It had been two years since I last saw my friend Johnny Rock aka John-Luis Moretti, lead singer of Johnny Rock and the Limits. We had last worked together on the ad for Cornetto two years ago and danced on a beach together. And every time I had visited Melbourne or he had visited Sydney, the timing wasn’t just right but somehow, two years on, we were finally catching up.
Kasia and John-Luis
Well, that is, if the food gods were being kind to us. There was a flurry of correspondence and facebook messages about where to go. We both suggested Chin Chin and then perhaps the Meatball and Wine Bar until Johnny messaged me with the bad news: the wait at Chin Chin was 3 hours and the wait at the Meatball and Wine bar was 1.5 hours. He had a movie at 9:20pm and our flight was delayed and traffic was bad. That left us with a 1.5 hour window to catch up.
My geography is sketchy at best, let alone when I’m panicked but suddenly Spicy Fish popped into my mind. It was in Chinatown which was sort of central and if a Chinese restaurant can do anything, it is serve food fast. I rang to book just in case and Mr NQN and I finally met up with gorgeous couple Johnny and his girlfriend Kasia.
We’re too busy talking to realise that we need to order pronto as time is running out. Our waitress is terrific, a friendly enough, no-nonsense sort that helps us quickly when we ask for recommendations. Mr NQN’s tea is filled through the entire evening and service is very present which is a nice surprise for a casual sort of restaurant. We ask if it is possible for the kitchen to accommodate a rush order and that’s no problem. Indeed it seems like between five than ten minutes later that all of our dishes arrive in quick succession.
Beef in black pepper $19.80
The first dish was the beef in black pepper. There was plenty of beef slices in the serve, all very tender with a nice amount of black pepper which we learn is good to prepare us for the fiery chilli Szechuan onslaught. And a dish like this which is much less spicy than others is really best eaten first as when I came back to this after having the spicier food, a lot of the aforetasted flavour had paled in comparison to the chilli.
Steamed won ton in spicy soup (Szechuan) $12.80
There’s a generous amount of pork and vegetable wontons which are soft and coated in sesame seeds and chilli. There’s no shortage of fire in these and poor Johnny who can react badly to chilli goes for the ones around the edge.
Spicy Fish (Szechuan) $25.80
We figured that it would be strange to not order the dish after which the restaurant is named. We were a little alarmed when it had three chillis next to the name on the menu which meant that Johnny couldn’t eat it but they promised to tone it down. Well, they either did and it’s hotter than hell or they didn’t and it was really quite hot! 
It was enormous and like a cauldron full of spicy scarlet soup. Underneath it all was a serve of bean sprouts and on top sat the pieces of fish. They were tender and soft and really very moreish once you got over your initial huffing and puffing. One odd thing was that they gave you little plates and not a plate and a bowl to eat out of which meant that I had a plate full of soupy rice which wasn’t very visually or practically appealing. And guess who managed to spill some scarlet chilli oil on her new dress? And no amount of soda water will get that out.
Prawn in Szechuan chilli sauce $23.80
This along with the fish and the eggplant below were my favourite dishes. There was a lot of prawns in this serve (sorry I didn’t count, we didn’t have time) but they were all really succulent and bouncy in texture with a slightly sweet sauce and a range of vegetables.
Eggplant in claypot with Szechuan chillil sauce $15.80
The eggplant dish was beautifully sweet and sticky edged with soft pieces of flavoursome eggplant cooked in a claypot. It’s another favourite and the slightly different flavour profile from the prawns and fish make this a welcome course. Although there is no room or time for dessert, Johnny and Kasia make their movie in time and me, I’ve got a chilli oil stain to hastily attend to…
So tell me Dear Reader, how spicy can you go? Would you order a three chilli dish? And what do you think of these no booking restaurants where you wait for 1.5-3 hours for a table?
Spicy Fish
209 Little Bourke Street Melbourne VIC 3000
Tel: +61 (03) 9639 1885
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29 Comments | Add your own
You eat so well…and in the most amazing places!!!
My spice threshold is quite high, and I have often ordered and adored eating ridiculously spicy food. I get Bhoot Jolokia chillies here in my city, which has been named the hottest chilli in the world, and I often make a batch of hot sauce with it (Some garlic, a big bunch of regular chillies, a few of the extra-hot Bhoot Jolokia, malt vinegar and salt). Its my favorite condiment, and I put it in virtually everything but dessert.
How cool that you know the lead singer from a band. I checked them out on you tube and they are good! What a great dinner you must have had, the food looks amazing. I’m cooking an Indian Feast for tonight and the house smells incredible. Now I must go and make Naan!
What gorgeous food. Beautiful photos as well as just very appealing dishes. After so many years in the Middle East (Indian-influenced) and in Mexico, I can go fairly hot, but I do hate to sniff and have my nose dribble during a meal! No, 1 1/2 to 3 hours is too long for me to wait. I must be spoiled.
Didn’t realise you were in Melbourne Lorraine – and you have managed to go to a place I have never even heard of well done! (Shame about the waiting times at Chin Chin and Meatball and Wine Bar)
Hi Lorraine, can always rely on a Chinese restaurant when in a rush
I can’t handle very spicy and many times we ask for the chilli to be toned down and it’s still really hot so there is no way I could eat a 3 chilli dish. I wouldn’t wait more than a hour for a table and even then it would have to be for a placd we have eaten at before so we know the food will be good. I think it’s ridiculous that a restaurant can expect you to wait for 3 hours…last week we waited 45 minutes at Lucios Pizzeria but that
Hit post too quickly meant to say waited at Lucios but well worth it as it has to be the best pizza we have ever had, sorry slightly off topic
Lorraine glad I’m not the only one to spill food on myself, I’ve ruined a few items myself with oil and sauces!:)
I like some heat in my dishes but not enough to melt my lips off. I admire people who can do that and still manage a smile. Those dishes look wonderful.
