24th August 2008
The best fish & chips in London?
There seems to be a constant debate in London on where to get the best fish & chips. One place that always gets a mention is the Golden Hind in Marylebone, so I went there to see for myself how it rated.
The Golden Hind is a very cool place, not 'hip' cool, but historic cool. It has been open since 1914, and there is a little board that shows the names of the various owners since then. The simple décor doesn't look like it would have changed much over the years, nor the furniture, which is basic yet functional. This is a lively place, with a constant stream of customers coming and going, along with locals picking up their takeaway. It is cramped, a little noisy, but the food is good, the staff are so smiley and friendly, and to top it all off, it is BYO.
Bottle in hand, we managed to grab a table one evening without having a reservation. In fact we were allocated a luxurious table for 4 when there was only 2 of us. Happy days. We ordered some Calamari to start, which was lightly battered and very soft. We both had Haddock with chips and mushy peas (why are mushy peas so much tastier than normal peas!?). Really enjoyed it all and found the batter very light and not too greasy.
So, were the fish & chips at the Golden Hind the best I've ever had? Maybe not the best (there was this amazing place in North Wales…), but certainly one of the best.