn? I’ve had them before but didn’t eat the head although I think you are probably meant to!
The school prawns look delicious although getting food lukewarm doesn’t really appeal :-/
HI Ann-I think you are meant to eat the whole thing, especially when they’re crispy and crunchy like that
Although I’ve seen people peel them but it seems like an excessive amount of effort! 
ohh so that was the reason why you asked on facebook! that tartare sauce sounds like a real treat, shame about the fish&chips not being hot enough
I’ve never ever been cool. I’ve never been like everyone else.
Sad, I know.
Hi Lorraine, good to know I’m not the only one who snorts (sometimes!) when laughing
love school prawns and these look delicious.
This is a hip little fish shop, I’ll have to visit!
I love the quote on that bill, hilarious! And I’m thinkin’ the fact that I totally dug the theme carried through (and am a major snort-laugher) makes me a bit of a dork. Oh well!
I found the lack of real difference between the steamed and fried dim sims perplexing too.
I am a super dork and I LOVE themed things. I don’t know if I even had an un-themed birthday party and I even like to subtly theme dinner parties
One of my favorite things to eat outside is fish and chips. Good quality seafood always satisfies me. Love this place, really creative like a sardine can lid!
I am someone that hates themes until i get there and then i love them…and merivale CAN do a theme. I recently went to their new whiskey bar – palmer and co -… and you just know you are being sucked in because of all the fake decor but its very hard not to love and its possible my favourite new bar… and this may well be my favourite new fish shop – Damn you Justin Hemmes.
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