Fish & Chips at the Fishery, Milton, Brisbane

I have an issue with cooked fish ... I didn't even eat battered & fried fish as a kid. I ate lots of chips, and pluto pups, and bacon egg rolls, and pineapple fritters. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy eating fish! Mainly raw fish though. It's the texture of cooked fish I generally don't like. Living in Hokkaido for close to 3 years though, I have developed a whole new appreciation for fish .. tsubodai is my favorite thing to get at an Izakaya now - a rich, fatty fish from the Northern seas of Japan that is salted and hung to dry for a day or two before being grilled over charcoal. I even somewhere along the way, in my last couple of visits developed a real liking to battered fish - even when it tastes of more than oil & salt.

Now, we eat a fair bit of fish in Japan, as you would ... but it's the same with beef. We are blessed with some of the most premium beef & seafood products in the world. The quality is gob-smacking, and that's just the stuff in the supermarket! But, like we still often crave for a nice, grilled steak as everything you get in the stores is small portions, usually sliced very thin, and so rich I don't even think eating a 300g steak would be possible without some serious stomach cramps!

Fish is the same, the quality and variety of fish we get at the supermarket exceeds anything I could have dreamed of. But again, because of the quality & just their culture of how they eat, fish is eaten in small amounts, often raw, or grilled bone in, used to flavor stocks or salted & dried. A huge chunk of meaty, white fish coated in a thick batter and fried until golden .... nuh uh, not around here. Even if we are lucky to find seafood other than shrimp tempura'd, the batter is much lighter and the pieces of seafood would be tiny bite sized bits. Which brings me back to Fish & Chips. Something I now crave when heading back home. Sitting outside, by the water, a whole spread of deep-fried goodness with wedges of lemon & a Bundaberg Ginger Beer, bliss!!

The world of twitter introduced me to The Fishery at Milton. This was on our must-eat list. The address is punched into the Tom Tom and before we know it we are headed towards the GBB? "Take the GBB?!" WTF is the GBB? ahhhhhhhhhhh, the Go-Between-Bridge. We put our faith in Tom Toms hands and arrive at a little community shopping village. I imagined it would be by the water? We head inside and place our order.



There's a large menu on the wall, some daily specials, and showcases filled with all sorts of fresh seafood delights. We settle on some fried cod, crumbed whiting & sea scallops, home-made potato scallops & of course chips.



The chips are golden & crunchy, the perfect nest for all of the fresh, delicate seafood on top. The sea scallops were sweet, still translucent in the centre with a golden crumb coating. The whiting was salty & delicious, and the huge battered piece of cod was divine. We had home-made tartare & aioli to dip everything into and both stopped in our tracks with the first bite of potato scallop... Thick cut chunks of potato were coated in a dreamy batter and fried until the color of the sun on a clear Summers day.... Yeah, those little fried potatoes messed with my head.. hot, crispy, salty overload!

This was the first of several fish & chip meals on our visit home, and something I am already missing now we are back in Japan...

The Fishery
6A / 16 Baroona Rd
Milton QLD, Australia 4064

T: +61 (07) 3369 4707
Open Daily, 10am-8pm


View Big Food Big World in a larger map

Whitebait and Beer for Breakfast, Fogon de Galicia, Grenada Spain

The tapas start early in Grenada. Well, early enough when you wake up at 10:30am ;) It's our first morning, and we initially venture out with a coffee and pastry in mind to start the day. We didn't have much luck finding anything of the sort .... We did notice a bunch of people drinking beer and eating a range of fried seafood delights at Fogon de Galacia while we were wandering around though. We end up tracing back down the little alley way, very pleased to start our day with 2 little Caña, or small sized beer and a plate of crispy fried whitebait with fresh lemon.

Marrakech Night Markets, stall no. 14

We had a close call at the Fez train station with Io & H unable to find their passports the morning we are departing for Marrakech ... So with taxi's back to the riad, and turning the room upside down, all 4 of us are now in possession of travel documents and manage to board our train in the nick of time. It's a hot day, the train winding through little villages with children playing, sheep running free and so much trash on the outskirts of each town. We keep ourselves amused with some interesting conversation, some amazing pomegranite juice & chicken sandwiches on board the train as well as sneaking in a little nap. Before we know it, hours have passed and we arrive in Marrakech. We are greeted at the train station and transported to our Riad Dar Tasnime. Now after any amount of travelling, there are 2 things very high on the priority list; shower & eat. We are taken up to our suite which smells of orange blossom, and is the warm welcoming color of terracotta with rich fabrics and open doors sprawling out over the courtyard.



