Claypots

If you like fish you'll love this place. Best way to maximize your experience...

1. Get there early - 6pm when they open the doors is good.
2. If you don't get there early, give your name and phone number, then head down two doors to Pure Pop, the only record store I know with a bar in a courtyard with live music. A fantastic place to wait for the hour it might take to get seated;
3. Once you are seated, check out the fish counter. Fantastic selection and bound to get your taste buds watering. Go for something different like Cajun spiced flat-head.
4. Get stuck in, share everything and enjoy.
5. Leave having had a great night out for relatively little money.

PS - They are now licensed, so no need to BYO. And the wine is decent and well priced.

Claypots wine and seafood restaurant is located on Gertrude St in the not-so-trendy part of Fitzroy. Do not be fooled by the looming commission flats, Claypots is an understated gem of exquisit quality. Prices vary but don't kid yourself if you're on a budget, it's still seafood. They don't take bookings so just rock up and pray to the Spare Table gods. The informal and dedicated waitstaff will be round shortly with a large tray of delectable apertisers ranging from fresh natural stingwray, marinated chilli olves, lemon asparagus spears, baby squid  and much more. Deliciously fragrant claypots themselves come in a variety of styles such as Malaysian or Thai, and generally go for around $15.  The real winners are the whole crispy Dori and my absolutely favorite, the seafood stirfry - a selection of prawns, musles and crab tossed with a fresh Thai lemongrass paste and served on a bed of jasmine rice. This dish can be shared between three or four people and goes for $45 - the perfect dish for people who like their seafood not too fishy. If your pockets are deeper than mine, get stuck into the range of boutique red wines. You are sure to find something pleasantly surprising. When your meal is finished, sit back, sip on your wine, enjoy the romantic lighting and do what I do, think about which out-of-town friend you are going to impress with this little secret next?