The Fish Shop, Potts Point

The Fish Shop is yet another one of Merivale’s many eateries, this time located just a bit out of the CBD at Potts Point. I’m here on a Friday night and the vibe is pretty great filled with a mix of young adults, workers and groups of friends catching up. It’s packed full but not too busy that we can’t get a seat, and throughout the night they manage to maintain a full seated crowd without a line forming at the door.

Similarly to other Merivale eateries, the restaurant is themed very appropriately after the name. The Fish Shop is decorated like a fish and chip store at a wharf with pictures of the beach, netting and even a menu with “fishy” newspaper articles. They sure know how to set the theme.

The Mussels Special – $15

To start our table off, we get a serving of the mussels off the daily specials menu to share. These are full of flavour; they are very buttery and also contain garlic, red apple, onions and parsley. The stock was absolutely fantastic, wasn’t too salty, and disappeared in no time.

Rainbow Trout Special – $26

I opted for the rainbow trout tonight which was also off the specials menu. This was steamed in a paper bag and served with a small side salad. There is also a jar of salt as we are told that salt is not added when the fish is steamed. Upon opening the bag, we discover that there is fennel and orange sandwiched within the fish as well. The fish is very soft and moist and has been steamed well. Unfortunately, I find that there isn’t much flavour in the meat and even with the salt, it just tastes like plain fish sprinkled with salt. A problem with rainbow trout as well is that there are a lot of bones, so it took me an unexpectedly long time to finish this dish.

Crumbed Fish Burger, Bacon & Chilli – $18

My friend opts for the crumbed fish burger. Imagine a filet-o-fish that is crispier, with creamy mayonnaise and also some crispy bacon and you have this burger. It is an interesting and delicious combination and as you continue chewing, after the mayonnaise you get hit with a punch of chilli which is a lovely surprise. Great combination – another candidate to add to the list of best burgers.

Fish ‘n’ Chips – $19

Next up is the fish and chips. I was expecting something spectacular but I suppose there’s not much to improve with the classic fish and chips. As usual, the fish is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, the chips are also crunchy, while the lemon wedge and tartare sauce bring it to the next level of freshness.

Ice-Cream Sandwich – $8

To end the night, we order an ice-cream sandwich as a dessert. It tastes like mascarpone ice cream with a malt and honeycomb exterior and salted caramel syrup. The exterior is surprisingly soft and the ice cream is rock solid – we have to wait a while until it softens enough for us to dig into it. I find the syrup extremely salty and the entire dessert becomes much too savoury (instead of the expected sweet taste) if you get too much of the syrup on your spoon.

Overall, I would return to The Fish Shop to try more of their dishes. It’s in a nice quiet location with a great vibe and some good dishes which are reasonably priced as well given it’s location. Thank you Merivale for continually coming up with interesting restaurants!

The Fish Shop
22 Challis Avenue, Potts Point NSW 2011
Ph: (02) 9326 9000


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