Potato cake perfection at Hawthorn's Fish Social

• Where to find true-blue Australian fish and chips in Victoria

What turns a potato cake from decent snack into culinary bliss? Find out at Fish Social, a new fish 'n' chip shop that aims for brilliant simplicity.

It's mostly takeaway but if you eat at the window bench or footpath tables you get proper cutlery and nice tin plates. Stand by for a liquor licence.

The difference between Fish Social and standard chippers is the fine dining approach to the food.

Co-owner Paul Dunlop ran the kitchen at Hawksburn fixture Bistro Thierry for a decade before a sabbatical in France.

He spent the past few years at Clamms Seafood suppliers, learning about fish seasonality and variability. The more he understood, the more he grew frustrated with chefs who demand 200 kilograms of 200-gram John Dory fillets as though they are made in a factory.

The Fish Social approach is to coax rusted-on flathead fanatics towards underloved species like gurnard and sea bream.

The day's catch is available grilled or fried. Just like the always-on gummy shark, it's done perfectly.

Dumplings are made with fish trim and served in Sichuan peppery broth.

Scallops get a minute on the grill then a dollop of yuzu-ginger mayo; served in the shell, they're a gorgeous snack.

Prawns are dressed with Sriracha-spiked cocktail sauce and stuffed in a brioche roll; they're served with prawn crackers so you can make your sandwich crunchy.

Speaking of crunch, those potato cakes are head-turningly crisp and creamily smooth within. Carved from monster desiree spuds, they're sliced, simmered, dried, chilled, battered, fried, rested, then fried again to order.

Dunlop reckons this is all very easy but eating them is transcendent. Apparently people come daily for a fix.

It's the food, for sure, but it's the feeling too. Fish Social is friendly and bright, staffed with neighbourhood kids and a chef who finds the heartfelt honour in simplicity.