Ah, I could just collapse on the bed and be done with day. *"~Focus, shower & eat. So back on track we ask our delightful host if he has any dinner recommendations or suggestions at the night markets. Immediately we start talking about what food we will find down there, what food we had been enjoying in Fes, our time in Morocco, our home and it's food in Japan .... Our host then shares one of his little secrets, a bustling little stall amongst the 100 or so open-aired kitchens that serves up some incredible fried fish & seafood with salads and bread. We make our way towards the Jemaa El Fna square, which is the largest outdoor souk (market) in Morocco. It's just on sunset, and there are performers, snake charmers, henna artists, games & live music. The outside of the square in lined with carts selling fresh squeezed juice and all sorts of dried fruits, and then east side which is full of these little outdoor stalls setting up for tonight's dinner.



As we first enter the markets, we pass through a gathering of stalls all selling steamed snails. We then enter the mayhem, stalls with printed fancy menus, displays on ice of giant shiskebabs and mock terrines, and young boys who will say or do just about anything to have you come and eat at their stall "Stall no. 7 will send you to heaven" We are determined to find this stall no. 14 but there is absolutely no system with these numbers. We turn a corner and notice a tiny little stand, full of locals, chowing down on all sorts of delicious looking treats. And then we spot the no. 14 sign. Ahah, perfect. No young boys drawing you in, no menu, no food on display, except for the piles of fried fish that are getting distributed as fast as they can be cooked ....

A spot is cleared for us, and paper placemats plonked in front of us topped with a bread roll & a plate of chips. Then little dishes of a fresh tomato sauce, and a plate of smashed up & seasoned fried eggplant. No cutlery is provided, the tools of choice here are your fingers as well as the bread to scoop up any sauces.




Thankful for Ioanna's ability with the French language we just start ordering ... Fried chunk of fish, sitting on a plastic plate with a single fried chili & a wedge of lemon. The exterior was so crispy yet encased the most tender & moist fish flesh imaginable.



Fried calamari rings set a new standard for these fried favorites. The coating was seasoned so well, yet had no overpowering flavors. A good squeeze of lemon was all they needed, tasting fresh like the ocean.



Then we had some MFF, Moroccan Fried Fish. Bite sized pieces of coated fish, yum yum!



We see a tray of little whiting fish come out of the fryer, and rely on the old point & nod trick. We finish with these little fishies, this time with a squeeze of fresh lime.



We are quick to vacate our precious seats, as there is still a que of people waiting for their chance at a seat. There a little sink where you wash your hands, before being handed a sheet of placemat paper to dry them. We then pay the very modest bill coming in at around 12€ per / person.

Getting a glimpse of the little mobile kitchen as we leave is quite a site ... vats of scalding hot oil balance on rickety legged tables, makeshift sinks / benches and storage are showing ware from daily assembling and disassembling. But the fresh ingredients and team work shines.

We know we will be paying at least another visit to no. 14 on this trip .... Now, back to the Riad to collapse in bed.

Cervecería Marisquería, Cadiz, Spain

With only 1 night in Cadiz, we were determined to find some Spanish seafood delights. Io, H, Kim & I set out for the main part of town. Wandering along the coastline, the Moroccan influence was evident in the buildings, and we realize that we really are quite close to the African countryside.



We wandered around for what seemed like hours ... the quaint little streets were lacking much action, let alone the promise of delicious coastal treats.



Kim spots some stools down a little alley so we head on down. Ahah, this place is full of families enjoying a late lunch, young couples having a beer on the street and everything in between. We approach the little window facing the street and order some beers.



There's a menu etched in tiles just by the window, so we just start picking some things. First up, potatoes & aioli. Chunks of steamed potatoes are mixed with a pungent garlic mayonnaise, so creamy with a good hit of lemon and finished with some fresh chopped herbs.



Next up, the Russian Salad. They love this dish in Spain, we seen it on almost every menu! Potatoes smashed up with olives, boiled eggs & mayonnaise. The Spanish version also has the addition of tuna. Little domes of salad sit perched on the plate and are blanketed in another layer of the rich mayonnaise.



