As with any major city in the world, you could probably mention their home specialties and turn-offs from the top of your head: Naples has its pizza and its gypsies, London has its double-decker buses and infamous weather, New York with its skyscrapers and unpleasantly rude locals. But no matter what bad things we hear or say about capital cities, we all pledge to visit them someday and tell our friends and family all about it. So, what about Sydney? What is the shining jewel and the pitfall of the city that stands out above all else?
That’s just the thing: the major city of Oz is so difficult to fault by visitors that the traffic keeps coming back. Sure, there’s cricket and football and television and music and a myriad of other elements to talk about when asked about Sydneysider’s pastimes (not to mention to the deplorable transport system and the congested roads), many of which shared with other nations.
With its proximity to seven beaches and a UV index almost permanently stuck to ‘Extreme’ in the summertime, it is perhaps not suprising that the true jewel of Sydney is as dime-a-dozen as they come: the good ol’ fashioned fish and chips. Take a ride by the coast, stop by any of the beaches and you will be inundated with the number of shopfronts all offering their house specialty, their home recipe, their winning catch or boasting their proximity to the sea. What makes for a truly wonderful dish of fish and chips is difficult and highly sought after by visitors and locals alike: the quality of preparation, the freshness of the catch and how clean the fry before serving to you. Combining these tenets into a mantra in their daily operations, Ocean Foods on Lyons Road, Drummoyne has much muscle to flex and a plethora of awards with which to emphasise their credibility and success. For over 10 years in a row, this gem of the west has stunned the local council food competitions with successive medal wins and featured in a variety of press coverages online and in print. And there’s little doubt in my mind as to why. If you’re keen to hear about the best of the foods of the deep blue, scroll down and pucker up your appetite!
My initial visit to Ocean Foods took me off guard. I had not expected the long queue that stretched far outside the door and along the laneway. The bustle and impatience, the scatter of ice across the freshly plucked oysters, the shock at the prices on the menu board were all negated by the thrill of moving forward into the queue, where each step meant coming closer to that delightful aroma of freshly cooked shellfish and prime fillets. A thirty minute wait eventually saw us reach the cashier, who greeted us curtly and scribbled down our order, only to disappear into the next room with a few boxes ready to be filled with our order. We spent a few minutes standing idly by, staring at the faces in the crowd, drawing conclusions about the true locals and the sheepish visitors who were too afraid to break the status quo of the queue ettique.
A little bravery helped us nab a few shots of our position in the queue and a good glimpse of the menu board that seemed to stretch into infinity. We were so spoilt for choice that it was hard for us to make up our minds. Putting my indecision behind me, I opted for the weekly special of the filleted, boned, skinned and fried snapper with a side of chips for $10.90. The others ordered calamari rings and fish cocktails with a side of chips, while the temptation to order potato scallops and a side dipping sauce (approx. $3) of tangy tartare meant we were well-satisfied by the time it came to pick up our order.
We took a seat by a bench in a nearby park and shooed the seagulls and pigeons from our way before we tucked into our feast. As expected, the snapper was a delicious and smooth fillet of fish, perfectly flaky and coated in just the right amount of batter and went perfectly with the vinegar of the tartare. The fish cocktails were creamy morsels of soft, salty fish that were gently fragrant of the sea and washed down exceptionally well with the fresh squeezed lemon. After devouring several handfuls of the crisp and oily chips, we made our mark upon the calamari that was tender and tasty, followed by a slice each of our shared Catch of The Day fillet that topped off our palate.
By the end of our meal, we were certain that our eyes were certainly bigger than our belly for we had overpurchased and overate. Unlike other fish and chip shopfronts which must rely on a different kind of oil, we did not feel overburdened or particularly sick after being satiated. The delicacy of the meal and the piquancy of the lemon cut through the heaviness of the oil (which I am informed, is changed daily) and merely complimented the fish rather than overpowering it. Since our first visit, we have seen three or four repeat visits on special occassion, to sample different varieties on the menu. Given the pace of throughput coming through their door, there is little reason to rate their customer service, except to mention that where there is a rush as there always is, you shouldn’t come expecting the red carpet treatment. You are best set preparing yourself for the grilled fish burger with chips or sinking your teeth into the marinated cooked prawns, breaking apart the boiling red-orange lobster or slurping the juicy oysters from their shell.
By all means and merits, if you aren’t a fan of fish, a visit to Ocean Foods will definitely change your mind indefinitely and give you a solid benchmark to use to compare against anything else on offer. Within a few months, a sit-down eatery component will be added for visitors to park themselves and enjoy an alfresco element as they bask in the afternoon sun., and conveniently request fish fresh from the grill if they are waiting on more to fill their stomachs. With a combination of cooked and raw, fresh and frozen, you are bound to satisfy your seafood desires here or at least discover the best venue for a day out with the family (or alone), to indulge in Sydney’s best on-offer.
Still not convinced? Eatbility has showcased its overall rating of 7.3, added to 55 recommendations from Webmenu, #3 of 43 from Tripadviser and a lengthy review by The Sydney Morning Herald. The best reviews are always going to be the ones made by yourself, so make an effort to visit when you can!
Ocean Foods – Lyons Road. 154 Lyons Road, DRUMMOYNE. Sydney. Ph: (02) 9181 4336
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