My second chippy tea in my visit to Glasgow. I was spoilt for choice. There are numerous chip shops & cafes scattered around the city. It seems there’s a Blue Lagoon on every street! However, I thought I’d go for a less obvious choice as I was tempted by images of the marrowfat peas I’d seen online at The Oxford.
This is a cafe that serves other types of cooked meals but fish and chips is definitely the star attraction. I took a seat and requested a small fish tea for 5p shy of £10. This price includes bread and butter but I said I didn’t want any.
The cafe was doing a steady early evening trade. There was a TV playing music videos here, similar to The Merchant Chippie. It must be the done thing in Glasgow.
A mug of hot water and a tea bag was brought to the table, closely followed by a jug of milk.
A few minutes later the meal was ready. Food here is served on crockery with metal cutlery, rather than disposable ware.
The marrowfat peas were a welcome novelty. The nearest thing to these I’d had before in a chippy were the plump mushy peas at Fish Tram Chips in Llandudno. However these at The Oxford were your genuine old-style marrowfat without a mushy pea sauce. There was plenty of them, dished in a glass ramekin. Although they were probably just tinned ones warmed up, they did make a nice change to mushies.
Sachets of sauces were on the table and I helped myself to a couple of tartare.
The fish had a similar look to that at Merchant Chippie. Flattish haddock in a thin yellow batter. The meal's presentation was enhanced here by a fat wedge of lemon.
Pale chips of irregular lengths and shapes demonstrated the provenance of their hand cut ‘home made’ style. They were fresh and tasty with nice, fluffy insides.
The fish was good quality, fresh haddock. Perfectly cooked, with moist delicate flakes. I noticed that the haddock in Glasgow isn’t served with its skin on.
I retrieved a Scottish fiver from my wallet (appropriately illustrated with some shimmering mackerel) to pay towards the £9.95. Recommended.
Ratings out of 5:
Fish (haddock): 4
Chips: 4
Marrow fat peas: 4
Shop / service: 5
Over all: 4
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