Calamari were to die for, best I've ever had

TL;DR: Another fish and chip shop that does what it needs to do.

Newly arriving within Annerley, what we got is the local fish and chip shop for the residents. That is about the heads and tails of it to set out the picture, and what is definitely apparent is that for any of the locals it is a good fall-back option and convenient. Possibly nothing else out there to distinguish it from the rest, so let's dive right into it.

Getting back from church early afternoon, I had a weight training session on with my personal trainer. Often when this happens, I get something a bit higher energy to eat afterwards or beforehand depending on the timing of when I arrive home. This time around, it was for afterwards but before leaving the house that morning I knew what it was going to be (or so I thought at the time ... bear with me).

Cycling through UberEats for the umpteenth time, there was gong to be the usual one that I go to when I noticed that there were a few new ones which were open. It was then, before even leaving the house, that I knew it would be up front as the choice for when I got back; it was unavailable before the personal trainer arrived, hence there was the option of relying on the fall-back option. However, after the session was over I went to check back and the good news awaited - Blue Reef Fish and Chips was open for business. All that was left was to plug in the order, and then wait for it to arrive.

Coming up to the service, it is all a usual case with UberEats. All of it was a case of just looking on the phone and seeing when it would arrive; this one was pretty quick from the get-go, so all if quite good. Though it often varies, the delivery service often comes down to being a drop-and-run scenario, and that works out well in the end.

The menu here is pretty much what you would expect from the local fish and chip shop. There is the range of fish and seafood, offered in various forms (crumbed, battered, grilled) along with each one being able to be made into a meal. Followed up with that is a few of the basic, classic burgers - including a steak sandwich - then there is all the usual bits and bobs added on to the side (e.g. your fritters, the spring rolls, the potato scallops etc.), along with something fresh for those trying to be healthy. Like it was said, the seafood is available in grilled form and therefore they offer a few meals that come with salad.

Also, like any self-respecting fish and chip shop, it realises the potential in providing for families with their value packs. Giving the best of everything into one packet, there is a family pack, and one that is even bigger and for more people, upgrading some of the items to be a bit more substantial. Roping it in there, there is the old classic of the seafood basket which can feed one, two or three.

It could end there, but there is one more stop to go before rounding it off. Up to here, it more or less gives what is expected (and possibly more in store on special) but then they also provide some drinks as well. There will definitely be the usual range of sodas and that, but then there is also a treat beyond that. To top it all off, fresh juices and shakes are there to complete the meal - and there is something about that that puts it that bit beyond in appeal.

So with that being said, not stepping foot in the take-away or seeing any photos online, my image of it is something like an old-school style milk bar. That is about the best way to describe the food as well - it is decent and filling, and will do for that time.

Well, the perfect food afterwards for me these days appears to be the humble burger. And when it is fish and chips, trying their burgers for the first time it has to be the fish one. Keeping relatively simple still, it added on a bit to the usual arrangement - they used crumbed cod with a combination of spinach, and lettuce, plus tomato, grilled onion, cheese and tartare sauce.

To put on the burger, I went a bit the whole hog. Either a potato scallop or pineapple fritter can do well on a fish burger - and knowing myself, I have tended to put as much as I could on a burger beforehand and this time was not an exception - the question was why not both? Also, since we are getting a burger why not also have some fries on the side as well? These come in a few sizes, and the one for one was only a few dollars, so it made all the more sense then.

And finally, to drink on the side it was hard to go past getting a milkshake. The good old classic banana flavour was the go. So the consensus is that overall this was a decent enough and filling meal. One that was worth getting, and did do its job. I have had better, but I also have had a lot worse as well. That might not be the best way to put it. Another way is that I can't exactly fault it, but there is not anything that would distinctly warrant it above some others of its ilk.

One thing that definitely can't be faulted is the portion of the burger. It was substantial, and solid. The proportions were alright by me. It was on a soft seeded bun, and maybe could have benefited from a variety that was a little more hardy; since the bread was practically ripped already. Aside from that, it was a decent burger. They used real bits of fish, actual fillets and that, to build the snack, and the pieces were thick and well cooked. The batter was flavoursome and solid, with a good amount of salt in it. In fact, the fish was so big, the "patty" was really the two halves side-by-side. The mixture of salad items was fresh and decent, doing what was needed. The grilled onions was a good addition, but the cheese did seem out of place somehow. Finally, that tartare sauce was creamy and finished it all of well.

For the bits on the side, the potato scallop was good as always - simultaneously light but solid with the potato, and the pineapple fritter was solid and sweet. Trying to fit these on the burger made it essentially a tower. The fries on the side were substantial, cut thickly and doused with plenty of salt. They were crispy, and cooked pretty well with soft potato on the inside. If I were getting this as a simple snack, it would do the job pretty well - just put it that way.

And finally, the milkshake hit the spot. It is the standard sort, milk, some ice cream and the syrup, but by golly was it good. The texture was smooth and creamy, and they certainly put in a decent amount of flavouring since there was no mistaking the taste this time. All that made for a good, quick meal.

As it stands at the moment, this is a decent enough fish and chip place that more or less does what it needs to do. If you are a local in the area, it is good enough to give it a go as well as if you find yourself in that general location as well. Is it good enough to travel many suburbs over? Perhaps not likely; fish and chip shops are pretty common around these parts. But you could do a lot worse as well. Nevertheless, none of it is a knock against Blue Reef which does what it needs to do.