The Great British Fish'n'Chips Thread

[DrAndy]

yes, famous for backpackers, but not for fish 'n chips

[LesBonsTemps]

OK, if this applies anywhere....

I recommend the fish-n-chips stall (just an opening onto the sidewalk) on the northeast corner of the first roundabout coming from the Felixstowe docks. Great malt vinegar, but the chips can be a bit too soggy. Good location if you're coming off the ferry from Zeebruge.

[kingwilly]

^ haha!

[danbo]

I've just eaten a big bag of take away chips and I feel sick - this is not a reflection on the quality of the chips but more down to the fact that I covered them in mozarella cheese and tomato and soy sauce....

"Let this be a lesson to you" <-I'm talking to myself here but feel free to also take heed.

[sabang]

Erm, yuk Danbo. Soy sauce with cheese?

[DrB0b]

^Munchies, weed is cheap and widely available in England.

[bobbins]

I don't like fish, I like batter though. Best thing to get from the chippy is a cheese and onion pie chips and mushy peas. I tried to recreate this meal recently using a Bunters pie, frozen chips and processed peas. Mmmmmmm I nearly passed out with satisfaction - as you can see I am easily pleased. Now to work on the pie and mash ala Cookies on the Roman

[Marmite the Dog]

Just had F&C at The Old Dutch.

The fish was much better, but the chips were a little undercooked. To be fair, the chips are usually very good, albeit a bit sparse.

[Lily]

Willy, you wouldn't be old enough to remember when in Australia we got chips first dumped onto white butchers paper, then wrapped in newspaper and you just tore an opening in the top of the newspaper and ate them out of the top.

Sometimes now, the smell of newspaper reminds me of hot chips with salt and vinegar.

We never bought fish at the fisho, because my father was a fisherman and they probably bought them from him. Fish was home stuff.

[bobbins]

Best way to eat them, go to the baker and buy a small bloomer loaf, cut it in half and pull out the filling bread leaving only the crust. Take it to the chip shop and line inside of loaf with vinegar, get carcass filled with a portion and then douse in salt and vinegar again. Eat.

[sabang]

The quest continues. I was ordered to go to The Butchers Arms, Soi Bukhao, Pattaya on a recommendation.
Quite a nice place actually, a more than passable replica of an English pub. The usual Thailand experience, none of the English beers they had on the menu were actually available (damn, I wanted an old Speckled Hen), but they did have draught John Smiths which was not on the menu. At 170 Bht, not much less than the fish, but washed it down perfectly well. Theres guinness, Kilkenny and maybe some more imported draught beers as well.

The menu must be noted for it's brevity- Traditional Fish and Chips, 195 Bht. It was not cod then, but thats OK- I'm starting to think a good fresh or chilled local fish is better than imported frozen cod anyway. I think this was pink snapper, and a nice piece it was- a very good size, a thin not oily beer batter, certainly tasty.
The chips were of the thick cut variety, frozen I think but OK. Why do they always give you a mean serve of chips in Thailand? Garden peas, not mushy- I wish more places would give you the choice. All the right condiments, and I would have to say served with one of the better tartar sauces I've tried. I wouldn't be surprised if they prepared it themselves.

Pretty good really- say an 8 out of ten. If it was a bit cheaper, more and better chips and mushy peas available it would be safely in the 9's.The half roast chicken & stuff at 220 Bht was luvly too- they do a good roast chook there. Bisto gravy, which I know you Poms love.

So a perfectly fine place for fish and chips, and it would seem above average English food.

[Sir Burr]

If you ever get down Phuket way, The Green Man in Chalong does a good fish 'n' chips. Expensive, but, good. I think they use beer in the batter and the batter is crispy.

[Marmite the Dog]

damn, I wanted an old Speckled Hen

It's no longer available in Thailand. The original importer was forced out by a couple of Thai hoodlums (1 government, 1 army), and accordingly fucked it right up.

[sabang]

JIT’s bar and restaurant - near the Hanuman statue in Jomtien.

"The most popular dish is her celebrated fish and chips (B.150) with peas, baked beans or their special home-made mushy peas."

Well if the F&C is to be celebrated AND you can get mushy peas for 150 bht, I'm a fan. Anyone checked this place out?

Pattaya Today News and Information about Pattaya

[dirtydog]

When it was in Naklua it was ok, then she had a shack type place in Jomtien near the Hanuman Statue, Jits Place (Jit's Place, near the Hanuman statue in Jomtien)

[Roc]

Fish and Chips
RIP
I'd eat any Thai crap over fish and chips anyday!!

[sabang]

I'd eat any Thai crap over fish and chips anyday!!

