Transfer the fish-and-chips part from the beach to the CBD and you lose some of the romance, but gain a belly-filling lunch option for any season and day of the week.

Jack Lim and Nick Wang wanted to create more than your average fish ’n’ chipper when they opened Smallfry on Waymouth St last year.

They decided to include the Japanese word for seafood on their signage “to remind us to treat seafood seriously, just as the Japanese do”. They added sashimi, oysters and lobster to the menu, and brought in Sans Arc Studio designer Matiya Marovich to make the fit-out look schmick. And it does.

Floor-to-ceiling oyster shell tiles creating a sense of space; a blue-tiled counter and cement tables add seaside cool and timber cladding brings warmth.

Though I question the comfort of the side booth seating, at which you sit parallel to the table that juts out from the wall, meaning you either need to lean over to eat or bring the plate onto your lap.

Instead, my lunch date and I perch ourselves on the central long table, where we can face each other — and our food.

Burgers are popular and for $12.90, it’s hard to argue with the generously loaded fried fish (blue grenadier) and karaage chicken versions, which come with a loading of great fries. They’re a little messy to eat and while the fish/chicken is nice and succulent, both are missing any real crunch and oomph of flavour. It’d be worth asking for more tartare or sriracha mayo to bring it all together.

“Vegetarian fish and chips” ($13.90) comes in the form of three big slabs of eggplant, this time high in crunch factor thanks to a panko crumb, though it’s a little oily. The veg-to-crumb ratio could lean a little more to the veg but there’s still a nice sweetness, and the fatter chips and accompanying thousand island-esque dipping sauce gets the thumbs up.

Lighter and share-style options include individual shellfish items, such as crumbed prawns and oysters (a few bucks), and salt and pepper squid ($6.90). A cool soba salad would make a nice meal with the addition of sashimi for $5. But, more dressing please.

It’s a filling, affordable lunch in a mod setting, with friendly service. The boys are working on a new menu, including their own fries with a range of dipping sauces. Hopefully we’ll also get to see a braver use of spice and Asian flavourings, to help make the seafood sing.

This review originally appeared on adelaidenow.com.au.