Deciding to forgo on C-Lover's fish n' chips (which was quite risky because we like the restaurant), we decided to try another restaurant in Coquitlam. Austin Fish & Chips is a small franchise and there are two other locations, in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadow.
Walking in, there is an easy to read and well organized take out menu, along with a few tables at the front. As for the dining area, there is a nice underwater mural painted on the wall of deep sea creatures. In addition, the seating arrangements are not cramped and there is a good amount of tables.
Austin Fish & Chips offers all you can eat pollock on Tuesdays to Thursdays, as well as Sundays. However, unlike similar competitors (C-Lovers and Cockney Kings), bottomless pop is not included. Furthermore, asides from seafood, the restaurant offers fresh fried chicken and burgers.
AYCE ADULT $12.99 CHILDREN $8.99
CLAM CHOWDER, SMALL ($4.25).
After waiting at the front with the owners staring at us, our friendly hostess/waitress Karen, shortly seated us. In addition throughout our dinner, she was energetic as well as welcoming, provided a few suggestions and checked up on us.
The chowder is served hot and there is nothing worse than warm soup. There is a nice creamy consistency along with a strong flavour of clams, and lots of soft potatoes. The chowder is very homemade.
BUTTERFLIED DEEP FRIED PRAWNS, 6 PIECES ($8.25).
When hearing us craving for prawns but not interested in the "popcorn shrimp", Karen suggested an off the menu item, which are the deep fried butterflied prawns. The prawns have a light batter and tastes crunchy, along with a nice bounce. As for the tomato sauce, there is a tangy marinara flavour.
BUNS AND FAMOUS COLESLAW.
The buns are served warm and taste very soft. In addition, I appreciate the restaurant for providing two packs of butter per bun… since I love butter. As for the coleslaw, it tastes fresh as well as crisp, and the dressing tastes very light. There is no soggy or drenched coleslaw here. About that "famous coleslaw" though, I do not really see it. But, the coleslaw tastes quite fresh.
HALIBUT DINNER FOR TWO ($33.99).
The slices of halibut are thinner than I would have preferred, but the batter is very light and has a nice crunch. In addition, the fish is nicely fried and not too greasy. Asides from the batter, the fish does not taste necessarily dry… but not moist either.
If anything, we would have preferred thicker slices even if it meant less pieces, and a crispy batter rather than crunchy. As for the tartar sauce, the flavour is a bit flat and in a way, resembles McChicken sauce (but tastes less flavourful). The tartar sauce could have been tangier and include some pickles.
FRESH CUT HOUSEMADE FRIES.
The fries taste slightly soft as well as fluffy on the inside (which we like), but the exterior is also a bit soft. In addition, although the fries are not limp, they are neither crispy. We would have preferred the fries to have even the slightest crispiness.
GRAVY, SMALL ($1.75).
The gravy has a nice consistency along with a beefy flavour, and does not taste salty at all.
FRIED CHICKEN, BREAST ($3.95) AND DARK MEAT ($2.45).
Karen mentioned the fried chicken takes roughly twenty five minutes and at first, we passed because the time seemed a bit too long. However, thinking about it again, we ordered other items! So, twenty minutes was actually perfect for us. The skin has the most perfect texture for deep fried chicken and does not slip nor fall off the meat. Furthermore, there is a simple salt n' pepper seasoning. So, of course going straight for the thigh, the meat tastes tender but disappointingly, not juicy nor moist. Huh? A fresh fried thigh?!
As for the white meat which is usually more dry than moist, it actually tastes very juicy! The rib cut tastes juicy as well as tender, and a lot better than the thigh (which is rarely the case eh?). If anything, open fried chicken needs to be marinated so the meat tastes more tender, which is not the case here. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the white meat more than the dark; however, the chicken is not comparable to Church's Chicken where the meat tastes amazingly juicy due to the use of a marinade.Overall, all the items we ordered are neither greasy nor soggy. If anything, the fries could have been crispy and the chicken thigh tasted a bit dry. Furthermore, the fish could have been moist. However, considering the area, there are not many good restaurants (Kaya Japanese is really good though!) and Austin Fish & Chips is not bad. As for the service, there is not much considering the type of restaurant. But, Karen was friendly as well as welcoming.
POSITIVES
- One of the better restaurants in the area
- Made to order food
- Fresh fried chicken
- Friendly staff (at least Karen is)
NEGATIVES
- Although a personal preference, but we prefer a crispiness rather than a crunch for fish n' chips
- Slices of halibut are thin
- Price can add up
LITTLE THINGS
- Take out menu is the same price as dining in (at some similar restaurants, dining in costs more)
Food: 2.5/5 (fried chicken white meat 3/5)
Service: 3/5
Looks rather tasty, especially the gravy! In my own cooking, I believe halibut is naturally rather dry.
ReplyDeleteHmm, try switching up your cooking methods. Halibut is a pricier fish and it is such a shame if it is dry :(
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