April 2013
A surprising find is Blue Reef's fish and chips eatery, on the ground floor of Straits Quay. Serving straightforward fish and chips, the restaurant is often packed on weekends. They have five to six choices of fish fillet such as Spanish mackarel at RM22+ and the simple catch of the day for RM16+. You then have a choice of beer batter or a coat of bread crumbs to dress the fish of your choice.
Preferring the traditional beer batter coated catch of the day will give you a lightly crispy, delicate batter that gives way to a thick, fleshy fish inside. Thick-cut fries and a handful of salad leaves with dressing accompanies it. Douse the fish and fries in the vinegar and salt provided before squeezing the wedge of lemon onto the fish for a zesty but comforting bite. Finally, to add a creamy 'oomph' to each bite, dip it into the dish of tartare sauce peppered with chunks of pickles. Believe me, you won't regret it!
There's a pleasing, satisfying taste to the fish and chips on offer here. For those not a fan of deep fried food, ask them to grill the Spanish mackarel instead.
For a communal-eating experience, there are also a large platter for two of batter-coated seafood such as calamari, prawns and scallops at RM36+. And for those who are more carnivorous, there's also steaks on the menu for around RM45+. The portion of fish and chips makes for a substantial meal. For those wanting more, there are side orders of fries or other snacks from RM5+. Pasta and salad dishes are also available.
Since they don't take reservations, it might be an idea to avoid exact meal time on weekends or walk-in during weekdays to enjoy their weekday set lunch promotion where you add a RM 1 top-up for soup of the day, garlic bread and an iced lemon tea. If good, comfor food is not enough, their service staff is both friendly and attentive. Now, we know how hard that is to come by these days! Su Aziz