Takeout stakeout: FishSmith

FishSmith is at 200 Jervois Rd. Herne Bay, Auckland.

IN

They've got online ordering, which is extremely well designed, giving category headings like "Specials", "Supper", "Salads" and so on, making it easy to put together a well-rounded family takeaway. Having said that, I didn't use online ordering.

OUT

The nice man on the phone said it would be 15 minutes and he was right. I got there five minutes early and sat in the pleasantly designed store on a nice old-school wooden bench. The food was beautifully presented in elegant and sturdy brown boxes, marked with the joint's name and logo of bowler hat and moustache and the chips were wrapped in plain paper, fastened with a sticker featuring the same logo. Interestingly, although there were two boxes and the paper-wrapped chips, there was no bag. You could choose to believe this was due to sustainability concerns, and I guess I will.

THE TAKEAWAY

FishSmith have found a fish and chips niche, in which to serve interesting takeaway food of the sort not typically found among their competition - things like fish tacos and soft-shell crab buns, both of which were superbly presented, tasty and fresh. The tacos come with either chips or salad and we chose the salad, which was a class above standard fish-and-chip-shop fare. Wrapping chips in paper,although providing a dose of nostalgia and familiarity, feels increasingly outmoded. The chips go soggy and sad, and since our country has become more interested in food, we've come to understand the physics behind a quality chip. They may cool faster in a lightly aerated box, but in order to maintain the satisfying exterior crunch, that's a fair trade-off. Having said that, I came away from my FishSmith meal feeling as if I'd eaten something satisfyingly delicious, a little bit naughty, innovative and exciting. I walked away from my dining room table feeling not bestodged, in the way of a usual fish and chip meal, but delighted.

Lowdown

FishSmith
200 Jervois Rd,
Herne Bay.
Ph: (09) 376 3763
fishsmith.co.nz