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
we tried going here today but they were closed on sunday, dagnabbit. darlene recommended this place since she remembered your post about it….
we ended up eating at thai time III down the street.
HI CC – Man, I haven’t been here in forever! You’ll have to let me know if it’s still any good when you finally get a chance to visit!