I COULDN’T understand why Bicton Fish and Burger Grill was so busy on a Wednesday night.

I placed my order in advance and still had to wait 20 minutes when I got there, and the waiting time was up to 40 minutes when I left.

Then my wife “Special K”, a practising Catholic, explained that it was the start of Lent (Ash Wednesday) and eating meat was frowned upon by the Big Man.

Thankfully the chippie had a long row of plastic seats, so it was a comfortable wait for my deep-fried, God-friendly goodies. 

Situated on Bristol Avenue, just off Preston Point Road, Bicton Fish and Burger Grill is part of a small group of shops including Cellarbrations, Terra Mare and Urban Hair.

It’s got that classic suburban feel and was super busy with chaotic parking on the verge (people were desperate to get their fishy fix).

It happened to be Valentine’s night as well and there was the odd couple leaving Terra Mare, clutching a red rose and wiping sugo stains off their chin.

The menu at Bicton Fish and Burger Grill was very reasonably priced – their standard hake and chips was $14, a small hake and chips was $8.50 and they did a kids pack with crumbed fish nuggets and chips for $8.50.

Other fish included Shark ($15), Spanish Mackerel ($15) and local Goldband Snapper ($21), and there was an extensive range of extras including dim sim, potato cakes, crab sticks, squid rings, prawns and scallops.

There was also a decent line-up of beef, chicken and fish burgers; a smart move to attract a younger clientele who just fancy a snack.

But I was here for the artery-hardening family pack ($70.60). There was also a meal for two ($41.30) and a seafood basket ($22.80).

The interior was classic local chippie – drinks fridge, chalkboard and faded photos of the Indian Ocean. It had a bit of character and was slightly frayed around the edges. I liked it.

A nice touch was the “Brag Board” where people pinned photos of the impressive fish they had caught.

Once back home we got hoed into the family pack, which was humongous and could have easily fed six ravenous Catholics.

There was six battered fillets, a mound of chips and tons of deep-fried prawns, squid and dim sim (if you didn’t want dim sim you could get crab sticks or pineapple fritters instead).

The hake was perfectly cooked and the crunchy batter was golden and not too greasy.

It was filling, well-seasoned and good value, so it ticked all the boxes for your local chippie.

The thick-cut chips were excellent and had a satisfying crunch. Seafood can be hit or miss in chip shops, especially when it’s battered.

But this family pack came with a bevy of thick, juicy tail-on prawns which were a delight to eat. Really good quality.

The squid was just as nice – often it can be like chewing rubber bands – but this were perfectly cooked and quite tender.

I was a bit nervous about my takeaway as the staff were super busy on Ash Wednesday and I wondered if the food would have suffered. But it was well-priced, good quality fish and chips, and the family thoroughly enjoyed it.

I’ll be back to try their crumbed and grilled fish, and maybe even a cheeky fish burger.

As we were clearing the table, I asked my young kids what they were giving up for Lent?

“School” said one, “Religion” said the other.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

Bicton Fish and Burger Grill
39B Bristol Ave, Bicton
9319 3020
facebook.com/BictonFishBurger