Fish (Whiting) Wrap

Whiting — specifically King George Whiting and Sand Whiting — are among the most prized fish in Australian waters. Sand whiting, found along the eastern coast from Queensland to Victoria, is a sleek, fast fish that feeds on prawns and worms in estuaries and along surf beaches. Its flesh is fine-grained, mildly sweet and very white, making it ideal for quick cooking methods that preserve its delicate texture. In Australia, whiting is considered a premium fish for its flavour and bone structure.

Fish and flatbread has ancient precedents across Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cultures. In Istanbul, the balik ekmek — "fish bread" — sold from floating pontoon boats on the Bosphorus has been one of the city's iconic street foods for centuries: grilled mackerel or bonito laid in a long white roll with onion and parsley, handed through a window to workers on the shore. The Turkish instinct to put grilled fish in bread is ancient and widespread.

Our Fish Wrap pairs grilled whiting with the classic combination of lettuce, onion, pickled cucumber and tartare sauce — a pairing that references both the French culinary tradition (tartare sauce originated in the 19th-century French kitchen as a cold emulsion sauce) and the Australian love of fish in a roll.