Originally Posted by
User Name
As a Brit living in the US I have to say it's all about the chips. I mean, you can't bugger the fish up - it needs to be done properly, but there are far, far more places around that can do great fish but then pay no attention to the chips.
Oh yes they can really mess up the fish! And really badly too
Along the New England Shoreline there are no shortages of places that advertise that they were voted #1 Fish & Chips or #1 Clam Chowder etc etc in some sort of competition/local paper. Often one sniff (or taste if you're brave/stupid) will make it painfully obvious that this was a competition with only one entrant and held in the Chef's mom's own backyard
Sadly because the fish can get so messed up, the chips are overlooked.
Originally Posted by
User Name
The best guarantee, of course, is the golden moment when you find an actual chip shop, with fryers on display and you can see the crispy gorgeousness afoot before you purchase.
If you are ever up in Toronto, Penrose Fish n Chips on Mt Pleasant just south of Eglington has a proper fryer in full view of the windows. They close when they run out of fish (approx 6-7pm) and in July when they go visit family in the UK.