Last Monday I had the day off from work and I had an incredibly strong craving for shrimp. I originally wanted to go to Bud’s Louisiana Cafe but after a peek at their website, I sadly realized they were closed on Monday. Damn it! I was headed out to the Clairemont area to visit my favorite bakery supply store, Do It With Icing, and figured I should find something around that area. I decided on trying out a place called Mister Fish and Chips near Balboa and Genesee.

It’s a small little shop tucked into a strip mall next to Vons and an Irish Pub in a corner. There are just a few tables, keeping things cozy. The Asian lady behind the counter was already taking someone’s order as I stared at the menu trying to figure out what I wanted. When I went to order she was very friendly and welcoming. I settled on getting 4 “Jumbo” shrimp, a cup of clam chowder, and some fried mushrooms. The Asian lady told me they only take cash, but got started on my order while I walked over to Vons to visit their ATM. She said, “It’ll be ready by the time you get back!” and it was.

The first item I tried was the clam chowder. Very hearty, thick and rich. I really liked it. It had a good flavor and texture with chunks of potatoes and bits of clams strewn throughout the soup. Very satisfying.

The four Jumbo shrimp were bigger than I thought they would be, which is a good thing, because 4 shrimp doesn’t sound like much. The shrimp and mushrooms use the same type of batter. The shrimp are long and wide and live up to the jumbo name. I thought the shrimp were a bit too greasy, though. They also weren’t seasoned right out of the fryer so I shook a little salt on top of them, but they were still just too greasy and not as enjoyable as I had hoped they would be.

I enjoyed the mushrooms more than I did the shrimp. These were a little heavy on the breading though, but the mushrooms were juicy and delicious inside. I got a squeeze bottle of ranch dressing that I happily squirted onto each bite of my mushrooms, making for a delightful meal in my mouth.

I was a little sad that the shrimp didn’t turn out as well as I had hoped, but the mushrooms and clam chowder made up for it. I’m hoping that the shrimp just wasn’t a stellar batch and will have to come up to try out a few other items on their menu.

Mister Fish and Chips
5647 Balboa Ave
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 279-3474

Closed Sundays
Cash only