Poppies Fish and Chips (Restaurant)

Top 10 things we learned about Poppies restaurant:

1) Fish and chips is one of the few national dishes that we have to be proud of, so it really is bizarre how hard it can be to find a decent portion in London. Poppies is spreading the salt and vinegary love by branching out from its original Spitalfields locale with this second restaurant in Camden.

2) And Poppies is sticking to the rules. If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it. I don’t want my fish and chips presented deconstructed or with some kind of crazy jus on top. If I want fish n’ chips that’s exactly what I want, and that’s what you get here – on a really big plate.

3) And, might I add, it’s really good fish and chips. Award-winning in fact. With proper, hand-cut, cooked-to-perfection chips and a glistening, crunchy batter encasing fresh, chunky, meaty fillets of cod.

4) There’s also a grilled option for the healthy-conscious among you, so there’s no reason anyone need miss out. It’s not quite the same, but we appreciate the sentiment.

5) On some nights there’s a live band. And they are fab. The volume, against an already buzzing restaurant, might render conversation difficult but snag an upstairs seat and be treated to your very own concert against a backdrop of a busy Camden high street.

6) There’s a bit of a 50s diner feel to the place, with waitresses in old-fashioned uniform, black and white tiles and red banquettes. I’m not entirely sure where that fits in with fish and chips. That said, you’ve got to love the memorabilia-clad walls; I spent the evening sat beneath a fake moose head.

7) Starters fast-forward you a couple of decades with a classic 70s-style prawn cocktail to rival any other, served piled high in an ice-cream sundae glass, of course.

8) Meanwhile, side orders of mushy peas and the traditional wally (that’s a gherkin, to the uninitiated) don’t disappoint.

9) The dessert menu is classic and limited to just three choices, including the gooiest, densest sticky toffee I think I’ve ever seen. A big bowl of ice cream was a winner, and so creamed I’m sure it was churned by angels.

10) It’s also worth pointing out that all of Poppies fish is sustainably-sourced, and bought from local suppliers so you can get stuck in guilt-free. ...read more