We had a visit from Blai’s mother last week and she was keen as usual to taste the best of what London had to offer. There was some serious pressure! One request from last time was fish and chips and thank you very much to everyone on Twitter who responded to my plea for the best fish and chips in London. It’s clear that there’s no consensus on the issue but one that did come up again and again was Masters Super Fish (Ibrahim of Will Eat For Money is a big fan) in Waterloo. Two Monday nights ago, we went there for dinner.
To my surprise, there was a Masters Super Fish and a Masters Chinese takeaway side by side! Only in London: the waitress was Chinese and the cook was Italian and the cuisine was English. The fish and chip restaurant itself looks like it hasn’t been touched in 30 years or so and the majority of the customers looked like regulars.
After we put in our orders, three plates with three boiled prawns each were brought to the table along with a basket of sliced baguette and butter pats. I wolfed down my prawns and then one of Blai’s prawns and then had to restrain myself from snarfling all the bread too – I was starving but the giant plates of food arriving at the other tables made me hold tight.
Blai and his mother chose the cod…
… while I had the haddock. When your plates come, the waitress also comes over with large bowls of pickled cucumbers and pickled onions – I had one of each. It turns out I quite like pickled onions.
We also had a side of mushy peas, our “greens” for the meal.
I loved that the sauces came in Chinese rice bowls! With so much tartar sauce, there was no need to ask for more.
The fish was beautifully fried and very fresh. The chips were tasty with a good potato flavour but a little soggy, which was a little disappointing. Still, it’s a solid place for fish and chips. I’m keen to try all the other places that were recommended to me (The Golden Hind, Fryers Delight, Golden Union) but it’s going to take time – I don’t think I can handle fish and chips more than once a month! What’s your favourite fish and chip place?
Masters Super Fish
191 Waterloo Road
London SE1 8UX
Sun, 23 May, 2010 at 21:58
Hi Su-Lin,
I love your blog, if you ever come to Barcelona or Catalunya let me know and I will try to recommend you some good places to eat.
I could not leave your question without an answer, after leaving for 10 years in Edinburgh I have to say my favourite fish and chip place is the famous award winning Anstruther Fish Bar in Anstruther,Fife. Beautiful fish & chips and beautiful scenery.
Sun, 23 May, 2010 at 22:04
sorry I forgot to sign,
Goretti
Ps: check our blog, La Rectoria rural ramblings. We are restoring an old rectory in Girona to open our own guest house including restaurant for residents, which it is not very common in spanish guest houses. I hope you like it.
Sun, 23 May, 2010 at 22:04
I think Dos Hermanos have lots of fish and chips tips on their blog as they are a bit obsessed with it! Looks like you got off to a good start though…
Sun, 23 May, 2010 at 22:30
It looks nearly as good as Harry Ramsden’s! 😀
Sun, 23 May, 2010 at 22:48
If nothing else, this place certainly looked most generous with the prawns, serving sizes and sauces! Hope your Mother in Law gave it the tick!
Mon, 24 May, 2010 at 01:55
i’m afraid to say, but i love soggy chips! those look so good, with their extra brown, blistered refried bits.
Mon, 24 May, 2010 at 05:23
Mmmm…YUM. I love fish & chips w/ 3 monks malt vinegar. 🙂
Mon, 24 May, 2010 at 19:39
Rick Stein’s fish and chips in Padstow, Cornwall is by far and away the most amazing I’ve eaten (and that includes multiple award winning Anstruther Fish Bar). If you haven’t been before, you MUST drop by if you’re ever in Cornwall.
Tue, 25 May, 2010 at 13:09
I haven’t had good fish and chips in London yet and may well stalk your f&c posts to see what you think. This place looks great though, what with the Chinese influences haha 🙂
Tue, 25 May, 2010 at 14:33
I don’t like fried food that much, but all those pictures are making me hungry! Great review.
Tue, 25 May, 2010 at 19:26
Su-Lin, that looks absolutely killer! And like it’s been done correctly – when something is that simple, it better be done right!
Wed, 26 May, 2010 at 02:01
I can hear the crunch of the batter!
Wed, 26 May, 2010 at 14:00
Oh yes! I’ve been! 🙂
Sat, 29 May, 2010 at 07:07
New reader but impressed! And happy blogoversary, I hope I make it as long as you – can I celebrate a 4-month-aversary? ;P
Sat, 29 May, 2010 at 10:24
I haven’t been to Masters but have tried the other three you are keen to try next and I have to say, I’m not especially keen on them! Masters is my last hope for classic fish and chips, otherwise I like the Bull & Last.
Sun, 30 May, 2010 at 20:53
I haven’t had great fish & chips in London. Rock & Sole Plaice in Covent Garden is OK, but not brilliant. Our local chippy in Rickmansworth is very, very good though, if you are ever stuck in the outer ‘burbs!
Tue, 1 Jun, 2010 at 22:27
Goretti: I will indeed be in touch – thank you! BTW, I was able to get to your website before but it hasn’t been working for me recently…
Gourmet Chick: I read a couple of them but it looks like I need to really dig all the posts out – thanks for the heads up!
travelrat: 😀 I’ve only been to one Harry Ramsden’s… the one on the beach in Bournemouth. I do remember it being quite tasty but that may have been the fact that I was eating it in the right environment.
LexEat: She loved it – it was classic English food and the place was packed with regulars and the food was good – all exactly what she was looking for: the authentic experience!
bowb: Despite their being soggy, they were extremely tasty. Good and potatoey. 🙂
June: The smell of chips with malt vinegar can be so distracting…. and then I can’t think of anything else than having my own chips with vinegar!
Wild Boar: Oh, I really want to go to Padstow! It looks soooo beautiful!
catty: I was so surprised to see that it was Chinese run as no review seemed to indicate this!
Ben: 😀 Thanks, Ben! I love fried food… and let’s not discuss the health implications of this love!
Rachel: The fish was very fresh and very well fried. They just need to sort out their chips.
3hungrytummies: The fish was surrounded by wonderfully crunchy batter – sad about the uncrunchy chips.
Kay: Yay!
sasa: Why not?! Thanks for dropping by!
tommy: Oh, shame! What do you think of the fish and chips at other restaurants?
Foodycat: I love to hear about great locals – if I’m ever in Rickmansworth, I’ll check it out!
Wed, 2 Jun, 2010 at 17:10
Some would have it there is only one Harry Ramsden’s, the ‘original’ at Guiseley, in Yorkshire, and that the franchises are but a pale imitation.
However, I have tried both and, although Guiseley does have a slight edge (my wife says I’m imagining it)the franchises … my latest was the one at Heathrow … doesn’t fall far short.
Fri, 7 Jan, 2011 at 01:50
[…] sure I'd visit a few while over there. I forced my wife to visit two (L'Alba D'Oro in Edinburg and Master Super Fish & Chips in London) and we were a tad disappointed. I like batter as much as the the next guy but found the […]
Sat, 7 Apr, 2012 at 17:46
heniputra…
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