Fish & Chips Shops: Regional differences

[Oswyntail]

....One of the main reason for going to the chippy is to get those lovely soft, fluffy chips that never seem to come out quite right if you try to make them at home. .....

A problem for the last couple of decades is that shops generally no longer use dripping or lard, but use oil instead. Much healthier, of course, and safer. But oil, I am told, cannot reach the same temperature as animal products, and so the chips are not being cooked at high enough temperatures. Hence they effectively boil, even steam, rather than fry, and hence do not have that crisp crunch a proper chippy chip should have.

 

[Aldaniti]

Oh, and it seems the only major chain, Harry Ramsdens, are also terrible.

I can vouch for that. They seem to think that charging a premium price for a microwaved pie is acceptable. Oh, and the chips are nothing special either. I'll never darken their doors again.

 

[theblackwatch]

I can vouch for that. They seem to think that charging a premium price for a microwaved pie is acceptable. Oh, and the chips are nothing special either. I'll never darken their doors again.

Harry Ramsdens went downhill when it was sold and became a chain more like McDonalds, with fast food outlets on stations etc. The original one at Guiseley used to be very nice back in the 70s and 80s. As someone else mentioned, after it was closed, it was bought by Wetherby Whaler. They have (in my view) brought it back up to its old standards.

 

[Butts]

Harry Ramsdens went downhill when it was sold and became a chain more like McDonalds, with fast food outlets on stations etc. The original one at Guiseley used to be very nice back in the 70s and 80s. As someone else mentioned, after it was closed, it was bought by Wetherby Whaler. They have (in my view) brought it back up to its old standards.

I was in Cardiff earlier this year and the Harry Ramsdens by the bay was closed and semi-derelict.

How many have they got left ? There was a "back to the floor" type programme about them on C4 a few years back.

 

[IanD]

I was in Cardiff earlier this year and the Harry Ramsdens by the bay was closed and semi-derelict.

They were converting that into a Wetherspoons when I visited in July. Woudl have been handy if they'd finished earlier!

 

[Whistler40145]

We still have a Harry Ramsden's up here in Blackpool. I've never been in it, so cannot comment on how good it is.


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[ScottishIain]

I was in Cardiff earlier this year and the Harry Ramsdens by the bay was closed and semi-derelict.

How many have they got left ? There was a "back to the floor" type programme about them on C4 a few years back.

It appeared on an episode of Undercover Boss.


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[Butts]

It appeared on an episode of Undercover Boss.


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There used to be one at The Merryhill Centre near Dudley - I used it when they had vouchers in the Express and Star.

None of their fish was a patch on what you'd get in Cullen or somewhere else in the NE of Scotland.
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A problem for the last couple of decades is that shops generally no longer use dripping or lard, but use oil instead. Much healthier, of course, and safer. But oil, I am told, cannot reach the same temperature as animal products, and so the chips are not being cooked at high enough temperatures. Hence they effectively boil, even steam, rather than fry, and hence do not have that crisp crunch a proper chippy chip should have.

Tree Huggers have a lot to answer for :roll: