TL;DR: Another good place doing a lovely fish and chips. This time though, the aesthetic is welcoming and it is more a restaurant than a takeaway. Prepare to be surprised.
Here we are yet again, in the newest (as of writing) precinct in West End near the Glass Factory. And yet again, the quality overall manages to impress me quite well especially since they are managing to get a brain-child with heaps of experience behind the operations. It is slight, but noticeable in the minutiae just how they deliver upon quality without skimping and isolating in the process. Just like how I remember West End all these years.
Getting to the point, the operations this time around are at Sea Fuel where they aim to do better by the humble fish and chips, or a seafood outlet. This is one place where price doesn't have to be higher when it comes to quality, and at the same time a cheap price can still guarantee diners a wholesome enough meal that will leave them satisfied. We are far away from the dingy look of the fish and chip shop often thought about on Friday nights or holidays to the beach. This is a place where any time of the week is ideal to try them out, and quality matters down to selecting the right catch.
For a second time in a row, what the situation here is is getting that UberEats app up and running and tapping in the orders before just sitting back and waiting for that delivery bike to come to the agreed location. From what I can remember, this one was able to deliver quickly on such a short notice so that made it a prime choice for lunch that day. Also, fish and chips is a reliable and cheap option - something which was in its favour at that time.
So it is with delivery, but that does not mean a shout out can be given to the decor by looking at the photos online. It has a nice looking aesthetic, and the layout is akin to an amalgam of a wine bar and a cafe. The look of it is pretty simple, with a sleek black aesthetic in the seating and a stylish-looking wine bar taking the center stage. It is nothing too ostentatious, and it would definitely be cosy on either a cold winter day or cool on a sweltering summer day. Therefore, they are already doing well with a winning set up.
As it can be seen, the delivery here was quick and clean. Very little went wrong this time around proving UberEats to be reliable with their services. Also, that made the food quite hot and fresh when it was opened up and that is precisely what is wanted when it comes to some fish and chips - quicker is always better.
Although the owners are definitely attempting to rise a bit above the standard fish and chip stop in terms of quality, it is still able to be seen as a local fish and chippy when looking at their menu. At a few points throughout, there is an apparent Greek influence as well. When presenting the fish options, the diners are able to chose the meals according to the kind of fish that appeals to them or some other sort of seafood with a couple of other choices. These meals are then served with a side of fries, salad and sauce.
For more variety or to feed more people, there are packs custom made for multiple people in the forms of seafood platters and family dinners. Also for something fresher, they have a range of salads in the cabinet along with plenty of other seafood plates that can be seered or fresh, or even crumbed, and other fish and chip shop specialties which includes a range of burgers. Some of the specialties are even made especially for the lunch-time rush being a noticeably cheaper option.
When choosing to sit in, there is a good range of drinks on the house as well. That is all sorts of beers both bottled and on tap, several kinds of wines which include whites, reds, roses and Greek, followed up by smaller selections of brandy, bourbon, scotch and some others. If alcohol is not your thing, they also have you covered. Sodas from good old Wimmers are there as is the usual Coco-Cola range, in addition to fruit juices and mineral water, and not to mention tea and coffee.
There are times when the lunch special is a saviour, even if I don't often trend towards it these days. But don't use never recklessly. Under the UberEats app, there was a section for around mid-day with lunch specials and that was the answer to prayers. A crumbed cod and chips was the go for the day, but with the regular one it had salad on the side - and I have made my views on it apparent. Slashing off a few dollars in the process as well, it was the perfect choice. Also on the side I got and order of calamari rings. Suffice to say, I was pretty impressed with what I got.
It doesn't have the biggest portion, and if this were being shared between several people that would be an issue. Instead, it manages to get it just at the cusp of being "just right". Each piece of fish can be between 180 to a quarter-kilo in weight, and they choose fresh, good quality pieces to fry. In this pack, the piece of cod was pure white with no off-colour to be found anywhere. Also it was tender and soft, flaking really well. In addition to that, the batter was the perfect texture and solidly crumbed. The flavour of the fish was also good, mild and very soothing - this is the way to do a fish and chips. As for the fries, they may have been a bit on the weak side though this is getting into preference territory - I like mine really crispy, like either thin or beer-battered. Or maybe a bit more seasoning would have done them well, since they were still crispy and had a soft center - the right amount of cooking was done to them. Finishing it all off was the calamari, which was still pretty good and a generous amount for a side order. The batter was thick and robust, with quite a bit of pepper mixed in, and the rings were tender and moreish. I could have eaten a whole platter of them, and they are thoroughly recommended.
I will definitely give it to them. This is not the standard fish and chip shop that resides in the suburbs significantly away from the waterway - and no, the Brisbane river does not count in this instance. They definitely have a higher level of quality, with the fish being absolutely fresh and the portions are just right. What also deserves a heap of credit is where they have managed to get the menu to be somewhat simplified but also offered a good variety of options to please everyone, and at that case it still retains an identity without spreading itself out too far. Sea Fuel has already become popular in the area and from further afield, and it is safe to say they have earned it.
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes