Fins Bicton sees one of WA’s most influential sellers of seafood team up with a culinary talent last seen in the South West. Expect must eat take away, seasonal wine bar dining, and a commitment to both a compact wine list and $8 schooners of Swanny D when it’s in full swing towards the end of October.

Phil Clark, co-owner of Fins Seafood says that with partner John Cordin they “lost a whole bunch of money” on their first retail store. It’s something that they vowed they’d never do again. Yet with the opening of Fins Bicton, they’re not just dipping a toe in the water, they’re plunging head first off the jetty. A combination of a tenancy that was “too good to be true,” and bringing Seth James (one of WA’s most acclaimed chefs of the last decade) aboard can only bode well. While James, known for award winning stints at Wills Domain and Frui Momento, brings a certain calibre and expectation, don’t assume that starchy (and exxy) fine dining is coming to Bicton. Do expect and offering that’s eat in and take away, drawing on the renowned quality of Fins Seafood and the fishers, farmers and producers that they champion.

It will be many things to many people it seems, with a retail fish counter, a line in takeaway options, and a small bar where James will have the opportunity to steer a more fluid menu. Clark sees it as a “family friendly, neighbourhood bar – somewhere to have a cheeky beer while you wait for your fish and chips to be cooked.” Moving into Bicton Central was a no-brainer he says, with neighbours including P. Princi Butchers, Rym Tarng, Hunter Bakery and by the end of the year, the next opening from Mane Liquor. “It’s the best little strip mall in WA,” says Clark.

Fish and chips at Fins Bicton will be a case of hoki and snapper for the “normal” offering and for the “premium” customers can choose anything from the retail display and have it grilled, battered or crumbed. Beyond classic fish and chips there are a raft of dishes that you’ll no doubt be seeing across your socials. Crayssant anyone? A crayfish filled croissant. There’s the Dagwood Dog, a prawn and pork sausage made with P.Princi Butchers which is battered to order. The tuna cheeseburger is “elite,” says Clark. “It’s probably the best thing on the menu; people will be coming in for that one, I’m sure.”

Menu R&D has been a global exercise with a “pretty cool” octopus hot dog based on one Clark ate in Spain. “We sort of stole the idea,” he laughs.” We spoke to the chef and found out how to make it and said, we’re going to bring it back to Perth. It’s a kimchi mayonnaise, small bun, crumbed octopus. That’s on both the take away and the eat in menu.” On another trip to the southern states of America, Clark was inspired by the classic New Orleans po’ boy. The Bicton iteration will be “jam packed and overflowing with about 150g of prawns – a stand out I reckon,” he says.

On having Seth James aboard Clark says, “he gives us high quality cooking in a more casual style venue. The wine list reflects Seth’s sensibility. Like, we’ll have Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay selling at about $180 not say $300 – not the historic margins.” Thursday to Sunday nights James will produce a wine bar focused menu that can make the most of seasonality with a focus on oysters, seasonal agua chile and ceviche. “He’s good enough to spin on a dime, see what’s coming in and make something out of it,” says Clark. “Other than a compact and well-priced wine list Clark has a non-negotiable which is that of the two beers on tap one is an $8 schooner of Swan Draught.

While there could seem to be shades of the Josh Niland fronted Fish Butchery in Sydney, Clark says that it isn’t really where they’re going with Fins Bicton. “One of the things that we would say to the guys that are working for us is, think of a normal fish shop and the fish butchery, and then go somewhere in the middle. That’s where we want to be. There are things like the fish Wellington but a lot more casual than Fish Butchery in presentation and pricing. We had the idea of a dry-aging cabinet for a while but then we thought why? It takes up too much room, and we don’t need to do that. I genuinely think that fresh fish tastes better. It’s all a bit more everyman.”

Fins Bicton, Bicton Central, 258 Canning Hwy,

Back to News & Articles