In a town where the food and drink scene is awash with options, it might seem difficult at first to carve out a niche in the market.

But Jenkins and Son is attempting to do just that with its seafood and street food concept in Deal, and has been on my must-visit list since it opened this year.

The family-run fishmongers took over premises previously home to JC Rook butcher’s shop before the firm fell into administration in 2022.

I visit on a Saturday lunchtime and, despite the drizzle and downpours, the old town is buzzing - the market is in full swing, the independent traders are open and the cafes and restaurants are filling up.

Right in the heart of the town at 77-81 High Street, the first impression of this shop is the amazing window display of fresh fish and seafood.

From crab to halibut, squid to sole, there’s a great array of choices to take home for a delicious fish supper, or perhaps raiding the freezers for a pot of lobster bisque or pre-made crab mac and cheese is more your catch of the day.

But what we’re here for is the other half of the shop floor, which has been converted into a kitchen area and counter offering hot small plate dishes - the street food element.

Decked out with loads of natural wood, there’s a bar in the window with high stools looking out onto the high street, and a few bigger central communal tables and other benches at the side.

Fish-themed artwork around the dining area adds a touch of quirkiness and character too.

If you’re a bit of a conscious eater, the bar in the window probably isn’t for you as you’re often catching the eyes of people having a good old gander through the window at your lunch.

It’s not a complaint; you’re right on the street watching the world go by, which is simply another part of the experience.

There’s a constant stream of dishes coming out, with the young lad serving calling out the order numbers after you’ve placed them at the counter and taken your seat.

On this particular lunchtime, there’s a throng of people inside sheltering from the inclement October weather, so my advice would be to grab your table first before ordering rather than being left to scramble for a seat after.

The seasonal menu is immediately intriguing, sampling flavours from around the world like Spain, Greece and Mexico - and if you don’t fancy fish then there’s a wild boar burger option, sourced from Kent butchers.

What you don’t find is a particularly adventurous vegetarian option - but then this is a fishmonger.

So for the animal-friendly diners out there, your choice is limited to (excellent) chips, flatbread and salad with sauces - although this, I’m reliably informed, is sufficient with light bread, crispy and fluffy skin-on fries and a fresh and zingy salad to make your own wrap.

On to the fish course, and the temptation to order the lot is definitely there.

The king prawn skewers with garlic and herb oil (£9.50) and monkfish taco with avocado cream and chipotle sauce (£10.50) are particularly brilliant.

Juicy sweet prawns packed with flavour from the oil were fabulous and leave you wanting to soak up as much of it as possible with every bite.

Monkfish is one of my favourite fish to eat, and putting it in a taco with the flavours of Mexico was really exciting, with a combination of zingy heat from chipotle, the meaty fish taking big flavour and the cooling avocado.

So with those two sampled and approved, I head back to check out some of the rest.

I decide to try the swordfish bun, which comes with a roast pepper aioli and feta pesto (£12) and the Mediterranean fish kofta flatbread with lemon mayo and salad (£9.50).

Despite being extremely busy, within a few minutes my number is called and out come the two dishes with my portion of those excellent fries (£2.50).

The swordfish is flaky and firm and really carries the creamy aioli with the punchy pesto hit from the feta, and with a squeeze of lime cuts through the richness and makes the whole dish pop.

Next up, is the koftas, which almost remind me of a cross between Thai fishcakes and a falafel.

The soft fish, which is light, is beautifully served on a flatbread accompanied by a fresh salad of peppers, onion, pea shoots and leaves which gives the crunch for texture.

One word of warning though - delicious as they are, the kofta and taco are not the most structurally stable foods, so be prepared to make a mess and have sauce all over your fingers.

However, that’s all part of the fun though - it’s street food, and you’ve got to get stuck in.

It’s a brilliant place to enjoy what I would say is a very fairly priced lunch (one dish and fries for under £15 - or under £25 if you can’t decide on one alone) with friends and family.

And if you want to make it a more boozy one, then after midday a wine list and beers are available in the 24-seater restaurant, which serves from 11am to 2.30pm between Tuesday and Saturday.

Street food is a very in-vogue culture now and the small plates revolution is serving up some excellent results in Kent - as previous reviewers in this column have found for themselves - and is certainly here to stay.

What Mr Jenkins - the fourth generation in the business - and his head chef Peter Keyes are achieving with their venture is something different for Deal and is a screaming example of the street food-style boom we’re seeing in the UK.

Ok, so strictly speaking it’s not “proper street food” in that we’re not being served from a cart or a pot or a flaming grill on the roadside and it has more of a dining element.

But street food concept it certainly is.

The food is fast and fresh in a buzzing and lively atmosphere, giving you quick bites which hit you with different flavours in a variety of dishes.

And while you’re at it, if you’re inspired, you can take something home for dinner too.

The combination of the shop, which was already an establishment, and the hot food counter gives Jenkins and Son a market or food hall-type vibe for a superb, no-fuss lunch spot. They’ve absolutely nailed it.

Out of five:

Food: Simple dishes cooked extremely well with good variety and beautiful produce ****

Drink: As I was driving it was just water for me! But a decent selection of soft drinks, juices and alcoholic beverages are available ****

Decor: Natural wood surfaces give a modern fresh feel. One thing currently lacking is toilets, but they are being installed ***

Staff: Lovely and friendly and extremely hard-working in a busy kitchen ****

Price: With a main, chips and a drink coming in at about £15, it feels well-priced to me ****