Jacqui Felgate reviews: Melbourne’s best potato cake
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Remember when you were a kid and your local fish and chip shop was synonymous with a big, greasy (albeit delicious) pile of hot chips, a Chiko Roll and a jar of pickled onions on the counter?
Well, things have come a long way… and nowhere is that more evident than Scalable in Essendon, where the humble flake and chips has been reinvented.
Scalable is a takeaway bolthole on Mt Alexander Road. If the weather is nice there are tables and chairs outside as well as a small seated area inside.
It lays claim to having Melbourne’s best and biggest potato cake. They’re cut by hand, par-boiled and then fried in a secret soda batter. I agree — they are the lightest, crunchiest, most delectable potato cake you will ever have. And they’re not greasy at all.
When I ordered Flake and Chips owner Mark advised me to switch to the Barramundi, because it was fresh that day and particularly good. I did not regret it. Three massive pieces of sweet, moist barramundi for just $14. We also HAD to order a Morton Bay Bug roll ($14). Bug meat is served in a sweet brioche bun, kewpie mayo and cress. I will drive across town for another one of these.
Scalable also goes by the mantra of no waste. Fish “wings” are a popular menu item (this is the “cheek” of the fish with the wing attached — a part of the fish that’s often discarded when filleting). Super sweet and silky, with a light, peppery batter and a chilli and spring onion dressing. You get two kinds of fish wings, on the day we dined it was salmon and barramundi. It’s the kind of dish you’d pay upwards of $40 dollars for in the city but you can get your fix for just $14 bucks.
Also on the menu are a variety of seafood based burgers, including a “tuna cheeseburger” ($16) comprising a tuna patty, lettuce, cheese, onions, pickles and sauce and a fish souva.
Scalable has only been open for seven months and it’s flying. My advice, if you’re going to do Fish and Chips… make it fancy.