Restaurants

With its smart awning, big windows, abstract black and white photos and pastel colour scheme, Fish Central (est. 1968) is a step up from the average chippie. But bottles of malt vinegar atop the melamine tables show where its heart still lies, and you can’t escape the smell of the fryer from the popular takeaway section next door. Fish and chips remain the core of a yard-long menu: cod, haddock, plaice, rock salmon or skate can be grilled, deep-fried or cooked in matzo meal; lobster and oysters are sometimes available, and there’s a handful of meat dishes (cumberland sausages, lamb chops, steak) if you really must. Grilled haddock was faultless, mushy peas up to par, but the chips a bit tough. Most impressive was a starter of pan-fried scallops (despite the accompanying ‘salsa verde’, which was oily and odd-tasting); almost a dozen plump scallops is astonishing value for £5.95. It’s popular with a noisy local crowd, and staff are an ebullient lot.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008