Review of 'The Fish Bar'
As a UK resident I am continually on the search for the best fish and chips. I have tried this dish in all four corners of the country and I will continue to do my duty to find the best there is. Having recently moved to Cheshire near to Crewe “The Fish Bar” has attracted my attention since I learned that in 2011 owner Craig Buckley was awarded Young Fish Fryer Of The Year award at the national fish and chip awards. Now, resting on your laurels is not good so I was a bit sceptical as to how good it would be but I have since learned that they have continued to receive awards over the intervening years…so signs are good.
The small takeaway is attached to a Co-Op just off the busy Coppenhall Lane (A532) on the north-east side of Crewe. As such it has a parking lot which is nice change from attempting to find parking on the street. The modern shop is looking a bit sad and neglected with our opting to do takeway rather than eat at the somewhat dilapidated bar-style seating along the windows and walls. It is obviously far more popular as a takeaway as we saw people come and go while waiting for our order.
The menu is typical fish & chip shop divided into “Chips”, “Fish” (cod, plaice, scampi and fish cakes) , “Sides”, “Vegetarian” (battered haloumi and “cheese & onion fry-it”, hum, no I don't know either), “Drinks”, “Homemade Pie”, “Additional Items” (sausages, burgers, etc), “Meals” and “Gluten Free Items” (most available only on Wednesdays). Nothing too surprising here but looking on the wall beside the menu you can read about the care they take with their ingredients both in terms of quality and sourcing. There is even a rather dingy looking glassed room behind the cashier where you can see them chipping the potatoes for the chips. So, not quite your normal chippy.
Going straight to the point we ordered fish (£6.25) and small (£2.50) chips twice along with a side of mushy peas (£1.20) but were informed we should go for the ““x Fish Meal” consisting of “2x Cod, 2x Chips & 2x Sides” for £18. So, we added a second side of gravy (normally £1.20), paid then told to wait. Yes, wait as the fish is cooked to order. Nice.
We did not have to wait to long for our order to be put into cardboard containers, wrapped in traditional paper and put in a plastic bag ready to be rushed home in the car. Thankfully after about a 10 minute drive the fish was still crispy (not soggy) and the chips survived pretty much intact as well. Let's get down to it: The fish was wonderfully fresh, extremely crunchy on the outside with only a thin batter coating and soft and delicate in the middle. The chips were, disappointingly, slightly under cooked and soggy but tasted amazing - Slightly sweet – reading the information they provided these were sourced locally in Cheshire.
So, in summary, the chips were disappointing but still tasty and the fish was excellent at a good price. Well worth another visit…but only for takeaway, not eating in.
Rating: “Nearly perfect, but not quite”
Review Date: 2022-07-23
Cuisine: American/British
Address: 645 West St, Crewe, Cheshire CW2 8SL ENGLAND
Location: Cheshire (England) - Crewe
Map:
Show in Google Maps Get Directions
Telephone: +44 (0) 1270 580055