Give me Mohr

I love fish and chips! Perfectly cooked white, flaky fish in batter with big fat chips and vinegar. Best of course, eaten from paper, on some cold and windswept beach, feeding seagulls with the remains, which is what I do with my grandma when I get the chance. They seem to cheer up the spirits no end and even at 98, give her a spring in her step and on the last occasion, seriously asked a, rather surprised, young windsurfer if she could have a go.

They suit the outdoors, the casual and the spontaneous. I can recall great fish and chip moments on climbing weekend trips on the Dorset sea cliffs. Growing up in a seaside town, I had insider knowledge as to the best available, served by over sized, middle aged waitresses with greasy fingers and lots of gold.

Fish and chips are good, cheap honest fayre. Not right for fancy restaurants trussed up in boxes. In London I regularly ate at Geales in Notting Hill. Although it has been done up of late, the wet-fish style white tiled environment was just right. The choice was simple, cod, haddock, or rock in batter with tartar sauce (extra) and mushy peas. Pickled eggs or onions on the side, served from jars behind the counter. If you fancied a tipple with your food you ordered from a separate cash bar. A very 'London' experience, and liked the jellied eel stall on the Roman Road, or the bagel shop in Columbia Road, something that doesn't travel well.

And then we went to Mohr Fish. A very unassuming shop on a corner of Devonshire Street, Sydney, which is tiled with years of fish history. Sitting at the counter or at one of the poseur tables, you could easily think you were back in the East End - aside of course from the clientelle and the slightly more glamorous ingredients than I'm used, but its all relative.

I'm not sure if its a family restaurant, but it 'feels' like it is. On a busy Friday night, the waitress behind the counter took all the orders, answered the phone, served and cleared. Somehow she even managed to haul out waiting patrons from the adjacent pub as their name came up on her list. It was all very entertaining. On our visit, stylish couples mingled with the over-inebriated and a man and his squawking green parrot provided the background music as they waited for a takeaway salad (for the parrot). If you fancy a drink, you can bring your own with no corkage and they will chill it for you as you wait for a table, or you can buy a glass from the pub. Fish and chips served the best way yet, this side of the equator.

Mohr Fish

202 Devonshire Street

Surry Hills 2010

Lunch with the girls

How I miss that! Had a bit of a taste of it though today with Yuka and Emi from M's office. A special for me as it was to an amazing fish restaurant. Yes most restaurants here are amazing, and with a set lunch at around 1,200 yen (about 8 quid) a person, it makes it very affordable to eat out during the day.

This fish restaurant was particularly special. Like most restaurants, it had a simple offering - marinated fish cooked over hot coals, although there was a choice of fish, marinated in different ways. I had haka from Hokkaido which was delicious.

The restaurant is in Evisu, opposite the statue at the front of the station, opposite Family Mart and sandwiched between Soft Bank and a dentist. There is a door going downstairs, usually with a queue on it (go at 1130 or after 1330 to avoid the rush). There is no English menu and nobody speaks English but don't be put off - have anything!

From there you can wander to Daikenyama for more shopping!

Lazy Friday Afternoon

Lucky you.  You were going to be reading my rant today about something I don't like about Japan - the excessive use of plastic bags and packaging and the questioning as to why, plastic bottles need also to be shrink wrapped.  But you have been saved by the lovely Sophie, who I have met through my new yoga center, YogaJaya in Daikenyama, and the wonderful ayurvedic diagnosis and massage she has just given me.  

My dosha is 'Pitta' apparently - I like eating, am competitive and choose aggressive sports, which doesn't sound like me at all!  So now I'm sitting here in the sun, with my ripening tomatoes, and a lovely cup of herbal tea, not feeling quite so angry about the world.

Instead I'm going to tell you about a new area I discovered yesterday, called Jiyugaoka which is about 20 minutes from home on the bike.  Its probably the closest I've come to having real energy in a town, to which I can relate and I would describe it as Tokyo's version of Ladbroke Grove.  Its full of little bustling cafes, design and clothing shops.  I actually found a Next, Talbots and a Laura Ashley (are they still going?) which I wouldn't exactly describe as 'cool' but maybe for some.  I had lunch with a lovely friend of Sergio and Blair's who is Japanese but has been living in Rome for 20 years.  She greeted me at the station with kisses and a big hug - something I've never actually seen another Japanese person do.  We ate pasta in a cafe and finished it off with a perfect macchiato (yes Piers!), again something I haven't found elsewhere, and talked for hours about Japan from our perspective as outsiders.  

I liked the area so much I dragged M there later for dinner.  We found a tiny tapas bar called 'Mariscos Boo', where we sat along a packed bar that could have been in Madrid, bar the Japanese faces.  In so many ways, the Japanese take something that has been invented elsewhere and adapt it, usually making improvements in the process - loos being a good example.  In the same way, when a Japanese chef takes another cuisine, the recipe is adapted and a Japanese version of the dish is created.  As we were unable to read anything on the chalked blackboard which hung above our heads, the chef took control and amazing dishes popped up from behind the bar in perfect intervals.  Our dinner consisted of creamy chilled soup in tiny cups, followed by fish carpacco with a delicious salad, tasting of aniseed.  M also had a large platter of meats which made him very happy.