664030 Mon Nov 02 05:00:18 -0800 2009 21 13 New England 0 5148421 Fish and Chips... I don't want the ordinary stuff or mediocre bar food. Does anyone specialize in fish and chips? I found one post referring to a place in Milford I have never heard of and that's it. Mon Nov 02 05:00:18 -0800 2009 137946 Scargod 1 5148643 Royal Fish and Chips in Meriden is probably the closest place with English style fish. Although great quality fried fish and seafood can be had at the Sandbar in West Haven, my go to fry joint. Here's the link to Royal----http://local.yahoo.com/info-10571889-royal-fish-chips-meriden I've heard this place is good, but I've yet to try it. It's in a plaza with an Ocean State job Lot. Good Luck, let me know how the fish and chips are. Mon Nov 02 07:05:52 -0800 2009 5148421 19545 chefstu 2 5148725 I was just in Meriden and at the very location of Royal, but then we had just filled up on Mexican on Main Street (El Mariachi). Thanks! Thanks to both of you. If Heirloom has fish and chips and they are as good as the whole-bellied clams I had, then they would probably be wonderful! I'll soon need an excuse to go back to Meriden: Mex, sausages, ravioli or sumpin'! Mon Nov 02 07:37:18 -0800 2009 5148643 137946 Scargod 2 5150277 I have been here and tried the fish and it's very mild and I hate fish too. No fishy taste at all but I still went with the fried chicken. Mon Nov 02 14:53:07 -0800 2009 5148643 10646 javaandjazz 1 5148651 On the nicer side of things, Heirloom (http://www.studyhotels.com/menus/index.cfm) and Foster's (http://fostersrestaurant.com/) have both occasionally included fish and chips on their menus. But, I wouldn't recommend a restaurant for fish and chips. The traditional places to get fish and chips in the area have always been fish markets and clam shacks, and they typically do them far better than any restaurant I've been to. In the area you specify, the only places I know are Big Y supermarkets. The fish and chips at Big Y are usually very good, but you run the risk of the person behind the counter being inexperienced and not doing a good job on th frying (this has never happened to me, but I've known some real winners that worked behind that counter). Slightly out of your range, but only ten or fifteen minutes off of 84, is Swanson's Fish Market in Monroe. Incredibly fresh fish, and you have your choice of anything they have in the store. Some of the best fried fish I've had, and they make very good soups as well. If you really want the best, it's at Cove Fish in Stonington (http://www.covefishmarket.com/). Mon Nov 02 07:07:48 -0800 2009 5148421 36408 danieljdwyer 2 5152644 Just had fish and chips at Johnny Ad's in Old Saybrook on Route 1 today. Fish wonderfully moist under a very light "breading", chips cut thicker than most but very crisp. Served with cole slaw (not vinegary enough for me, rather bland), good tartar sauce (believe it's made there, chopped onions, etc.), biscuit with butter (didn't try it), and lemon wedge. There is a dining room but it operates like a shore shack with numbers called, etc. If you're on the road, it's a great spot with an extensive menu of seafood and fish + dogs. Tue Nov 03 12:07:14 -0800 2009 5148651 216063 philbkr 3 5152979 I'm starting to drool! Thanks! Tue Nov 03 13:43:23 -0800 2009 5152644 137946 Scargod 4 5153036 When you visit, we'll go to Finn's Irish Pub for the fish & Chips; lightly breaded local haddock and a side of round chips for 7 bucks. Tue Nov 03 13:58:53 -0800 2009 5152979 93538 Passadumkeg 1 5155636 Try Stowe's Seafood on the corner of Washington Ave and Beach St in West Haven. Everything a clam shack should be. I go at least twice a month for lunch. Never been disappointed. Wed Nov 04 11:39:35 -0800 2009 5148421 290731 Ravac 2 5158318 Thanks for that. And a view! Wow. You are a Chowhound I am not familiar with. To me, Trumbull looks like a black hole for restaurants. Is it? Thu Nov 05 10:18:02 -0800 2009 5155636 137946 Scargod 3 5172570 Yes. :-( Actually, we just tried Jennies Pizzeria just over the border in Monroe, on Rt. 111 this past weekend. We got a white clam pizza with garlic, and it was as good as anything served on Wooster St. New Haven. Definitely going back. Their dining room is being remodelled, so it's a take-out only place at the moment. Marisa's is acceptable Italian, if a bit over-priced. As a very Italian friend once said, "It's Italian food for white people that fled the city." Portions are decent, and