A taste of...
Ortega Fish Shack
16 Majoribanks St.
We’d heard... The awardwinning fish restaurant still had its Wellington on a Plate creation on the menu, which won the top gong for dish of the festival. We were keen to try it.
We ordered… The groper ($38.90), which was served on a bed of creamy leek risotto with the perfect bite and texture, and made the fish stand out without dominating it. While the risotto has changed from the fennel and mascarpone served during Wellington on a Plate, it’s still no wonder that it wowed the judges. It came with a smattering of green beans and was topped with prawn anglaise, potato crisps and burnt leek.
My partner ordered the beef fillet served medium rare ($38.90), accompanied by fries - a perfectly cooked prime cut of meat. We decided to bypass dessert, but our waiter (more on that soon) brought out a complimentary sorbet and a glass of dessert wine to wash down what was a 5-star meal. Ortega Fish Shack feels like fine-dining without the white table cloths, formality and price tag.
The service… Sitting beneath a childhood photo of Ortega’s beaming maitre‘d and co-owner, Davey McDonald (apparently put up as a joke), he has won awards for his attention to customers, and has infected waiting staff with his emphasis on good service. Our waitress called me by my first name - that’s what we were booked under - topped up our water, bounced over with a complimentary drink, and knew the menu and wine list by heart.
The vibe… Ortega Fish Shack is small, intimate, cosy and friendly, just like a friend’s dining room. Eclectic and unpretentious, it is decorated with paintings, photographs and knick-knacks, many of which are from co-owner Mark Limacher’s personal collection. The glass fish floats hanging over the bar, ornamental boats and mosaic fish in the different dining rooms make it truly feel like a fish shack.
If you go... Try a fish dish, as that’s what the restaurant is known for. Five of the seven main dishes are seafood ones.
Rating out of 5: 5 – Sarah Catherall