‘Fish and chips’ is an age old practice with its own traditions. In the UK, queues snake around the shop and out the door of the local ‘fisho’, the tail of the line hanging out in the snow. It made us love our Aussie lifestyle even more – everyone clustered at the counter. Along with hardware stores and bars, it’s part of our ‘No, he’s before me’ culture, the ‘everyone is equal’ society!
Even in Australia, the ‘fish and chips experience’ varies. In Hobart, you might line up at the wharf to buy hot fish or battered scallops in a greaseproof-lined bag directly off the boat. In Cairns, it’s more likely to be converted to a ‘bucket of prawns’ experience! On the Gold Coast, we usually associate fish and chips with a day at the beach, or as a Friday or Sunday night family special (the timing might depend on your religion).
But fish and chips have changed a little. Out with the newspaper wrapping; in with wire baskets, tin trays, butcher’s paper and polystyrene containers. You’re just as likely to get an upmarket version of the dish in a greaseproof-lined box, sometimes even a mock newspaper print! And we’re fussier as consumers. What type of fish is that? Has it been frozen? Which country is it from? Is it sustainable? We’re paying more for our F & C and we want to have a say; that is if we’re eating carbs at all!
We want good food; the fresher, the more local, the better. But is that what we are usually offered? We took a look around and made a few startling discoveries about what’s on offer and what choices we have if only we ask. Next time you have a craving for fish and chips, why not step up your game a little, take a look at the options, ask more questions and you’ll most likely enjoy a better fish and chip experience!
A lovely view from Charis Seafood
Not Tonight, cocktail and tapas venue by night café with gastro pub feel by day
A magnificent waterfront view from the Fish Emporium
The trendy interior of Two Brothers
Our advice for Charis Seafood: Buy a dozen Coffin Bay oysters ($22.50) and some fresh Tiger prawns ($32/kg). You’ll be enjoying some of the city’s freshest seafood!
Here’s a look at 10 of the best fish and chips on the Gold Coast
Some restaurants listed offer traditional fish and chip style dining whilst others take a modern approach to the food along with offering other menu options.
Charis Seafood, 371 Marine Parade, Labrador
“We welcome you to Charis Seafoods, home of the largest supply of fresh seafood on the Gold Coast.” Mention seafood and Charis is the name on everyone’s lips. Situated right beside the Broadwater, it’s one of the most likely spots for tourists to experience Gold Coast seafood.
There’s a lineup across the shop, and a wait of about 15 or 20 minutes for our fish. We asked which fish is used in Charis’ Combo Fish and chips $12. It’s Dory (Basa) imported from Vietnam, but you have a chance to pay more and choose a fish of your choice: Sea Perch from NZ, Salmon tail, Barra or NQ Snapper. All the options are frozen or imported fish apart from Flake (shark), the only fresh choice available. Our Grilled snapper is packed neatly into a polystyrene container, the chips into a box entitled ‘Fresh from the sea’. It’s ironic, really, when only the flake is fresh!
We file out of the shop with the tourists and sit with a magnificent view of the Broadwater. People are everywhere – swimming, eating, playing with their children. And our food? The snapper is overcooked, very firm in texture, the chips doughy inside a crisp exterior.
Fish 5/10, Chips 5/10, Venue 5/10
Peter’s Fish Market, 102 Seaworld Drive, Main Beach
Sandwiched between Palazzo Versace and the trawler wharf, Peter’s may be called a ‘fish market’, but truly it’s not! It’s a fish and chip shop, selling fresh and cooked seafood. It’s so popular that at peak times the queue may be twenty deep, filling the shop.
Fish of the day ($9 for Fish and Chips) is Basa, clearly labelled as imported from Vietnam. But that’s not your only choice. Battered, grilled or crumbed, there are several Australian fish to choose from, some of them fresh, others marinated in lemon pepper, Cajun or Moroccan spices, priced according to weight. We chose fresh Snapper to have crumbed, costing $17.20 for fresh fish and chips; our fish OK but not terrific.
