- Disappointing
- Coeliac chef
- No fish or chips!
On our return from the snow, I was excited to stop at Maru Seafood Restaurant Bredbo. My in-laws had stopped there before and said that the restaurant had gluten free fish and chips, a coeliac chef, and that the staff were really helpful so my expectations were high! I probably haven’t had fish and chips from a chip shop since visiting Batemans Bay in November 2021 so I was looking forward to something deep fried and delicious! Unfortunately, it didn’t pan out as anticipated.
We arrived at around 11:50am on the Sunday morning. The car park had spaces and we were able to get a spot right in front of the front doors. We headed inside and there was only one table taken. Over the hour we were there the place filled up quickly and a few customers came and went, either eating in or grabbing takeaway.
The first thing I noticed when I entered the restaurant was the smell. The restaurant had a greasy, fried smell that was not unexpected in a fish and chip shop, however it got worse over time as the kitchen got busier and by the time we left there was a bit of a grease ‘fug’ in the air. I assume there was a problem with the extractor fans in the kitchen because it was open behind the counter.
The restaurant is quite nice looking. The walls were white with wooden tables and chairs. There was a fireplace at the end of the room and lots of sea themed knick knacks. It was quaint and relaxed.
The staff were nice enough, and we were seated at a big table for six with menus and asked if we wanted drinks. We opted for golden pash cartons for each of the girls and a coke each for Michael and me. I explained I was coeliac and was immediately told the chef was coeliac and that it wouldn’t be a problem. Gluten free items were labelled on the menu and the Fish and Chips were marked costing an extra $3 to be made gluten free. We ordered a portion of chicken nuggets and chips for the girls to share, a bowl of the slaw, and two fish and chips for the adults, specifying mine would need to be gluten free.
After a few minutes the staff member returned with apologies that the oil was contaminated with gluten and I wouldn’t be able to have fried fish. I was offered crumbed or grilled fish and opted for crumbed, feeling a bit disappointed. After another few minutes, the wait staff returned a second time to say that I also couldn’t have the chips due to contamination. I’m not sure if they had a separate fryer that was contaminated or just used the same fryer for everything and it depended on chance as to whether it they’d just changed the oil and it was safe for coeliacs. I decided to change my order and went for the fish tacos but I was really disappointed by now.
After another wait the food started to come out. First the nuggets, then Michael’s fish and chips and eventually my fish tacos and the slaw. By the time my food came out, Michael was two-thirds done and the girls had eaten as much as they wanted and were getting restless.
The food was simply boring. The kids chicken nuggets and chips were pretty standard. It was a big portion for the girls and easily enough to share. Michael’s fish and chips were mixed. The chips were nothing special, just regular store-bought frozen chips but the fish was good. The batter was crispy and the fish itself was well cooked. The tartare sauce tasted like it came out of a jar.
The slaw was boring. It was very finely sliced sweet white cabbage and spring onion mostly, with literally two or three grates of carrot. They were a bit tight with the sauce and it tasted like mayonnaise.
My fish tacos were boring too. I ordered two tacos at $9 each. They came out on a small corn tortilla with crumbed fish. The fish was very nice but the rest of the components lessened the enjoyment of the meal. The fish was topped with the boring slaw, a blob of smashed avo that I don’t think had been seasoned enough, and one single pointless slice of red capsicum and sprig of coriander. I’m depressed even writing about it.
I ate fast because the girls were finished by this point and Michael paid the bill – $73.00. Too expensive for what we got! Our experience wasn’t terrible and I might be more negative than usual due to my disappointment with the food. However, we won’t stop at Maru again. The staff were nice and the food was edible but it was also really disappointing.
17 Monaro Highway BREDBO NSW 2626
0428 343 440
https://m.facebook.com/maru_bredbo-103713538865425/
Get Behind Me Gluten 