When Jennie Byrnes and Patrick Laws opened Martha Street Kitchen, they went with an Italian menu. For their next casual venture, Perch'd, the duo is serving up fish 'n' chips. Fans of the trusty meal themselves, they've drawn upon Laws' background in seafood, a shared eagerness to expand their remit, and a fondness for their new site — and, cooking up the ocean's finest in an old Queenslander in Coorparoo, they're focusing on quality over quantity.
Available for both dining in and taking away, Perch'd's small, uncomplicated menu offers three types of fish, each for $12: New Zealand sea perch and Western Australian barramundi, either crumbed or battered, plus grilled Tasmanian salmon. There's a trio of burgers too, including fish with house pickles, a veggie patty with haloumi and curry sauce, and one that's certain to become a favourite. Fancy handcut chips on a roll? For $7, you can tuck into a chip burg, which comes with secret sauce as well.
Weekly specials focus on fresh and local wares, and the rest of the fish 'n' chippery's bites cover the essentials — from salad, calamari and prawn cutlets, to onion rings, mushy peas and potato scallops. Snacking on a battered pineapple is a must for fans of sweet and savoury combined, and soft serve is coming for dessert.
Drinks-wise, Perch'd is fully licensed. That means pairing your seafood with one of two beers on tap or a glass of natural wine, all while hanging out on the cosy verandah. Even better — the eatery also dog-friendly, although you and your pupper will need to be organised. This is a walk-in only establishment and, on most evenings, the line to get in typically winds down Cavendish Road and around the corner onto York Street.
Images: Jennie Byrnes