A Moment For: The Stepped-Up Spice Bag at Freo’s Irish Pub Mons O’Shea

Ahh, the spice bag, a staple of the Irish takeaway scene. It’s typically served with salt-and-chilli chips, chicken, capsicum, chilli and fried onions – quite often with a tub of curry sauce.

The influence of the spice bag extends beyond the Emerald Isle to Irish pubs and restaurants across the globe. Across the country, Sydney reached peak spice bag back in 2024.

In Freo, the best spice bags come courtesy of Jane Collins, head chef at Freo’s favourite Irish pub Mons O’Shea.

But the inspiration for the pub’s topnotch spice bag comes from an unlikely source: the chef’s physio, who raved about the spice bags at her local takeaway back in Ireland.

Here are all the juicy details.

What: Crispy chicken, hand-cut chips, sauteed peppers and onions are tossed in a spice blend and served with a house-made curry sauce. A vegan and gluten-free alternative swaps the chicken out for cauliflower florets – there’s also a combo bag including both chicken and cauliflower.

How: The chicken is brined and marinated overnight in Collins’s “secret spice blend”, which includes cumin, garlic and onion powder. It’s served in a torn foil bag alongside a silver gravy boat of curry sauce.

Cost: $27, but it’s hearty enough to share.

Where: Mons O’Shea, 6 South Terrace, Fremantle

When: It’s a permanent fixture on the menu, available at every lunch and dinner service.

@mons.osheafreo