Restaurants

This long-time favourite local chippie (est. 1939) always had aspirations, and now new owners (including chef Garry Hollihead) have turned it into a suave and spacious fish restaurant. Its roots haven’t been forgotten, though; the ketchup might come in porcelain jugs rather than squeezy bottles, but the core of the menu remains fish in batter, and grilled or fried market specials sourced from Devon and Cornwall. And they’ve retained the original cover charge (15p!). There are adjustments for gentrification; starters include sea scallops with burnt orange dressing, and thai soft-shell crab (recommended), along with dressed crab and pots of prawns. Cod, hake, haddock and sole arrived beautifully battered, and fresh as the new tide. From the specials, our whole dover sole, which requires an expert hand, was exquisite. Chips and onion rings didn’t let dishes down, nor did the classy mushy peas, though we’d have preferred them unreconstructedly lurid. Desserts aren’t really the point, but order the light, fresh jam roly-poly over the cloying mocha tart. Service was friendly and expert, with the caveat that we weren’t told the prices of the market fish when ordering – disingenuous at best since the dover sole was, at £26, more than twice the £12 stated on the menu (small print warned only that ‘some prices may vary’).

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008