Fish and Chips

[heartfood]

I live in South Amboy and I am dying to find a place that makes good fish and chips. Whenever I have the urge I have to make it myself. Any suggestions????

[arpad]

Just found a place a month ago that has excellent fish and chips !
McDonaugh's Irish Pub on Front St. in Keyport .
Try their sweet potato chips - great !
Plus they have many different beers on tap AND many more bottled ! And they have an extensive menu .

[The Chowhound Team]

Folks, we've split some replies about bringing your own stemware into a new topic on the Not About Food board. You can find that thread here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/575768

[Ellen]

I have always had great fish and chips at Stewarts of Kearney in Point Pleasant Beach. They also make the best cole slaw I've ever had. Was always worth the drive from Philly. They also carry traditional English fare like meat pies and pasties. Don't know if they're open this time of year though so check before you go.

[RGR]

I agree with you that the fish and chips at Stewarts are excellent. I posted two reviews but they date back further than Chowhound's search capabilities.

Blue Fish Grill also has fabulous fish and chips. But it's in Flemington -- not exactly close to South Amboy.

http://www.thebluefishgrill.com

[ambrose]

RGR, when were you last at the Blue Fish Grill? I was there for lunch in late spring and the fish and chips were a huge disappointment. The fish was OK, but nothing special, and the chips were just plain soggy! Morevover, the service was not particularly good as the two teenage girls who were running the show seemed more interested in gossiping than in addressing customer needs.

Friends who went to the Grill when it was still owned by the two Matts of Matt's Red Rooster Grill tell me that the place went downhill when the new owners took over. This seems odd since I believe the new owners had previously worked at the Red Rooster. In any case, I have not been back for fish and chips (or anything else)!

[RGR]

ambrose,

We were there for the first time about two weeks ago, so I can't make any comparisons with the previous ownership. In our case, the fish was perfectly deep-fried, the cispy beer-batter coating was, and the fish itself (they use pollock) was very tasty. The fries were cut nearly string thin and were crispy as well. Excellent tartar sauce, which I presume is homemade. The portions was huge! I doggie boxed some fish and chips. Even reheated the next day, they were delicious. We also had small bowls of the New England clam chowder. The soup, which was not too thick, had lots of clams and vegetables and very agreeable flavor. .

Btw, Red Rooster Grill's website now states that Matt McPherson is the sole chef/owner.

http://www.mattsredroostergrill.com

Eta: I just noticed your comment about service. During our late lunch mid-week, the place was virtually empty. Only one other table occupied. A very pleasant young woman behind the counter took our order and brought the food to our table as soon as it was ready. So, no complaints in the service department.

[ambrose]

Many thanks for the response. As far as I know, the ownership has not changed since I was there so I can only assume there has been a drastic change in quality and service since last May. I certainly trust your judgement when it comes to matters culinary so I will make it a point to have lunch at the Blue Fish next week.

Thanks also for the info. on the Red Rooster Grill. I had not noticed the change that appears on their web site. My experiences at this restaurant have generally been positive though the last steak I had there seemed to be of somewhat inferior quality (but not as bad as the one once described by mmgpsych!).

[RGR]

We've been to Red Rooster Grill only once about two years ago and enjoyed the meal. I recall having a very nicely prepared rack of lamb.

Unfortunately, both Red Rooster and Blue Fish are too far from our home turf for us to patronize them with any regularity.

I do hope your next experience at Blue Fish is as good as ours was.

[ambrose]

I did make it back to the Blue Fish Grill and it was definitely worth it! The fish and chips were excellent, a vast improvement over what I was served earlier this year. I don't know what the problem was last May but based on my recent visit I shall definitely go back.

As you mentioned, the portions were huge. Both the fish and the chips (actually fries since you can also get what we in the US call chips with the fish) were perfectly cooked and served piping hot. I must admit that, like Mikey, I ate the whole thing, thus eliminating the need for dinner that night.

I do have two nits to pick. The fries were indeed long and thin but this meant that they cooled down quickly. By the end of the meal the fries were not as tasty as at the beginning.

The second is that you should avoid using the facilities if at all possible. I will say no more!

[RGR]

ambrose,

I'm glad to hear your latest experience at Blue Fish Grill was as excellent as ours. You're right about them offering homemade potato chips as an alternative. I don't recall a problem with the fries cooling down too much, but maybe that's because my husband and I shared one order, so the fries were eaten more quickly.

Since we always exercise portion control, there were enough leftovers for a small lunch for me the next day. If you did, indeed, eat "the who-o-o-le thing!" I can totallly understand why you didn't have much of an appetite for dinner. :-))

With regard to the facilities, presuming you mean they were less than sanitary, there's no excuse for that. The chefs are the owners, so I think you should have complained to them. I certainly would have!

[ambrose]

RGR, regarding your reviews of Stewarts, I'll bet they're still out there but they may indeed be hard to find.

If you search your own posts, they go back as far as October, 2002!

[RGR]

ambrose,

Thanks for the suggestion. I hadn't thought of searching my own posts , but I found it too cumbersome. So, instead, I Googled and... Voila!

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/406453

[jnk]

In Fanwood:
http://fanwoodchippery.com/

[ambrose]

The fish at The Chippery is wonderful! I can't say the same, however, for the chips. The last time I was there I noticed that most of the take-out customers were buying fish only.

I'm not sure I would drive from South Amboy to Fanwood for the fish AND the chips. I might for just the fish though! :-))

[jnk]

Truthfully, I haven't eaten there in years. Ever since my body decided that I would have to "pay" every time I would eat fried food, I've been very selective about what I would eat. That being said, I do remember that while the fish was fantastic, the fries were just, well, fries.

[clairetraas]

Unfortunately the Chippery in Fanwood is closed. Not sure why, because their food was really tasty & I'm sad to see them go. Their fries were nothing special, but their fried fish & shrimp were to die for, and they had great onion rings & fried mushrooms.

[Tapas52]

Cameron's of Kearny Fish & Chips.

284 Brick Blvd Brick, NJ map [phone]

[ambrose]

What a shame. The Chippery was around for decades (four?) and offered up some of the best fried fish I've ever had. Sadly, I never had their onion rings!

I wonder if their secret batter recipe will be passed on to some other establishment.

[HillJ]

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage...
2006 article about the Chippery; they closed at the beginning of October.

[Elora]

Thanks for posting that HillJ, I was wondering what happened to them. Doesn't explain anything but was fun to read. BTW, I"m the poster formally known as Sivyaleah. Changed my name recently for personal reasons.

[HillJ]

Elora! I'm so glad to know that (s/n)!
Good times @ The Chippery...another one bites the dust ;(
My nostalgic ways are getting harder & harder to maintain!

[RGR]

Hey, Elora,

So glad to see you posting again! :-)

[Elora]

Thanks RGR! I'm living in Rahway now, smack in the heart of it. Been starting to branch out and try the local places - other than David Drake, which I can't afford to be eating at all the time unfortunately lol. Still have to save that one, for special occassions.

[potter]

Article from local paper why Chippery closed: http://www.goleader.com/08dec18/03.pdf

I'm paraphrasing "Economy, family illness, lack of workers ... but mostly rising cost of quality ingredient (cod)."

[Elora]

Thanks for posting that. I don't get the paper any longer since I moved. It's a sad story. I do wish they had given some kind of notice, not just closed the place down without saying anything. Even a small note on the door would have been helpful. Regardless, the restaurant is missed. Was one of those true mom and pop places with quality food that are slowly becoming a dying breed.

[equal_Mark]

I've seen places come and go for decades, and more than 90% of the time when they close there is no warning. There is not much of an incentive, especially if the reasons for closing are financial, for them to advertise that they will soon be out of business.

[heartfood]

Thanks all!!!! I will check them out.

[OGguy]

If you are willing to go as far as Asbury Park, the Brick Wall has very fine fish and chips

[equal_Mark]

I like the Fish at Brickwall, but the chips are, well, chips. I prefer the standard fries with my fish and chips, not home sliced potato chips.

[debbie173nj]

I would suggest McDonoughs Pub in Keyport. I grew up eating the fish and chips at the Argyle in Kearny and the ones at McDonoughs are pretty close.

[njchowgal]

i second Debbie. The pub's fish and chips are great. We went in on a whim expecting average bar food and were very impressed.

[Passadumkeg]

Have you tried The Morgan Fishery on Rt, 35 N in SA or Sayreville? BYOB too.
Or the fish shack on Rt. 18 N in E. Brunswick, just n. of Red Lobster? Take Bordentown Av., get on north bound 18. Isn't it sad at how difficult it has become to not only find a good piece of fish, but even good chips?
Go Bombers!

[njchowgal]

Pass- I am interested in going to the Morgan Fishery in Sayreville. I searched for a menu online, but I haven't found much info on it. Could you please tell me more about it?

[jrd303]

More info in this thread

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/521146

found a small article here as well

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/index...

[Passadumkeg]

The menu is extensive, double sided, blurry, small type print. Mainly fried and a lot of Italian influence. Very small, no ambiance, but great food, form fish sandwiches to daily specials. Deat by garlic too. (What a way to go.)

What is it you're looking for? I have a copy of the menu.

[Tapas52]

http://www.cameronsofkearny.net/index...

enjoy