You kinky bastard!

[sabang]

This place deserves it's own thread really. The Handle Bar is located in Soi 10 off Theprassit Rd, which is about half way along heading towards Sukhumvit- not really tourist country, though theres some guest houses around. You motor bike enthusiasts will be in Hog Heaven- it's got a bike wash, bike storage, and serves as a de facto meeting place for the local Hog chapter, the Mad Dogs. There always a few nice Harleys parked outside, maybe a Ducatti & Triumph. Politely ignore the Honda Waves- thats staff. Non Bikers, don't let this scare you off- our local Harley riders are mostly corpulent retired businessman, with a smattering of Thai Generals & senior police. It seems they get off on wearing fierce looking leathers, but thats about all they have in common with the Hells Angels. Quite a big place actually- three shop fronts. Decent bar, verandah out front, garden and pool out the back. Families welcome, this ain't a sleaze bar.
The management and chef- who is a falang lady, having recognised that local riders of expensive bikes are often obese, offer servings of a size to make them even fatter!

Lets start with the F & C, which me and my mate had, and came recommended. It was the largest serving I can ever recall seeing in a restaurant- bloody massive. 180 Bht. It was close to a foot long, honestly- both of our portions. They use a local white fish, not as flavoursome as pink snapper to my thinking but very nice all the same. Kinda like sole or whiting, but bigger & fatter. Cooked in a beer batter, which I couldn't finish but thats OK 'cus the fish was so damn big. Served with a big stack of- wait for it- real home cut, fat chips! Peas as well (I am assured mushy peas coming soon, which is great news) and a home made tartare sauce- not as nice as the one at the Butchers perhaps,but better than out of a jar. Absolute bargain for the size & price. Be hungry when you tackle this. Doggy bagged almost half the fish, but I didn't get to benefit- the dog and cat had it. They also did not finish the batter.

Handle Bar does cracker British style Indian curries too- they actually get their spices in from the UK. Wife had the chicken Rogan Josh, which can come with rice or chips, 180 Bht. Bloody nice- knocks most Indian restaurants in Pattaya for six. Nice big serving too- next days lunch for me was doggy bagged Rogan Josh and a samosa. They also had Jalfrezi, Madras, Tikka Masala and Vindaloo. We had nice minced meat samosas too, well tasty. Question- why can't real Indians do decent samosas? Mates Mrs had the bloody English brekkie for some reason- looked fine to me. This place deserves a rating as a good Indian resaurant in it's own right.

Of course they'e got all the other British gourmet stuff- pie, chips & gravy, steaks & so on. Will write up more of the food as I get to taste it, I'm certainly going to be visiting here again. This place may well be the best all round place for British pub grub in Pattaya. As dark came, a steady trickle of bikes, groaning under the weight of their owners, pulled up. Some nice Harleys too- these guys are not your archetypal Pattaya sexpats, in fact the Mad Dogs include some real movers and shakers in the local business community. And yes, they were all proudly wearing their leather singlets- Boys must have their toys.

If you're a local, I recommend checking this place out. As a visitor, if you have the wheels to get here (or get the BB) it's worth doing to get a good feed at a good price, and seeing a side to Pattaya you probably weren't aware of.

On a sadder note, I tried the F & C at a local Thai restaurant recently that basically does pretty good food- The Rainbow on Soi Siam near the PGA driving range. Bloody atrocious- soggy fish, smallish, small serve of soggy chips, OK side salad. No bargain at 130 bht or so. Stick to falang places for fish n chips imo.

[El Gibbon]

The Great BRITISH fish'n'chips Thread

An oxymoron if there ever was one. Its like talking about your favorite McDonalds in Beijing.

E. G.

[sabang]

A word for the wise.

The Haven, that bar/restaurant/bowling club by Chaknork Reservoir I wrote about earlier on this thread has something special for you dedicated foodies.

For the month of July, all food is half menu price. That means imported cod and chips is 100 Bht. I doubt you can match this for value. Not tried it, but I am informed their braised steak and onions is champion, and that will set you back 90 Bht for July. The steaks are said to be good too.

I had the cod and chips yesterday, and it was even better than the first time- because this time they cooked the chips right! Washed down with two bottles of a French white- a 1999 AC. 300 bht for ferks sake, well cheap.
The lawn bowling is half price too for July.

On a sombre note, the reason is that Albert (the owners husband) recently had to go to hospital for some major operations, so the place was closed for a few weeks. But he's back on his feet, looking good, and offering damn good value. If you needed a reason to wander off the Baht bus routes, I think you have it.

Theres a conspicous sign for it, so it's not hard to find. Just drive around Chaknork and look for the sign.