TL;DR: Fish Kitchen serves up quality seafood meals that can match, and maybe even better, what many places would offer for twice the price or more. It does it through being simple and honest, and without any doubts is worth seeking out some time.
One of the most unusual finds in town, among somewhere where unusual finds keep on popping up, is one which absolutely works on a number of levels. We have ourselves a real gem here, one that has backing of several decades in experience with focus towards firing on all cylinders - we are about the Fish Kitchen in Annerley, always serving fresh produce, and customer service all the way. Now you don't have to travel down the coast to get some might fine seafood, since it is right here tucked just outside of the central south of town.
Come to think of it, I do recall going past here so many times and it did catch my eye admittedly. It's location is pretty centralised, and has a simple look to it, being part fish market and part local cafe. The design is ergonomically suited, with not too much to point to it being there and if you choose to eat here I reckon that would be one of the many charms about it. With the river just a short stroll away, and a great big park out the front this can also help replicate one of the best ways offered to eat fish and chips - like a picnic with greenery around, and in front of the water. Off the bat, it the Fish Kitchen already works by being versatile.
Time and again, it was that time again. On the WWE Network, a PPV event - Money in the Bank, one I always look forward to - and as per always it means one thing for me. After putting it on and starting to watch it, the next point of business was organising some delivery to eat. There was initially one place I had in mind on MenuLog which wasn't opening for a while longer (as in another month or so) so the next step was to browse through UberEats and see what was available and would deliver soon. That had me land right on here, for something a bit different. What this landed on was Fish Kitchen in and around Annerley. Going through the options, the first choice was not available so it was off to the next one, and this ended up being worthwhile in the end because it has some of the finest seafood fare on any side of the river. After logging in the orders, all that had to be done from there was to sit and wait for the driver to come up the driveway.
With that being said, the speed of the service was so swift that it was on its way before I even knew it - and this is even by the standards of UberEats. Without a hitch, the order was dropped off out the window and the driver was a friendly fellow. Everything is cooked here fresh to order, and the order was piping hot when I opened the box. If that is not an indication to being dedication to quality control, then I am not sure what is.
The dedication of this menu to providing purely seafood options is certainly notable, thus being able to distance itself away from the suburban fish and chippys. That been said, half of the menu is fish and chips plus some of the usual additions - both seafood and non-seafood. Adding from those are fish and chip style meals, some individual portions and platters for more people. As per usual, there are a number of burgers as well, plus it also is suited to those wanting something a little more fresh outside of getting their fish grilled. Giving it that bit more of an edge and dedication is their specialty menu which additionally has a number of daily specials in conjunction with some other greats. With it having such a focus on seafood, it is almost like something out of the English seaside.
For me, what took my fancy was the Governor's Fish and Chips. This was fish and chips done in the old British style. This was a piece of cod that was ale-battered, and served with the trifecta of fries, mushy peas and malt vinegar. Whatever it was about the sound of this, I immediately had a draw to it and this turned out to be a good choice. In conjunction to that, I got a fried pickle and an order of salt and pepper calamari.
Without a doubt, some of the best fish and chips that I have ever had in my life. It was a decidedly simple dish, one with each component given the due quality care and when they combined together, each of the components worked incredibly well. First off, the fish: it was a perfect combination of the meat being well cooked and the batter around it being just as good and not taking away from the fish itself. The batter was thin, almost like a tempura style consistency, and quite crispy; its texture was perfectly on-point with the texture, one smooth layer around the entirety of the fish. As for the fish itself, it could not have been cooked any better. The flesh was sweet and moist, tender and soft, and each bite was like butter going down your throat. This is the way in which fish and chips ought to be prepared, with the quality care being given in keeping it simple. The fries on the side were also pretty good, cooked fresh and hot making them pretty crispy. The portion that they gave was generous, and proportional to the size of the fillet given. Adding onto that the malt vinegar, it gives a distinct flavour that is hard to describe - as it is not strong like balsamic, though there is something about it that can't be denied. Plus the mushy peas were also good, being creamy and soft. These components complete a well-rounded meal that would please any old Pom who tried it out.
As for the fried pickle, in the end it is really a fried pickle. Nothing much does change with the pickle, so it is difficult whether or not to recommend it. What I can recommend though, which is pretty much always, is the salt and pepper calamari that I got. There were about a dozen or so pieces, each one a slight bit bigger than bite-sized and they were tender, and juicy. The batter was slightly thick, and was infused with a slightly spicy mixture and the bite of pepper in them. These are definitely worthwhile getting as well, and still continue the streak where it is hard to screw up salt and pepper calamari and that it proves to be a winner each time.
The conclusion with the Fish Kitchen in Annerely is that it is absolutely recommended. You definitely need to try this place out. Not only is it recommended because of the sheer quality of the product offered - though that is definitely a major influence with how highly it is being lauded - but it also has to come down to the value for money as well. The residents out at Dutton Park have a real gem in their midst here. Something which is just like a local cafe as much as it is a fish market, and basically an all-round good old place that would be suited for friends and family.
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