The downside of Peter’s’ popularity is that it’s beach ‘shabby not so chic’, with seagulls diving in for a feed. Take a 50m walk down to the Broadwater and enjoy a view from tables beside on the shoreline.
Fish 7/10 Chips 8/10 Venue 5/10
Ex-Versace Chef Peter Dufty of Caffé Republic’s paleo version of fish and chips
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Fishmongers Burleigh, 9 James Street, Burleigh Heads
There’s a lineup when we arrive at Fishmongers in James Street, often a good sign. Families who’ve spent the day on the beach are eating fish and chips outside at pavement-side tables and on the cute little deck which extends out into the street. Inside, it’s a bit more frenetic, but service is still helpful.
The window display shows a variety of fish, mostly fresh except for Basa from Vietnam. Many people are ordering the ‘Fish of the day’, clearly marked as Dory/Basa, imported from Vietnam. It’s the cheapest option at $10 for fish and chips.
But there are so many local options: Australian barramundi, Snapper, Whiting or Salmon and NZ Sea Perch, all fresh, with a choice of grilled, crumbed or battered. We choose fresh crumbed Snapper and it’s absolutely soft and delicious with a crisp crumb coating. There’s other fresh and cooked seafood on offer as well.
Fish 9/10, Chips 9/10, Venue 6/10
Not Tonight, 50B Nerang Street, Southport
Chameleon-like, Not Tonight is a cocktail venue at night, a tapas joint with fancy Melbourne laneway-style nosh in late afternoon, a clandestine lunch spot on the weekend or even a catch up café for a quiet coffee and cake. With Jonathan McGlynn as Chef, there’s a gastro pub feel to the menu, including British Fish and Chips!
$14 buys us freshly ale-battered Red Tail Whiting with twice-cooked hand cut chips, served in a basket with house-made roast garlic aioli. Very posh!
The dish is available at lunch and dinner and, with a small bar license, you can choose one of the boutique beers on tap at any time of the day to wash it down. Step out the door and the light rail’s Southport Station is just across the street!
Fish 9/10, Chips 9/10, Venue 8/10
Daichi by Ten, 2669 Gold Coast Highway, Broadbeach
Sharing the same owner as Ten Japanese, Daichi is an informal inexpensive takeaway/dine in eatery with exceptionally fresh sushi, sashimi and other Japanese dishes. There’s a small amount of seating inside, or outside, dependant on weather conditions.
Daichi’s ‘Fish of the Day’ was cod when we visited. While the fish was very fresh, we thought the fillet was far too thick to allow even cooking throughout. By contrast, the red skinned potato quarters which accompanied the fish were cooked in a tempura batter, a nice little touch! The freshly made tartare was simply delish! At $15 this is a fair buy, but only if you like battered fish. No doubt their sashimi, some of the best on the coast, would be a healthier choice!
Fish 6/10, Potatoes 8/10, Venue 6/10
Not Tonight
Fishmonger
Seaduction
Peter's Fish Market
Charis Seafood
The Fish Emporium
Daichi
Two Brothers
Seaduction, Soul, The Esplanade, Surfers Paradise
Sink into Seaduction’s leather seats in air-conditioned comfort overlooking Surfer’s Paradise beach, and enjoy the ultimate fish and chips experience from one of our master chefs, Steve Szabo. This is luxury!
We’re enjoying a two course special winter lunch menu offered by the hotel, which includes a glass of sparkling for $39 – incredible value for such an iconic venue. Entrées include Manuka wood-smoked salmon with pea custard, vermouth butter cream and glistening pearls of salmon or six freshly-shucked Oysters with sheep milk spheres accompanied by a shot glass of lemon lime dressing.
