Fish & Chips Shops: Regional differences

[ScottishIain]

In my chippy they're 40p, or free with a portion of chips. They had to stop them being free as kids were going in constantly just for a bag of scraps.
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We have them in one of our chippies in Falmouth.

Tried them once & they weren't all that bad but a heart attack waiting to happen.

 

[yorksrob]

It is difficult to find a good chippy that's open when I need it round here.

They all seem to shut at around 7 (or 8 if you're lucky) in the evening. Not much use to me sadly, as I sometimes fancy pie and chips.

You get quite a few of the ubiquitous "fast food" takeaways doing a wide range of things not particularly well.
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There's probably a whole other thread's worth of material on "what is a bread roll called" (stottie, cob, balm, teacake, morning roll)!

"Morning roll" seems to suggest something altogether different to me

 

[ATW Alex 101]

7 or 8 hock: around here they shut at like 10! This thread gave me the idea of having a chippy for dinner tonight I had spicy chicken wings n chips and asked about scraps and they said they don't really do them but they can get me some and they scooped them out of the oil vat and they tasted like *****

 

[theblackwatch]

I have moved the posts related to bread rolls (or whatever...!) to a new thread at http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=92122

 

[Eagle]

I'm used to them staying open well into the evening, sometimes until midnight or later.

However there is the chippy van that goes round the villages, but it comes to my village at about 3-4pm on Wednesdays, which is not a time when you'd want to buy any of that stuff.

 

[Qwerty133]

7 or 8 hock: around here they shut at like 10! This thread gave me the idea of having a chippy for dinner tonight I had spicy chicken wings n chips and asked about scraps and they said they don't really do them but they can get me some and they scooped them out of the oil vat and they tasted like *****

Near here chippy's are closed on Sundays, on other days the local one is open 11-10:30pm.

 

[EM2]

To rewind a bit, rock salmon is not conger eel, but is actually dogfish (either spiny or large-spotted). The large-spotted dogfish is also called the bull huss, hence rock salmon's other common name of huss.
The chips and cheese thing is fairly recent, although chips, cheese and gravy (which I've seen a lot in Nottingham) is basically Canadian poutine.

 

[ATW Alex 101]

In my chippy they're 40p, or free with a portion of chips. They had to stop them being free as kids were going in constantly just for a bag of scraps.
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We have them in one of our chippies in Falmouth.

Is that the chippy next to Trago Mills called The Harbour or something? I've always wanted to try one of those and I would've had the opportunity to if I would have looked at the menu properly.

 

[Bevan Price]

I don't like fish or sea food, so I sometimes get sausage & chips, or just a beefburger with salad (if available). Battered sausages seem more common in Yorkshire than elsewhere. And I tell them no salt or vinegar - they always put on about 10 times as much salt as I like.

Nearest chippy to me is only open in the evenings - so is never used - I prefer mine around dinner time (about Noon to 13:00),. Has now changed management, but under previous owners it sold the worst chips I have ever had the misfortune to taste. And I am cautious about some "foreign" chippies, especially after a report some years ago from the Manchester area about food inspectors finding a freezer containing cats,,,,,,,,

 

[Butts]

I must admit I do miss Pea Fritters which don't seem to be available in Scotland (I used to live near Southampton)

Lots of mention of haggis puddings and black puddings but no one has said anything about white puddings

From my experience the finest Fish and Chips are available in close proximity to The Sea - especially east coast and ne Scotland. The same in England Whitby etc.

 

[Zoidberg]

...

Lots of mention of haggis puddings and black puddings but no one has said anything about white puddings

...

I shall remedy that, I do enjoy a white pudding supper.

 

[Eagle]

The chips and cheese thing is fairly recent, although chips, cheese and gravy (which I've seen a lot in Nottingham) is basically Canadian poutine.

Although a proper poutine is made with curds, rather than just grated cheddar/mozzarella which is what you get in this country.

 

[W-on-Sea]

From my experience the finest Fish and Chips are available in close proximity to The Sea - especially east coast and ne Scotland. The same in England Whitby etc.

Yes, I quite agree. It can be a bit more hit and miss inland...

 

[yorksrob]

I find it depends on turnover. I seem to have a tremendous amount of difficulty trying to get a decent bag of chips in Brighton I suspect because there are so many shops along the front all competing for business which isn‘t always that brisk at all times of the day.
Conversely, Canterbury has a very good chippie right in the centre of town and consequently always has a steady stream of patrons at all hours. Necause of this, I‘ve never had a bad bag of chips there in thirty years.

 

[IanD]

Really, in the north you have seen that as a 'fish cake'?

From Tyne & Wear down to Yorkshire (at least!), what you mentioned in bold would be known as a 'Fish Pattie'. Normally two slices of potato, with cod offcuts on either side, covered in batter.

A 'Fish Cake' would just be minced whitefish in batter, much like what you see frozen in the supermarket.

I've seen a chip shop in Stamford that sells Yorkshire fish cakes - as described, two slices of potato with fish in between the battered. In Bradford it's just a cake.

 

[richw]

There seems to be a few in Droitwich.

That makes me think, I wonder where has the highest person:chippy ratio. Droitwich has 4 chippies and a population of 25000, so there's one chippy for every 7500 people.
]

Falmouth has a considerably high chippy to person ratio. Population in the region of 20-30k, and no fewer than 9 chippys I know of.

However the highest ratio I can think of is Rosudgeon, a small village of around 200 people which has a fish and chip shop as well as a pub/ restaurant, which specialises seafood. Despite the low population both are always busy due to their location on the fairly busy A394 road.
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Is that the chippy next to Trago Mills called The Harbour or something? I've always wanted to try one of those and I would've had the opportunity to if I would have looked at the menu properly.

harbour lights next to Trago isn't the one selling battered mars bars, they are or at least were sold at the shop on the corner opposite superdrug.
Rick Steins is a major disappointment as far as fish and chips go in Falmouth.

