I am not a fish and chip connoisseur, I've only lived here about a year. Despite my frequent visits to England I still have not managed to capture the joy of eating delicious fish and chips, I just find them far too greasy and heavy for my taste. Thus, much of this review will be taken from my husband's opinion and his extensive knowledge of chippies (chippys? The initial spelling look like a derogatory term) from years of personal experience (he even worked in one!).
Firstly, it's in a weird and unexpected place (I feel like I say this really often). Located in a shopping... strip (or centre? I dunno) McDermott's is tucked away among unassuming looking shops.
I have to admit, one of the reasons I wanted to try out McDermott's was because it was given an award for best fish and chips. Despite my poor appetite for deep fried foods, I was intrigued at what "upscale" fish and chips would taste like. We decided to do a take-away (and I use the term decided loosely because we thought the restaurant was closed). Immediately I noticed a stark difference between the kitchen of McDermott's and many of the fish and chip shops I had been to previously - the kitchen looked like a restaurant kitchen. The fish fillets were all individually placed on a stainless steel tray in the refrigerator, the chef (can we call it a chef?) was donned in whites, the prep area was vast despite the relatively limited menu. I suppose it does make sense, McDermott's is also a restaurant. All of the foods, I assume except for the pies and chips, are cooked to order - meaning you order and wait around while someone batters and shoves your food into a deep fryer (mmmmmm...) So instead of getting a fish that had been sitting under a heat lamp for 2 hours slowly getting more and more... warm... the fish you get is fresh from the fryer and about the same temperature as the fires of Mt. Doom.
So, the verdict on the fish? Delicious and crunchy. My husband said that the batter was well-made and light, more noticeably on the battered sausage than the fish. I found the batter on my cod to be a bit thick and heavy but then again with the caveat that I don't really eat deep fried food often (the Scots would be displeased with me). The fish however was flaky and delicious, the edges of the battered fish crispy and perfectly fried.
In sum, I wasn't disappointed with my first experience with quality of the fish and chips; however the next time I come here I might try for the restaurant rather tan the take-away. read more
