World Famous Fish ’n’ Chips

We made the beautiful drive through the coastal forest, field, and fen between Whangarei (pronounced FANG-ar-ay for those of you keen on Maori names) and Kaitaia where we’re based for Sara’s half-marathon on Saturday. Before leaving Gisborne we got a hot tip on good fish ’n’ chips in a little harbour town called Monganui, off the beaten path on the northeast corner of the Northland (North Island north of Auckland).
Monganui has only two blocks of commercial town, all of which looks out over the harbour. On the northwest end of town is a large square white building set on a pier and painted with the name "Monganui Fish Shop." The claim to fame of this "World Famous Fish Shop" is the fact that the fish they use for their fish’n’chips was caught that day. It’s never frozen, as are most slabs of fish used for serving the grease-hounds.
Sure enough, inside the shop is a sign positioned in the middle of the wall menu that declares, "Today’s Catch:" and then, hand-written in grease pencil, "Bluenose." Oh, and "Fish Priced by Weight." Certainly we had arrived!
The woman behind the counter pulled two filets of fish from the refrigerated bowl of bluenose and passed them back to the gals at the fryers. I waited until my number was called, took the large package wrapped in butcher paper back to the car and we drove up the road a few kilometers to Cooper Beach, a more secluded spot with a better view than Monganui’s harbour.
The fish was the best I’ve had down under. The fish was thick and meaty but still quite moist—this I attribute to its being spared sub-zero storage. The flavour was quite mild but still distinct; I don’t know that I’d had bluenose before, but now feel qualified to declare that it is a good fish. The batter was thick on the fish but light on the tongue, and it held together in the hand. Gorgeous. Simply stunning.
The chips were average, but with such a show from the fish I didn’t feel as if I’d been slighted by $8.50 for the meal. Monganui Fish Shop: bravo! To the next person seeking good fish’n’chips in New Zealand: Monganui is a must.
We leave in just over a week, so I think this delightful experience is a good place to end my quest for good fish’n’chips in New Zealand. To all of you fish-lovers out there, this is Emrys Tyler signing off.