Flinders Parade is besieged by restaurants and cafes plating-up Fish & Chips and other deep-fried seafood sensations at Sandgate, one of Brisbane's most idyllic suburban waterfront locations. But there's only one that has seasoned restauranteur David Balish at the helm, steering his Sandgate Fishmonger flotilla of favourites to the foreshore of first choice. David has been dazzling as a chef for over 30 years and has owned three restaurants in this time; Harolds of Spring Hill, Sonomas of Wilston and Sonomas of Sandgate. When family became more important than long slogs in the kitchen, he shelved the latter and opened Sandgate Fishmonger on the former site of Sonomas. And he hasn't looked back since. On a recent visit we had two Cod & Chips ($14 each), a serving of Calamari ($13) - and voted the best by his Mum - and two big, juicy Moreton Bay prawns ($3.75 a piece). All items, except the chips, were lightly crumbed and flash-fried in record time. Superbly cooked, non-greasy, the Cod thickly sliced and moist, the Calamari - well, you can believe his Mum. And those prawns were just perfection. The only downside we found were the chips - not as hot, toasty brown and crisp as they could be, and which cooled down the most with the takeaway meal so perhaps eat those first. Another small whine is paying $2 for a tiny tub of tartare sauce, which is also the same for options like aioli, tomato sauce for your chips, etc. But these are trite grievances for a grander experience of casual, classic seaside seafood choices in a setting that even Rick Stein would appreciate. Ahoy! Your appetite has permission to come aboard. You can see the full menu for Sandgate Fishmonger at their Facebook page which shares the same name. Enjoy! read more