Dan's Fish & Chips

Whilst hardly Suva's first fish and chip shop, Dan's can probably take the credit for starting a renaissance of dedicated chippies in Suva.

Well-placed to take advantage of USP and the surrounding public sporting venues (Stadium, New Gym, Aquatic Centre, etc). This place has a steady stream of customers most of the time ... and is packed during sporting events.


This is not one of those 'pick-your-fish' places, there's one sort of fish, no one knows what it is but that's just fine. Dan's signature $5.50 Fish and chips has 3 or 4 pieces of crisply battered fish, a lemon wedge and as many chillies as the counter staff think you can handle.

70 cents more will get you a can of soft drink as part of a 'combo pack'. Thankfully, they've put a stop to the earlier nonsense where a combo pack could only include a can of Coke (and not any of the other soft drinks).


The $4.50 Fish burger is also worth a mention: it's not the world's most brilliant burger, but it's a worthy way to put down some fried fish and salad. $6.50 with chips, $7.50 with chips and a drink.

Dan's has wandered beyond the fish options: a rotisserie graces the back wall and a great many chickens pass through it on their way to birdie heaven.

The chicken options start off at $4 for a sandwich, and then jump up to $6 for the obligatory quarter chicken and chips. Various other fractions of the chicken may also be procured, or you can take a whole bird back to the office for $12 (a good Fiji-style put-in lunch if ever there was one).

Salt, pepper, and vinegar (hallelujah!) are available at the counter for no extra cost. No tomato sauce is included, but there are 2 types of sachets that can be had for a bit extra. A little tub of coleslaw can be added for $1.80; and for the sweeth toothed among us, a small selection of 'desserts' from $2 - $3 (including something claiming to be a trifle).

The proprietors have done a good job of setting up the place, considering it's proximity to the service station. Clever use of some potted palms and rocks gives the outside eating area a bit of space for itself.


While we're talking about the proprietors, on one of his visits Kania Tiko noticed a poster up behind the counter proclaiming "God bless Management". Being office drones ourselves, this is a prayer we've often offered up (particularly now that Management is worried about The Recession); but we've never seen it quite so prominently displayed before, and regret not having photographed it. The shop is closed on Sundays, presumably so that staff can dedicate more time to offering up this supplication.

Parking can be tiresome ... there are enough cars trying to drive through a petrol station without you trying to park your car there; and the coming of Nando's has meant even more competition for space.

For breathing life into Suva's stale, brown-paper-bag-packed, oily-fish industry, for being clean, and for allowing us to choose Fanta with our combo pack, we give Dan's Fish and Chips a thumbs-up.

In Summary

Dan's Fish & Chips

Laucala Bay Road

Opening Hours:

10am - 6pm Monday to Saturday

Spend

$4 - $7.50 per person