One of the mains on offer is Seaduction’s Crispy fish and scallop potatoes; the most beautifully displayed fish and chips we’ve ever seen. They’re a reminder that the ‘fish and chip experience’ knows no class boundaries, and even in fine dining, food can be fun!
Fish 10/10, Potato scallops 10/10, Venue 10/10
The Fish Emporium, Capri on Via Roma, Isle of Capri
There’s no choice of cabinet at The Fish Emporium; not when it comes to Fish & Chips. Chef Dave (‘Chopper’ for short) chooses for you, but it’s the best – fresh NZ Sea Perch that has only seen ice. Your choice is to have it grilled, battered or crumbed, but who would batter fresh fish! Not us! We choose to enjoy it grilled, served with house chips (of an OK standard), yummy ‘house-enhanced’ tartare and a fresh side salad. At $29 it’s top of the range in price, but the fish is sensational!
Another great choice at The Fish Emporium is the sushi and sashimi made by the Japanese chef. Take your food and sit under cover on the verandah with a spectacular view of Surfers Paradise across water. It’s magic!
Fish 10/10, Chips 5/10, Venue 10/10
Fishmonger
Peters fish market
Daichi
Caffe Republic
Please note that prices and menu items may vary, however they were true at our time of dining (late 2014). Please check details with your chosen eatery.
Marina View Seafood, Hope Island Marina, Hope Island
With a view out over luxury yachts at the Hope Island Marina, Jarrod Napper is living the dream of owning his own seafood outlet: Marina View Seafood. It’s an extended family business that’s fish market and F & C shop all rolled into one, with refrigerated displays of fresh local seafood, all Australasian! Sea Perch and wild Barra are the only frozen fish’ everything else is fresh. Our Fish of the Day includes fresh Goldband snapper (crumbed, grilled or battered) with soft, delicious calamari rings and crisp dry chips for $12.50. A side of Greek salad is an additional $4.
A more luxurious option is to lash out with a seafood platter of choice: half a lobster mornay ($25), some calamari, fish, prawns and fresh oysters. You’ll enjoy some of the freshest seafood on the coast in a casual setting with BYO.
Fish 10/10, Chips 9/10, Venue 9/10
Two Brothers, 32 Lavarck St., Nobby Beach
Tucked away around a corner at Nobby Beach, Two Brothers has a commitment to providing fresh, local seafood to locals in a café setting.
There’s a ‘fishbowl’ element to Two Brothers. The sparkling ‘London Underground’-styled tiled wall, stainless steel benches, brick pillars and concrete floor all focus attention on Claudio Kirac’s atmospheric mural which fills one wall. With fish floating past and the smell of fresh fish and chips cooking on the gas, it’s an ambient dining experience.
It’s all about the fish, with most dishes named after the type of fish with a choice of preparation: grilled with white wine, fried in tempura batter or panko crumbs, all mains served with the same house salad and chips. Yes, there’s Dory for $10.50, but we head for grilled Ocean Trout, served with chips and salad ($19). Fresh, sustainable seafood, prepared simply, at a reasonable price.
Dine in or take away; BYO Tuesday night, and all day Sunday. Simple!
Caffe Republic, Bromberg Plaza, Slatyer Avenue, Bundall
Sometimes our most surprising dining experiences are found in the ‘burbs’, where top draw chefs have ‘retired’ from the bright lights to their own little restaurant for lifestyle reasons.
Ex-Versace Chef Peter Dufty of Caffé Republic’s sea change is seen in his menu: a mainstream café offering a growing list of paleo specials. We visit to experience his paleo version of fish and chips. Peter’s using a local Reef Cod, cooked in gluten-free batter with sweet potato chips (both white and red varieties) all cooked in coconut oil. Topped with a salad of freshly made organic purple sauerkraut, the slightly acidic fermented vegetables are a great balance to the fish and chips ($22.90). Dine outside at tables under cover, or take away.
Fish 9/10, Chips 8/10, Venue 7/10
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