BACK in the old days, the Herald pulled some late nights and former editor Brian Mitchell would send minions scurrying up Cliff Street for food.
Some poor cadet caked in sweat would usually return with umpteen cartons of fish and chips from Sweetlips (praying he hadn’t squashed the editor’s jumbo snapper).
Sadly Sweetlips closed down last year, but another fish and chip shop Twin Fin has taken its place on the esplanade, so the Chook headed down to investigate.
When we arrived it was a stormy Thursday night and we were the only customers eating-in, but a few folk were getting takeaway.
The menu was pretty basic with a small range of fried and grilled fish and chips, a few extras like fish tacos and oysters, and some salads and burgers.
They had some good specials including a happy hour from 4pm-7pm where you could get combo deals with drinks (Twin Fin was licensed and a had a small range of beers including Gage Roads and Feral).
My grilled WA Emperor and chips ($21.95) was well cooked and had a nice subtle herb coating.
The dish really came to life with a liberal squeeze of lemon, which brought out the delicate, slightly sweet flavour of the fish.
The accompanying chips were okay, but a bit too salty for my liking, but over all this was an enjoyable dish.
Across the table my wife was getting tore into her massive serve of crumbed snapper and chips ($20.95).
“The fish is cooked to perfection, but the panko breadcrumbs makes the dish a bit too heavy and I’m struggling to reach the fillet inside,” she said.
“My chips are nice and crispy and well balanced. It’s a huge serve and I’ll struggle to finish it.”
Looking around the chippy unsurprisingly had a nautical colour scheme with blue and white tables and chairs, and there was some firewood in the corner, wall plants and dangling lights.
The plastic tables and chairs were a bit uncomfortable and it all felt a bit underwhelming and fast-foody.
I imagine most people would sit outside where you can enjoy lovely views of the ocean, but it felt like the interior needed a bit more pazzazz.
The kids-sized fish and chips ($9.50) was great value and looked delicious.
I had a sneaky taste and can confirm the glistening batter had a nice crunch and wasn’t too greasy. The fish was well cooked and there were no complaints from the kids; just the sound of clanging cutlery.
The order-at-the-counter service was pleasant, and when I forgot to order a tartar sauce, the lady said I could take one for free.
Twin Fin was decent and the price of most dishes was lower than their competitors at Fishing Boat Harbour, but I found the interior and ambience a bit lacking, even if they are billing themselves as “a fast-casual fish and chips shop”.
Twin Fin is probably best experienced on a sunny day when you can sit outside and enjoy majestic views of the Indian Ocean.
Twin Fin
8/47 Mews Road
http://www.twinfin.com.au
6424 9503
by STEPHEN POLLOCK