Fish and Chips

Fish and Chips. Equally famous around the world & by far the most typical English dish found in several countries today is, of course, the dish of Fish & Chips.

The dish is made with fish fillets mostly cod, sole & haddock coated in a batter of flour, beer, baking soda & vinegar, deep-fried until golden served with thick-cut chips, seasoned with salt & vinegar, and complemented by a side serving of gravy, mushy peas, ketchup, curry sauce or tartar sauce.

Deep-fried fish was Introduced into London during the 16th century by Jewish refugees from Portugal & Spain. In 1860 the first fish & chip shop was opened in the city by Joseph Malin. Since then the chippies as the fish & chips shops are commonly known in England can be found in almost every corner of the capital city.

Once wrapped in newspaper, nowadays kitchen paper, or in a polystyrene box along with a wooden fork, this savory meal is today a trademark not only of London but British cuisine in general.

If you don’t opt for one of the chippie street stalls one of the best places in London for Fish and Chips is definitely the North Sea Fish Restaurant. Family owned and run since 1977. The North Sea Fish Restaurant began its life as a small takeaway fish and chip shop with very few seats.

It was eventually purchased by Ian Edward Beauchamp in 1977. Ian Beauchamp was a very capable businessman and he took it from a modest small business to a thriving food outlet in no time at all. Recently, The North Sea Fish Restaurant has been passed down to one of the sons, Ben, and together with his partner Kerrie, they continue to run the family business.

The North Sea has become something of an institution as it is very well known all over the country and indeed all over the globe. When London Taxi Drivers are doing ‘The knowledge’, it is one of the landmarks they have to know. This, together with the superbly cooked fresh fish, and the discount offered to London cabbies, is one of the reasons there is always an abundance of black taxis parked outside on any evening of the week. More