Now for the seafood ... Fried baby squid, wow! These little Puntillitas even sound beautiful in Spanish. The plate arrives and we realize just how baby these little squid are. I think there are hundreds, in a light seasoned flour which have been fried to golden perfection and are served with a big wedge of lemon. Each little squid would only be the size of my thumbnail, but as you bite into them the flavor, oh my - the ink sack explodes and fills the mouth with a salty sea fresh flavor. Amazing!



We each have our own croquette, it was as pretty as could be, perfectly fried with a cascading mayonnasie & rich tomato sauce topping with a few little potato fries on the side. I can't remember what was inside the croquette, but I do remember it tasted incredible.



We order some tuna lomo, not to sure what to expect. What comes out, chunks of vinegar brined tuna that have been crumbed and fried. Quite unusual, but the more I ate it the more I liked it ....



It may have taken a while to find something to eat in Cadiz, but what we stumbled across was a true gem!



Cervecería - Marisquería Aurelio
Calle Zorrilla, 1
Cádiz, Cádiz 11004
España

Bir & Fud, Rome

Bir & Fud is one place that was reccommeded to us by a lovely couple we met while dining at La Petraia ... We did track it down, but it was on a night where other eating commitments were already made, so we were only able to stop in briefly. With an ever-changing menu of artisanal beers on tap and over 100 different bottled brews, this is the premier beer destination of Rome.



We order some a few of their different draft beers.



We also ask for some light snacks, and before we know it we are greeted with some not-so-light but ever-so-tasty treats. A bowl of thin cut potato crisps with a tangy tomato sauce,



and a gigantuous plate of fried goodness! which included about 8 different types of croquette like goodies, some fried chicken and arancini balls. There's a spicy guandjua one with a chocolate sauce that is unique, but a very tasty combination.



Oh, Bir & Fud, hopefully we get to spend more time together next time !!

Bir & Fud
Via Benedetta 23
Roma, 00100, Italy
T: +39 (0) 6 5894016

Another day at the office ..

.. and here we are trying to find the ultimate chipping spud. Of course, it has to be a local variety so on we march we the daunting task of chopping, blanching, frying and ultimately trying various types of potatoes ....

In an equal 2nd place, we had the King Danshakyu and new season Toya's. Only to find out the King Danshakyu are only available 2 months of the year .... #fail



The clear winner was the Kita-akari potato; cut, boiled, then oil blanched at 150C and then fried at 180C. The fries on the left were only blanced then fried at 180C, but the extra effort to double fry them really shows.



Okay, it's back to work for us ... who know's what next on the cards.

11-Gallery Restaurant, Suk 11

Sometimes while staying over the Sukumvit side of town, we would miss our regulars haunts of the Banglumphu side of town. But Suk 11 and it's surrounds had some little gems. For instance, the 11-Gallery restaurant right at the entrance of the little sub-soi.

A beautiful wooden two-story structure, we're ushered away by a beautiful Thai girl in a Sabai (cloth wrap) and decide to perch upstairs. We sit at the tiny little ledge,



with a pleasant view down to the happenings on the street and get to watch the little pinto's being carried from the downstairs across-the way kitchen over to the restaurant.



Kim starts with a gin fizz, a delicious refreshing combination of gin, soda and lime.



I start with a young coconut juice,



as well as a pandan juice. The pandan juice is served with a little syrup on the side, but I find myself adding the pandan to the coconut as I slowly sip down ...



The menu gives a nice little run down about the balance of Thai food and the way it should be eaten (you can also check it out on the website). We're almost seasoned pro's so dive right in !! First up, our salad, fried bits and curry all arrive carried in a little yellow and green pinto, a tiered / stacked set of little boxes.

The yam ma keaur yow - eggplant, shrimp and pork mince salad with boiled egg was dressed with a tangy tamarind dressing and the perfect way to set of on our gastro journey.



The next stop on our gastro journey, gai ta kai - crispy fried chicken that's topped with a dried and shredded lemongrass floss. The floss is textural explosion of flavor and adds a bit of zing to the fried, salty chicken.



~*woot woot*~, chu chee goong.  A rich red curry thats rather mild and full of coconut cream. The prawns, sweet and delicious, and the kaffir lime adding another dimension.



