Simon Food Favourites: The Spot

08 April 2015

The Traditional Chip Shop: Fish & Chips, The Spot, Randwick (26 March 2015)

49-55 Saint Pauls Street, Randwick NSW 2031

http://www.thechipshop.com.au

Hitting the spot for chips

"We are currently serving Sydney with authentic traditional Irish and British Fish & Chips plus all the trimmings you'd expect to see in a 'Chipper' back HOME!"

A sudden craving hot chips was satisfied with a visit on their first day of opening for some of their freshly peeled and prepared Chips ($5 regular size). A good sized portion to share between two as we watched My Kitchen Rules and better value than the $4.50 small size which would have been about half the amount. I liked the hand cut look and thought the flavour was good especially with some salt and vinegar. I generally prefer my chips crispy but once they had travelled back home in the paper wrapping they'd become a bit soft and sweaty. Apparently this is the way some people really like them and is more authentic than the crispy chips I'm so used to. I'll probably need to dine in if I want to enjoy the chips a bit crispy and crunchy. There's a fair amount of seating and the space and fitout looks pretty good. I've been to the Bondi Junction store for a burger and chips but it's a much smaller shop with limited dine in seating. While passing by on Good Friday I spotted a poster advertising their Official Opening happening on Thursday 9 April from 7 pm til 10 pm. Special guest will be Celebrity Chef Colin Fassnidge who'll be up for selfies and there's prizes to be won including vouchers to dine at Colin Fassnidge's restaurant Four in Hand or 4Fourteen.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Lots of ways on the menu to have your chips, Quite an extensive menu

CONS: Parking can be a challenge in the area

MUST TRY: Chips if you like them hand cut and a bit soft. Revisiting to try the Fish & Chips and working out what a "Paul's Jammy Wotsit" is on the menu

VERDICT: Promising to be the be all and end all of authentic traditional Irish and British Fish & Chips is a big call and time will tell how they fare. There's plenty of Irish and English in the area so I'm sure they'll be loving the addition to the area.

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Freshly peeled and prepared Chips ($5 regular size)

Chips getting a little sweaty and sticky once arrived as takeaway

Opening hours. Note: the 12 pm has since been corrected to 12 am

Good Friday was busy

Official opening with Celebrity Chef Colin Fassnidge Thursday 9 April 7–10 pm

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17 March 2014

Four Frogs Crêperie: French Galettes and Crepes, Randwick (9 Mar 2014)

30 St Pauls Street, Randwick NSW 2031

http://www.fourfrogs.com.au

French crêperie hits the spot

“At Four Frogs Crêperie, we’re particularly proud of our galettes. These savoury crêpes are created using a traditional recipe, but what makes them unique is the highly nutritious buckwheat flour which is milled in the store. We maximise the taste, freshness and nutritional content of the buckwheat – which means we’re producing authentic galettes just like the ones our grandmothers made.”

These guys haven't been open long in Randwick but seem to be gaining popularity quickly as a brunch and dinner option. Decor is all about the red and white without the French blue and service is friendly and down-to-earth with mostly French accents both on the floor and in the kitchen. Cappuccino ($3.50) was enjoyable and quite smooth and the Plain croissant ($3.50) and Pain au chocolat ($3.50) are made in house and very nice for dipping into your coffee. There's quite an extensive menu of savoury galettes and sweet crepes on offer plus more on the specials board — so hard to choose. All the galettes had a nice crispy thin base which was also tasty. I liked my Chorizo, mushroom, avocado & swiss cheese ($16) and the tasty chorizo had lots of flavour. Smoked salmon, capers, cream cheese & dill ($16) was enjoyable and the Garlic gambas, mozarella, cherry tomatoes, peri peri sauce and spring onion ($17) had some nice extra flavour from the peri peri sauce. The galettes were light enough to thankfully be able to fit in some sweet crepes. Fresh raspberries, mango, crushed pistachio, vanilla bean mascarpone & maple syrup crepe ($15) was good and the Chocolate, Vanilla Ice Cream and Grand Marnier ($14) gets flambeed at your table so get your cameras ready for this one. Crepes were thin and very nice. Actually it was all 'very nice' and makes me want to revisit again to try more of the menu. It's hard not to like these galettes and crepes when they're cooked to order and done so well.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Galettes and crepes very nice, friendly and down-to-earth service, efficient kitchen turnaround, Plenty of seating

CONS: So many choices on the menu you'll want to try them all, Toilets are located upstairs so could be an accessibility issue for some, Street parking comes at a premium in this popular dining precinct, Tables are a bit on the small side, Cushions on the wall bench are a bit too thick to sit comfortably with them

MUST TRY: Chocolate, Vanilla Ice Cream and Grand Marnier Crepe

VERDICT: A good addition to The Spot for some tasty galettes or crepes served by friendly and polite staff which mostly French accents

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Cappuccino ($3.50) — smooth enjoyable flavour

Garlic gambas, mozarella, cherry tomatoes, peri peri sauce and spring onion galette ($17) — quite tasty

Smoked salmon, capers, cream cheese & dill ($16) — nice

Chorizo, mushroom, avocado & swiss cheese ($16) — enjoyable and tasty

Plain croissant ($3.50), Pain au chocolat ($3.50) — baked in house, good flavour and nice soft buttery texture
SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Nice buttery texture and flavour

Chocolate, Vanilla Ice Cream and Grand Marnier ($14) — nice thin soft crepe, good flavours
SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Fresh raspberries, mango, crushed pistachio, vanilla bean mascarpone & maple syrup crepe ($15) — enjoyable

Savoury galettes menu

Sweet crepes menu

I found the cushions on the wall bench a bit too thick and hard to sit with it comfortably. They were pushing me a bit too far off the bench. The bench is also set higher than the chairs so if you want to feel taller than your dining companion go for this side.