New catch in town
January 27, 2016
Offering a modern twist on beloved fast food favorites, it is no wonder Slapfish has become a hit at its many locations, which include Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Irvine, and Brea.
My family and I visited the Brea restaurant, which opened in December. Located at 3405 E. Imperial Highway, the venue was much smaller than I expected. With a continuous stream of customers entering the restaurant, there clearly wasn’t enough indoor tables, as many customers ended up waiting for a seat.
Although the trendy yet casual franchise was as loud as any other fast food chain, it had a very comfortable and inviting environment. The employees were friendly and helpful, and one of the servers even recommended a few of the customer favorites when we couldn’t decide on what to try.
We ended up ordering the customer favorite, Chowder Fries and Lobster Roll. We also ordered the Ultimate Fish Taco, and the Major Crunchy Fish Sandwich. For the price of $6.50, the Clam Chowder Fries came with an option of sprinkling bacon on top, with no additional charge.
However, I quickly regretted that, as the salty bacon strongly overpowered the taste of the savory, creamy chowder. The fries weren’t starchy and had the fresh, crisp taste of being right out of the fryer. The concept of the dish is quite unique, but the chowder was lacking in terms of equal distribution. Served in a small tub, the top layer of fries tasted amazing. However, the bottom layer was saturated in the chowder, making the fries soggy.
The customer favorite Lobster Roll came with a side of fries, which were nicely seasoned with Cajun spices, and a slice of lemon on the side. The roll was toasted, though not too crunchy, and the buttery lobster pieces melted in my mouth. Although the Lobster Roll was deliciously seasoned with spices, lemon, butter, and mayonnaise, it wasn’t worth its hefty price of $18.50.
Since lobster is expensive, I expected, at the least, more fries, or something more filling than just a measly portion of lobster and roll.
We also ordered the Ultimate Fish Taco for $6.50, which had an option of the fish being grilled or fried, and the Major Crunchy Fish sandwich for $7.50.
We ordered the fried, and the taco looked very appealing visually and it tasted just as good as it looked. Served with spicy sauce, the giant piece of fish was piled on top of freshly shredded, crisp cabbage, avocado puree, and pickled onions. The flavors blended together well, and I could taste the individual components of the taco.
On the other hand, the Major Crunchy Fish sandwich, which came with fries, was just mediocre. Although the sandwich was stacked tall with many ingredients, it was lacking both in appearance and taste.
It was messily layered with freshly cut lettuce, tomato, onions, and an “awesome sauce.” No part of the sandwich stood out to me–it was a bit bland for my taste.
Even though Slapfish’s seafood tasted very fresh and tender, a few of the dishes were overpriced for its portions. However, the seafood at Slapfish is, surprisingly, restaurant quality for a fast food franchise. Although my visit left me content and satisfied, I still prefer alternatives such as In-n-Out or Chick-fil-A, but I think Slapfish is definitely worth a try, as it may be perfect for seafood lovers.
