FISH DISH

To be honest I am not sure how this happened. If you remember Sir Hinchalot musings from the past or read the old Hungry Hinch reviews in the distant past you would be pretty aware that I am not a fish person. Not a fishy person. Especially not a diner who enjoys really fishy tasting fish – although I will eat raw salmon or kingfish or tuna at a sushi bar any day.

But something is changing. I am suddenly into fish. Eating it three or four days a week. Maybe it is because all the Hinch interviews on radio about the wonders of Omega 3 – that fish product that is supposed to fuel our brains big time.

Or maybe it is because in recent days I have seen those TV commercials also trumpeting the value of Omega Three from fish while telling us we can actually now get it in cartons of cows’ milk.

I dunno. Or maybe it is because I keep remembering how my dear old grandmother used to refer to fish as “ brain food”. Maybe she was right. Maybe if I eat snapper and salad all summer I’ll be smart by winter.

But as you know I hate –or have hated – fish. Except the nonfishy ones like swordfish steaks.

But. A confession. In the past few weeks I have been on a Fish Mish. A fish mission.

I have eaten so much fish I should be made an honorary Catholic George _- I didn’t do it – Pell would love that.

Anyway, let me taker you on a poisson mission. And remember (if you speak French) one man’s fish is another man’s poisson.

This week I went to my favourite Greek restaurant, Remvi in Toorak Road. And I’ll admit I succumbed to some burnt pita and some Taramasalata but then ignored all their other dishes like baked lamb, and cutlets, and calamari etc and had a whole baked snapper. Which I spell the old way: Snapper with a schnappers.

It was char-grilled and beautiful. My manager Marina Paul is Greek, so she knew to order it with a Greek sauce, which I now know, consists of lemon juice and olive. Beautiful. That sliver of meat in the cheek is the best. As all Greeks know.

The next whole snapper was in the Casino Complex – at No., 8.

They served whole snapper with a sauce of butter and burned pistachio nuts. Brilliant. It worked. They also have a good two- course business lunch including oysters. And yes Bruce I paid.

On a roll I went to Cosi, a favourite South Yarra bistro, on Saturday. On the chalkboard menu? Whole baby snapper. Ripper. Not so. That was Friday night’s menu. So I settled for a bland new poached chicken salad and sulked.

Then yesterday on an Omega Three mission. I phoned Romeo’s in Toorak. Knew they served whole flounder. Called and asked them to save me one.

Save me one!

I have been going there nearly twenty years and have never ordered one. Made up for it at one lunch. This wasn’t a flounder. It looked more like a giant stingray.

I found out later, I asked the chef. It weighed one kilogram. No wonder I only ate one side and then called my mate and ex TV producer Dermot O’Brien to demolish the other side.

It cost $27. Big enough for two people – I kid you not.

Anyway I am on a fish mission this summer. The Omega Three kid.

Last Monday I had the fish at the Dish at the Royce Hotel on St Kilda Rd. I have started to like crispy fish skin. Good for the brain. I’m told. I could get dangerous.

And I am told the whole baby snapper at Agapi in Swan Street Richmond is, as they say,“ to die for”. I’ll throw out a line and check it out.