We take a little detour, and find ourselves feasting on some pork toasts. Resembling that of the Chinese style prawn toasts, this version a nicely seasoned pork minced is slathered onto white bread and fried until golden. A cucumber and chilli dressing cutting a bit of the richness.



The tom yum goong ma phrao oon was one of the recommended dishes. I love Thai soups and I love coconut, so the idea of a soup served inside a coconut, awesome! The only disapointment was they had ran out of coconuts ;( They still served us the more expensive option (claiming there was still coconut flesh in there ... well then where was the coconut?!) I even thought to offer up my drinking coconut so they could make the soup in there ;) But it was divine, none-the-less. Rich with coconut, but still somehow light and fresh with all that lemongrass and tamarind leaf.



The last pinto to pull in for the evening contained a typical Thai dessert.



More a palate cleanser, nice and refreshing and not to sweet ... red beans and tapioca floating in a salty/sweet coconut cream.



Definitely discovered some art we liked at 11-Gallery, and were lucky enough to take it all home in our bellies !!

11-Gallery Restaurant

1/34 Soi 11, Sukhumwit Rd

Bangkok, 10110, Thailand

P: 02-651-2672

Where we always end up on a visit to Chatuchak Markets ...

A trip out to Chatuchak markets is a great way to spend the weekend. The BTS sky train takes you all the way to Queen Sirikit park. On this particular stroll through the park we are greeted by a rather peculiar ring of mushrooms ....



Anyway, I digress. We're quickly stopped by some piping hot Khanom Krok. Sweet little pancake like things filled with coconut cream and specked with bits of taro and sweet corn.



Next we spot a row of woks, all parts of chickens and pork being fried away.



The bits are glistening away under some oh-so-bright lights, but we're both immediately drawn to the little wingettes that have been fried along with a stack of pandan leaf.



We wander some more through the markets, picking up some goodies and munching away on our little chicken wings.



Before we end up where we always do, Green Chili.



Green Chili is run by Chef Ann (Dararat Wisaijorn) who opens at Chatuchak Markets on Saturdays and Sundays. Monday is the only day off Chef Ann and her team have, they then go back to work first thing Tuesday morning trawling markets and starting preparation for the impressive 27 varieties of curry prepared each weekend. Tuesday after hunting down mountains of garlic and shallots, her team sets to then peeling them all. These are used in the various curry pastes. Tuesday they are also grilling sun-dried salid fish and shredding it for salads.



Wednesday see some of the garlic and shallots meticulously sliced and deep-fried as well as the massive amounts of nahm prik (Thai fish sauce and chilli condiment which accompanies the kanom jeen) prepared.

On Thursdays they make the various chili relishes and peel eggs ready for the kai palo. The simmering of the pork broth takes place on the Friday. Some people say Chef Ann may be going over the top, especially with all the conveniences to make life easier (peeled garlic / shallots / ready made curry paste etc.) yet Chef Ann says "Well I think I am more meticulous about what I eat than many other things in life. Preparing real and traditional Thai dishes requires lots of artistry and knowledge".



Even the fluffy white rice is organically grown in Ubon Ratchathani. Pretty impressive!



Today we start with a chat to the ever friendly Chef Ann, and within moments, 2 coconut bowls holding bael fruit tea placed in front of us.



Then the smorgasbord of food commences. There's a salad of dok khae, an edible Thai flower, that's packed with pork floss, shallots and chili.



A little pot of simmered pork with boiled egg and tofu is next to arrive.



Khun-Amanda, who first referred us to the delightful Chef Ann, all time favorite is the gaeng som. A sour orange curry packed with mackerel and green papaya is of course on the list ...



One of the mild selections for the day, sweet crab meat mixed with egg and spring onion. The chunks of crab delectable and sweet with the ribbons of egg and spring onions adding another dimension ...



Chef Ann's pad prik king is unlike any other we have tried ... shreds of chicken are smothered in a rich red curry paste and cooked until almost candy-like with little shreds of kaffir lime appearing throughout.



Last to arrive, panang curry. Tender chunks of pork simmered in a mild coconut curry until they're falling apart.



And then the feasting begins!



You really can see how 4 days goes into the preparation for all these dishes. And you can taste the passion and love in which they've been made with!



We bid farewell to Chef Ann, and all the other girls at Green Chili.



..... Until next time !!