Fish & Lemonade, Manly

Fish & Lemonade is a new takeaway fish and chips shop located on Manly Wharf. It's not your average fish and chips shop although that is on the menu. They're most known for their fish sandwiches (grilled, battered or crumbed) on soft, crust-less white bread with crisp lettuce, pickles and sauce. There's also a range of market catch seafood and a whole lemonade menu devoted to infused lemonades!

I'm getting used to ordering online using my phone. In fact I'm starting to prefer it which goes to show how things (or people) can change quickly. At Fish & Lemonade you can also order at the counter and then take a buzzer to your table.

All of the tables are outdoor and under shade. Which is a good thing because Sammie and I have brought along both our Teddies for this fish and chips adventure and we'd planned our visit to Fish and Lemonade to coincide with a sunny week day. Fish & Lemonade's executive chef is Stephen Hodges formerly of Fish Face and he is a pioneering seafood chef in Australia.

While there is alcohol available we both gravitate towards the lemonades. You can get the lemonades "straight" or with toppings. My drink is a watermelon and pomegranate with a butterfly pea flower herbal tea topping which is sweet and delicious. Sammie's blue boost is topped with hibiscus and is a little tarter and refreshing.

There are four types of fish sandwiches on the menu and all of the fish in the sandwiches is hake. The battered fish sandwich is a classic, simple fish sandwich with lettuce, pickles and tartare. The fish is a thick, juicy, firm fillet with a wonderfully crunchy golden batter.

The grilled fish comes with a choice of herb garlic or chilli butter. Since we had chilli butter on the prawns we go for the herb butter. This is a big sandwich and a bit drippy (but really aren't some of the most satisfying sandwiches so?). There are two pieces of grilled hake, lettuce, pickles, tomato relish and tartare sauce. While I really liked the firm fillet and crunchy batter of the battered fish sandwich, the addition of bacon and cheese turns it more into burger territory which makes it even more delightful. And then I start to wonder if having a battered fish fillet with cheese and bacon is a good idea...

There's a daily catch section with items like calamari, prawns and fish bites. We chose the grilled king prawns split open and grilled with chilli butter. These are delicious with a nice kick of chilli.

They're also giving everyone a serve of fish bites which are battered nuggets of fish with a big wedge of lemon. I like these dipped in the tartare. It's a very chunky tartare with lots of finely diced pickles.

Potato scallops always remind me of being a teenager because they were a tasty, cheap after school snack when you only had pocket money to rely on. The potato scallops here come with either regular or chicken salt and for us it was a no brainer-chicken salt all the way. They're crisp, hot and perfectly seasoned with chicken salt. We didn't get fries because we had potato scallops and potato salad. This potato salad is fantastic with chunky potatoes, plenty of pickles and seasoning and just the right amount of seasoning in a serve that could easily feed 2. It is then that my mind starts wandering what it might be like with some potato salad in the sandwich...

So tell me Dear Reader, do you prefer grilled, battered or crumbed fish? And chicken salt or regular salt for your potato scallops?

This meal was independently paid for.

Fish & Lemonade

Manly Wharf, East Esplanade, Manly, NSW, AU
Open 7 days 11am-10pm
fishandlemonade.com.au