 

[BlythPower]

The regional winners of the fish and chip shop of the year 2014 have been announced. Anyone know any of these? I can recommend the Quayside in Whitby.

Incidentally, when it comes to inland chippies, Kenilworth's School Lane Fish Bar is consistently excellent. If they did scraps, they'd be perfect.

 

[Darandio]

I can recommend the Quayside in Whitby.

I've tried it a couple of times but I do prefer the Magpie further along.

 

[BlythPower]

I've tried it a couple of times but I do prefer the Magpie further along.

I must admit, I've never bothered with the Magpie. Whitby's got plenty of excellent chippies where you don't have to queue for ages and pay over the odds. Royal Fisheries at the top end of Baxtergate (a couple of minutes from the station) is my first choice. Avoid the clown-themed establishment on Church Street.

 

[theblackwatch]

I find it depends on turnover. I seem to have a tremendous amount of difficulty trying to get a decent bag of chips in Brighton I suspect because there are so many shops along the front all competing for business which isn‘t always that brisk at all times of the day.
Conversely, Canterbury has a very good chippie right in the centre of town and consequently always has a steady stream of patrons at all hours. Necause of this, I‘ve never had a bad bag of chips there in thirty years.

I too have had some pretty ropey fish and chips at the seaside. I've put it down to them catering for tourists who are paying a 'one-off' visit. It doesnt matter that the stuff is so poor that they won't go back. If places like that relied on locals, they'd go out of business pretty quickly.

 

[IanD]

I too have had some pretty ropey fish and chips at the seaside. I've put it down to them catering for tourists who are paying a 'one-off' visit. It doesnt matter that the stuff is so poor that they won't go back. If places like that relied on locals, they'd go out of business pretty quickly.

The Great British seaside is supposed to be renowned for it's great fish and chips but after having plenty of dodgy portions, my general rule is don't buy from any shop that's on the seafront, instead head for the town centre or at least a few streets back.

 

[Greenback]

W ehad some lovely fish and chips near Bournemouth station. It looked like a locals sort of place, as it was off the main drag into town and nowhere near the front!

After many disappointing chips in places such as Margate and Scarborough down the years I always try and look for non touristy looking places - the dingier the better!

I have to say, though, that I haven't noticed any real difference in quality between regions and countries during my travels. I've had rubbish fish and chips in the north, south, Scotland and Wales, and also very good food in the same areas. Yes, there are regional variations in the sauces and the fish on offer, but quality is no different, and seems variable everywhere I've been.

 

[DarloRich]

Everyone knows that the best fish shops ar ei nthe north - southern ones are just crap.

They dont use the right lard to fry with, they dont use proper fish and they are really expensive.

You want proper fish and chips you go to Whitby - Not the Magpie Cafe but the one over the swing bridge. No further discusion is required

 

[deltic1989]

You always seem to get "scraps" in chip shops around Lincoln, not sure about further afield. A local "delicacy" round here seems to be chips and cheese. Its never appealed to me personally - but each to their own.

I have fond memories of popping into the local chippy (at the time it was called The Golden Fryer) after a long day at school for a Scallop (at the time 17p) and a bag of scraps, and if the owner was in a generous mood a bread cake. My day was never complete without it.
Your mention of chips and cheese stirs up a memory of a stop off at a takeaway on the way home from Sugarcubes (A local night spot) for the aforemetioned delicacy. After which my very well oiled friend proceeded to have quite an animated argument with his portion.

lack of chippies in the midlands is probably because of the ethnic diversity of the region. I don't often come across muslim or Pakistani fish and chip shops up North, I must admit.

We have 4 chippies within striking distance of our house, 3 of them owned by the same Greek family. In addition to the usual delights they also do a very good line in various kebabs and pizzas. The staff are always extremely pleasant but one thing that does concern me is that none of them seem to stock Tartare Sauce.

 

[gordonthemoron]

anyone tried Quatermass? Chips, mushy peas and curry sauce. Looks revolting

 

[BlythPower]

You want proper fish and chips you go to Whitby - Not the Magpie Cafe but the one over the swing bridge. No further discusion is required

Well, I can think of five on the east side (one of which is best avoided)... Go on, give us a clue!

 

[Karl]

Elsewhere, some chip shops in Preston sell butter pies.

I couldn't help but laugh when I spotted this flag at a Peterborough United v Preston North End match a few years ago....



Being from Preston myself, they are not to be missed. They're delicious!

I even have a friend who now lives on the south coast. She demands that whenever friends or family visit, that they bring her a tray of butter pies!!!

 

[TOCDriver]

We have 4 chippies within striking distance of our house, 3 of them owned by the same Greek family. In addition to the usual delights they also do a very good line in various kebabs and pizzas. The staff are always extremely pleasant but one thing that does concern me is that none of them seem to stock Tartare Sauce.

I have never come across Tartare source in chippies! Not of the takeaway kind, anyhow!

 

[NeilWatson]

I have never come across Tartare source in chippies! Not of the takeaway kind, anyhow!

http://www.fishtasticfood.co.uk/ is my local take-away, they make their own tartare sauce on the premises - delicious!

 

[tbtc]

Lots of mention of haggis puddings and black puddings but no one has said anything about white puddings

I mentioned them yesterday (suggesting that a proper old Scottish chippy should have had a full compliment of haggis/ black/ white/ red puddings, just like a proper old Scottish pub should have had 60/, 70/, 80/ and 90/ on tap), but the comment was chopped into the 'bread rolls' thread (which I'd also mentioned).

My comment last night also mentioned the overlooked "Munchy Box" (which those unfamiliar with may get cravings at the sight of!)