Sometimes I really like a fiery dish but usually only when I make it myself. In the past I felt like I wasn’t really tasting the food if it was too spicy but I have changed my thinking in the last few years. I have definitely built up a tolerance to chilli now.
The spicy fish dish looks yummo! (Spicey fish at Spicy Fish! hehehe)
As it happens I have to write a number of private Melbourne emails later: am going to recommend this place to everyone! Well, Szechuan does happen to be my favourite type of Chinese food, but, that aside, the dishes look so moreish, one and all! Position central to all and prices not bad for what you get!! That eggplant one would do for lunch just beautifully
! I usually order medium > hot, except in most places in Thailand, where even ‘mild’ has at times brought tears to my eyes!! And, however fabulous the repute of a restaurant no way will I wait past a quarter hour!!!
YUM!! What exciting foods for today too!
I have an iron stomach, so the hotter , the spicier, I love it TRUE!
1.5 – 3 hours is too long to wait for me,
Regardless HOW great the food or exciting recipe!
Oh dear, stains on white are the worst! Baking soda works a treat with stains though
eggplant cooked at Chinese restaurants is always yum!
Oh God!! All the dishes look amazing. The beef in black beans sauce looks incredible! I love ordering spicy dishes. Mr GG goes all out in the heat department!
The won tons look amazing! But yes, I’d be afraid to try a three-chilies-starred dish. Whoa! You guys are brave.
Well Lorraine, have finally had the chance to read and respond,my time has been taken up with drs. visits for myself and mum so not much time or too frazzled for anything else.
I just love all the dishes and will keep it in mind when we next visit Melbourne. I would order all of the above and can handle medium hot, too hot and I cannot enjoy or taste anything bar chilli!
I love to go out and dine at different restaurants but it’s verging on ridiculous when you’re expected to wait that long for a table. It doesn’t matter how good the food is, so like you, I would find an alternative. How lucky to be living in the ‘Lucky Country’ and to have so many excellent dining choices.
Let me know how you go with the stain on your dress, you can always send it to me, nine times out of ten I can remove a food stain!
Wow this is chilli heaven my friend what exquisite dishes
Old friends and good food is best!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Love, love, love Melbourne. We visited last week and wanted to dine at Mamasita on Monday night. Arrived at 6pm and the wait was 3-3.5 hours, so we went to Hutong for great dumplings instead. Tried again the next night and got in after a couple of hours wait (we hung around the city and they phoned us to let us know when a table was ready). It was so worth it. Fabulous, tasty Mexican fare to share, definitely not your usual refried beans, etc. I would do the wait again for that any day! I like chilli, but not so hot that you can’t taste anything else, so maybe a 2 is my limit. Thank you Lorraine for another great post and wonderful photos! PS have used toothpaste to remove small, stubborn stains (it must be a white toothpaste, though).
I love spicy food so the more the merrier
and of course the HOTTER the BETTER!
I’ve actually never seen or heard of Spicy Fish but glad that it turned out well and you were still able to catch up with your friend who is a singer of a band so cool
Sighhh the waiting times at Meatball Wine and Bar and Chin Chin is really crazy… I will never wait for more than 45min.
I love spicy the food but I get chilli hiccups straight away – before I’ve even swallowed the first mouthful!!
These look so appetising on that plate. Who could resist?
It’s unbelievable to me that there are restaurants out there with a three-hour wait for a table. How does that happen? Do people really stand outside and queue for three hours? You did will with the Chinese, especially considering you were in quite a rush. This food looks so much better than what I had in Adelaide’s China Town xx
I really dislike waiting in line at ‘no booking’ restaurants…but that seems like norm these days for popular places…I’m okay with places that put your name down and call you when you’re at the front of the queue but I wouldn’t stand there and wait for over half an hour…
I used to think I’m great at taking chilli but really I’m only a 1 chilli kinda gal…:P
mmmmm….. 5 000 000 scoville units!
haha, just kidding. I have no idea. I just like spicy food. But if I’m sweating bullets and everything starts to taste the same…. that’s probably my limit.
But that fish dish looks mighty fine!
These dishes look delicious and SPICY! My mouth is on fire just looking at them.
Good save on the restaurant – your choice sounds excellent. I think all that no booking stuff is rubbish and I won’t wait all that time for any food.
That’s completely fast when you got everything within 10 mins. I’ve always loved spicy fish and I could finish that by myself. Spicy + Fish = BFF, lol.
Oh chilli oil is impossible to get out! But I’m glad you managed to catch up with your friends though
I do love chilli, but 3 might push it if it is authentically hot. It’s annoying when the heart is dumbed down and there’s just a hint of heat in a ‘hot’ meal.
That wonton spicy food looks great! I like a bit of chilli but probably wouldn’t cope too well with more than 2!
I’m not a fan of the no-booking restaurants. They’re quite common in Canada and the States, but I won’t wait if it’s going to be more than 30 minutes (when I need to eat, I need to eat!). I waited once for an awesome breakfast spot in Edmonton, Canada, for about thirty minutes. Fortunately, we didn’t have to wait outside, but while we were waiting the line-up went out the door…and it was -20 outside! That is dedication, if you ask me! Breakfast was good, but it wasn’t that good!
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