Fish and chip salvation at Rockfish

Many people in Australia have a tradition of Friday night fish and chips, but did you know it's a Catholic tradition?  It stems from strict Catholics abstaining from meat on Fridays in honour of Good Friday, the day Jesus died on the cross (in many circles, fish was not considered "meat").  The tradition has now leached into mainstream Australian culture and the local fish and chip shop is something I have missed dearly whenever I've been overseas.

I've been searching for a long time for a fish and chipper that totally presses all my buttons.  I prefer not to eat flake, so it needs to have appealing, fresh alternatives.  Both fish and chips need to be well drained and ultra crispy.  No chicken salt is a cardinal sin.

This sounds simple but so many places around just don't hit the mark.  I haven't bothered blogging about them but transgressions include greyish fish with nasty blue veins, mushy fake calamari rings and soggy, oily chips that even ten Hail Marys and an Our Father can't atone for.

So when I turned up to Maribyrnong's Rockfish one Friday night and found it absolutely pumping, I was delighted to be evidently slow off the mark.

Despite being totally slammed, service was very friendly and even the most convoluted of orders were taken in stride.  Totally digging the old school, press in letter menu.

Fish, $5 - $6.50; chips $3 - $6

There are loads of interesting fish options including snapper, rockling, barramundi and even flounder.  We tried three different varieties and they were all totally gorgeous - spanking fresh, well battered and non greasy.  Chips were your garden variety sort but perfectly cooked and very nice.

Burger wit da lot, $7.50

I find most fish and chip shop burgers exceedingly average - relentlessly smooshed mince slapped on a bad supermarket bun.  Something made me get this burger with the lot, and it was EPIC.  The meat is crispy in all the right places with an intriguing herby flavour, and the bun was proper bread, fluffy but pleasantly hearty.  Tip top toppings topped it off.

In fact, if you asked me if this was the best fish and chip shop burger I have ever eaten, I'd say...

"Does the Pope wear a funny hat?"

P.S.  I went back with friends again recently and it was just as good.  There's a lovely park behind, so bring down the friends, the fam or both and have fish and chips in the park!

Rockfish
Shop 3/46 Edgewater Blvd, Maribyrnong (near Aldi on Gordon Street)
Phone:  9317 FISH (cute!!!), ie, 9317 3474
Hours:  Tues-Thurs 11am-8pm; Fri-Sun 11am-8.30pm