the food is prepared well, but it just misses the mark of real excellence. The last time I was there, I had ravioli that were either frozen or were seriously over-worked... very tough dough. On an earler visit, I had gotten the beef brasciole, which was very good, but the sauce tasted like it was out of a can. Ichiro's Japanese Restaurant in Trumbull Center is really good. Been there several times. Wed Nov 11 08:06:14 -0800 2009 5158318 290731 Ravac 1 5156335 Lenny's in Branford or Lenny and Joe's Fish Tale in Westbrook and Clinton are great. Wed Nov 04 15:04:26 -0800 2009 5148421 234312 deliciousdevil 1 5158555 May be too far south for you, but the fish & cheps at Westfair Fish & Chips (in Westport on Post Road) are great. The batter has a nice taste, and the home-made tartar sauce is the perfect dip. Thu Nov 05 11:25:55 -0800 2009 5148421 128251 Ima Foodie 1 5158881 I realize just outside of New Haven County, but have you tried Uberti's Fish Market just over the Devon Bridge in Stratford? Excellent. Try to eat them there as they get a bit soggy for takeout. Battered. Picture on site does not do it justice. The fish is very fresh and sweet. http://www.ubertisseafood.net/ Thu Nov 05 13:00:22 -0800 2009 5148421 100343 cheereeo 1 5163597 My vote is for Lenny & Joe's - less batter-y than english style fish & chips. Now that summer is over the wednesday all you care to eat fish fry is back. debvil Sat Nov 07 12:33:21 -0800 2009 5148421 18538 debvil 1 5163621 Here's a confession: I used to like to go to Captain D's. Not sure if they ever made it this far north. Anyway, this was around 1980. I got to where I would strip off the batter and just eat the fish, if I felt it was too greasy and over-battered. I don't like that, at all. If it's light and not grease-laden them I'm fine with a nice batter. Is there a "standard white fish or best fish? I have a nice cod fillet I am going to fry up for dinner, using a beer batter. Sat Nov 07 12:47:17 -0800 2009 5148421 137946 Scargod 2 5163642 One of the nice things about fish and chips from a fish market is that you get the option of pretty much any fish they have in stock. Cove offers the choice of cod or flounder, but I've also had haddock there. Elsewhere I've had hake, tilapia, pollock, whiting, monkfish, salmon, tuna, sole, turbot, and halibut. Salmon and tuna were interesting, but not worth repeating. Monkfish is good, but the texture is very different from your usual fish and chips. The whitefish and flatfish all work very well. Flounder is my personal favorite. At home, I usually use pollock or tilapia, because they're inexpensive and only a very small step down from the other whitefish, even when frozen and farm raised (though pollock is too fishy for some). Sat Nov 07 13:01:08 -0800 2009 5163621 36408 danieljdwyer 3 5163655 Seems I thought whiting and pollock were the common fish used by chains. Sat Nov 07 13:08:10 -0800 2009 5163642 137946 Scargod 3 5163948 Funny, monkfish used to be called poor man's lobster because of it texture, now it is fished out and more expensive than lobster. Traditionally, Atlantic cod was used for fish and chips, then as its stocks were depleted (cod will never return in great numbers), haddock took it's place, now nmany kinds of white fish are used. Sat Nov 07 16:00:43 -0800 2009 5163642 93538 Passadumkeg 2 5164002 Scar, here's a beer batter that I've used a bunch lately for both fish (I've used cod from TJs) and onion rings: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/648231 Sat Nov 07 16:32:17 -0800 2009 5163621 131001 c oliver 1 5167277 In Central CT, I really like the fish and chips at Vaughn's public house on Pratt Street in Downtown Hartford. (they also have a great curry sauce you can get on the side) Mon Nov 09 10:10:25 -0800 2009 5148421 15908 masha bousha 1 5172379 My favorite place for a good english style fish and chips is Royal Fish and Chips in Meriden. Thick pieces of Icelandic cod fried up with a thick batter and served with lots of those little crunchies that always seem to break away from the batter when being fried. Great with either malt vinegar or their tartar sauce. Lenny and Joe's Fish Tale in Madison and Westbrook has a good breaded fish and chips. They have their all you can eat fried fish on Wednesdays at both of their locations. If you are really hungry or have a good sized appetite then you will get your monies worth on Wednesdays. Wed Nov 11 06:54:54 -0800 2009 5148421 73843 HeidiCT