A different kettle of fish at Mister Fish in Earlwood

If you've ever wanted to stand in the middle of a road and shout, "Chicken or fish?", Earlwood's main thoroughfare offers that opportunity. Mister Fish, the suburb's newest restaurant, sits at the top end of Homer Street's busy shopping strip, opposite a pair of El Jannah and Oporto chicken restaurants. 

It also faces the former site of much-loved fish and burgers stalwart, Mr Chips, which tempted passersby decades ago with the banner, "Seafood with a secret".

 Earlwood local Evan Kritikos opened Mister Fish in December, with every second customer asking if he was connected to the famous chip shop. "We're not," he says. "But, to be across the road from the old Mr Chips, it's very fitting."

Kritikos created Mister Fish to be a mix of seaside chippie, local milk bar and seafood restaurant. Earlwood might not have a pretty harbour view, but stepping inside is a quick journey from Homer Street traffic to bright, calming pastel hued-wood panelled walls inspired by the colours of Brighton Beach sand boxes in Victoria. 

There are hanging seagrass baskets, white wicker lampshades, wooden fish-shaped serving boards and black-and-white portraits of people clutching close and personal fish friends. Tonight, the long, cushioned banquette lining two-and-up-seater tables, each featuring sunken condiment hubs of Kalas Greek salt, Fermentalists hot sauce and vinegar-filled spray bottles, is filled with couples and families.

The room's main talking piece is a large glass cabinet displaying huge whole fish, the day's best catch, hanging like iridescent sculptures spot-lit by a true fish-lover. 

Diners stop in their tracks to ogle this spectacle. Kids and adults pepper Kritikos and staff with questions about the gleaming kingfish and snapper's type and origins.

"'Is it real? Can I touch it? Can I smell it? How big is it?', they ask," he says. "You go into a fish and chip shop and usually it's fillets of fish or pre-cooked fish on display. The whole fish, sometimes octopus, and shellfish below, it's a bit of an education point. And it shows how fresh things are here."

It also shows what will be on the menu next. The fish is taken down and filleted for fish of the day, served with salad, brown rice or chips.

In keeping with the classic and modern mix, Mister Fish has a broad menu, including wine and beer. Small bites swing from calamari rings and house-made potato scallops to dim sims, prawn cutlets, crab claws and Chiko rolls. Fresh grilled fish includes barramundi, salmon, John Dory and ocean perch, with spicing from fermented chilli salt to lime pepper.

There are fish or calamari burgers, barramundi tacos with cabbage and spicy aioli and four poke bowls featuring bbq calamari and salmon sashimi. In line with his feed-everyone ethos, Kritikos includes fish alternatives, such as a cheeseburger and today's special, an old-school beef burger with fried egg and beetroot.

Kritikos also kept the wood-fire oven from the site's former tenant, an Italian restaurant, and uses it to cook whole snapper and a shellfish bake of scallops, pipis, mussels and prawns. Other menu specialities include a fish pie and, if you're lucky, a seafood chowder.

Served in a warm crusty bread cob, with golden bread hat, the chowder is spot on for winter. Scoop out its luscious, spiced prawn, scallop and ocean perch pieces in creamy sauce with a spoon before mopping the plate with still-warm torn bread. 

Equally excellent is the fish pie, awarded the silver medal at the 2021 Great Aussie Pie Competition. Turnover-style, this pastry wonder oozes chunky prawn and snapper pieces in a spice-sparky cream sauce.

Calamari rings are excellently crunchy and tender, and no one at our table leaves a speck of chip behind. Kritikos's chips are shining examples of deep-fried spud, crispy and soft where it matters and scattered with tiny nuggets of crunchy potato crumbs.

A plate of pineapple rings, juicy, deep-fried and sprinkled in icing sugar are a winning finish. 

So, stand in the street, point emphatically at Mister Fish and answer the question. "Fish!"

The low-down

Mister Fish

Vibe Modern fish restaurant crossed with classic milk bar chippie

Go-to dish Seafood chowder served in crusty bread cob or shellfish bake

Insta-worthy dish Pineapple rings sprinkled in icing sugar