Unthank Fish and Chips, Norwich

 

There must be something in the oil in Norwich that makes all the chip shop owners super friendly. The name 'Unthank' is very much a contradiction in terms when one is thankful for a cheery chat while your fish is frying. The doormat informs visitors that it is gin o’clock, and a portrait of Bob Dylan is stuck to the sneeze screen accompanied by the legend “you are beautiful”.

It was a Friday tea time and I ordered cod, chips, and curry sauce. The shop also serves plaice and haddock, and all fish is fried to order to ensure it’s freshness and to keep the batter nice and crisp.

Once the food was ready I crossed over the road to stand under a light where I could admire my feast.

All the food was piping hot and delicious. The chips which were freshly cut and fried had a real good bite to them. The longest in the tray was photographed for posterity.

The batter was quite dark, but I ate the top layer as it was so crisp and tasty. The cod had skin on it. (Cod always seems to be served like this in Norwich). The flakes of fish were delicate and came apart with ease as they were perfectly steamed inside the batter.

The curry had a lovely Chinese-style pepperiness. The shopkeepers took great care how this was served with the fish and chips. They asked if I wanted curry over the whole meal (fish included) or if it was to be poured over the chips, with the fish on top of the curry. I opted for the latter. When I asked for salt and vinegar on the chips before the curry, the proprietor exclaimed that I was someone who knew how fish and chips should be served.

Indeed.

Ratings out of 5:

Fish (cod): 4

Chips: 5

Curry sauce: 5

Shop / service: 5

Over all: 5