Help for a fish 'n chips novice

And remember...no ketchup on the chips....malt vinegar.

Haddock is popular and it has a bit more flavour IMO, but is definitely not too fishy! You can also get rock salmon which tastes nice and isn't too fishy, but it's massive spine puts me off it a bit. In my local fish and chip shop you have to ask for the other types of fish to be cooked for you whereas there is always some cod on the go. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!

All the commonly used fish are mild in flavour so I'd say you're safe whatever you choose.

You might see cod and haddock which are both flaky white fish with a mild flavour, you may also see plaice - which is a type of flat fish. Plaice has a slightly stronger flavour and will probably cost more.

If you are feeling particularly brave you can have some curry sauce with your chips!

The key is freshness, fresh fish should not taste too "fishy". Like you, I like milder flavoured fish so usually choose cod.

Now I'm hungry, too! Thanks!

I know I'm playing with fire ...but IMO it matters not what type of fish you choose but where you consume it. And for me that place would be Scotland. The Scottish do Fish N chips better! Although my personal physician would disagree;)

One order of chips will about feed two people unless you have a big appetite.

Vinegar - blerg! I can't stand the muck! My local chippie sells pickled eggs and onions as well. I nearly faint from the smell!

Be careful eating your fish and chips outside if there are seagulls around. They have an uncanny ability to swoop down and steal the chip from your hand.

Okay, no ketchup, vinegar only, watch for seagulls. But I'm not going to tell my husband about the seagulls. It would be kind of funny if it happens to him. You always have to have a funny story to tell from your vacations!

My hubby loves fish and chips- we've gotten them at "chippies" for lunch for him (I am allergic to fish)a few times- do watch for the birds. He also gets them at pubs. When eating "in" they are often served with "mushy peas". These are what we call English peas cooked then mashed into a green paste. He perfers haddock, but also eats cod. At home he eats flounder, pearch, or whiting- so that may give you some idea of what you are going to get.

It's been eons since I've had them in the UK....does anyplace still serve them in newspaper--like the good 'ol days?

You can't go wrong just asking - the fine fellows at Burdock's in Dublin were oh-so-happy to oblige this traveler with all kinds of advice. I gave up finally and told them to give me what they'd eat. I have no idea what I got, but 10 pounds of fish & chips later (ok, maybe not 10, but it FELT like 10) I was a pretty happy girl.

All of the corner shops I visited in Edinburgh, still used the newspaper.

Perhaps our British colleagues will correct me if I am mistaken, just realize that at most Fish and Chips stands (at least the one's I've been to), the "fish" part is not the small fish sticks we see on the menu in the US, but a large piece of deep fried fish. Definately not a snack, more like a meal.

Yes, it is a big bit of fish fried in batter. My local chippie does fish cakes and nuggets too which are popular with children.

I'm not fond of fish and chps. They are unlike the ones you get at home. They are huge pieces (two can easily share a so-called small portion). I've had cod, haddock, and another white fish. If you can get halibut, it is the best. Cod is second. The batter has always been too much. To be really English, you should order smashed peas with them.

I don't "get fish n chips at home." So I don't have much to compare it to... But thanks for the info. I'll have almost three weeks over in Ireland, N Ireland, Scotland, and one day in London, so maybe I'll try a few different types of fish to compare!

I don't really like fish and chips,, and they are popular here and similar to that in UK( Victoria is very British,, ) ,, its all batter and little fish,, well , too little fish for me,, as I pick off the batter anyways.

Cod is fine, not strong tasting, , but as noted, Halibut is best.. costs more. Haddock is like cod ,, not strong tasting at all.

As noted, the chip orders are usually massive,, too much for one normal eater, so good to share,, and that does make a fish and chip meal quite affordable.

PS I love the malt vinegar,, yumm the smell makes my mouth actually water!

Hi Amy,
Haddock, Cod and Halibut are all good in my opinion. Fish & Chips are one of my favourite meals to eat and when I go to Britain, to keep costs down I go to the pub so I tend to eat a lot of it. I too am a big fan of malt vinegar on my fish and chips, so much so that at home I always make sure I have a bottle of malt vinegar at hand, even if I am only having the chips. The three types of fish I have noted are not super fishy in taste or in smell, indeed if they are smelly you should ask for your money back as fresh fish [particularly the mild ones] should NEVER smell really fishy it is a sign the fish has gone off .

Cheers,

Elaine

We tried "plaice" as well as the traditional cod at a chipper, McDonaugh's in Galway. I liked the plaice, it had a unique flavor, and the serving size was almost double the cod. We also liked the fish and chips at Baskins Restaurant, between Donegal town and Kilcar in Ireland. It was touted on another web sight as the best fish and chips in Ireland, and we had to agree!

I hear the name McDonaugh's over and over and over. Not to mention it is #3 on Tripadvisor! We are definitely going there during our stay in Galway!

For those in the U.K., are "mushy peas" often served with Fish & Chips? That seemed to be the custom at a Pub I "dined at" in North Yorkshire, but I wasn't sure if the same thing was popular in other parts of England?

Yes, they're not quite as popular "daaahn sarf" though.

In a chip shop they are sold as a separate item so you won't get them unless you specifically order them. Pubs aren't the best place to eat fish and chips but the menu will indicate if the meal comes with any sides (peas etc.) you can always ask for no peas if you don't like them.

http://aglimpseoflondon.blogspot.com/2009/08/fish-and-chips.html

With blogging being very popular these days, any subject of interest I always google first to see if someone has blogged about it. Here's a nifty blog on Fish and Chips. Might be helpful to you. Enjoy.

But Gary, that would make it healthy. Now we wouldn't want that, would we? ;)

For those of you put off about the idea of batter you can always do what my wife does when queueing and ask for a fish "without"