Richmond Seafood Tavern

Richmond Seafood Tavern, now two years moored in Fitzroy North, fosters a loyal clientele with its unpretentious, ingredient-focused menu. Diners step through a pocket bar with sports screen and footy memorabilia to arrive at the carpeted lounge, a casual pub-like setting that lends itself to larger groups. Early in the service a clutch of lemon wedges will be brought to the table, a sure sign of the kitchen's bona fides. The blackboard menu is laid out like a banquet, the multitude of piscatorial delights chalked down in no particular order. It pays to leave the selection to the waitstaff. A customised platter might include crumbed prawn arancini, plump scallops with grilled parsley and garlic crust, deep-fried, firm-fleshed bug tails with honey and sesame seeds, or calamari in a golden, translucent batter served with thick tartare sauce. There's always a good selection of whole fish, too, and a string of old-fashioned desserts like blackberry crepes with ice-cream.