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Daily Record
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
I tried posh £21 fish and chips that David Beckham ordered – 3 words sum it up
I was dispatched to see if a luxury order of fish and chips was worth the hefty price tag What's the most you'd be willing to fork out for fish and chips? For me, it's not about the money but the time spent journeying to the east coast where two chip shops serve up fare so delightful it's downright soul-stirring. In St Andrews, Tailend and Cromar are where you'll find succulent haddock in a batter that's been fried to a masterful standard I've not seen elsewhere - an astonishingly light, supremely crunchy coating with frilly, jagged edges that audibly snap into fragments. This culinary masterpiece is nestled atop a pile of chips that aren't too chunky, boasting a crispness, fluffiness, and creaminess that could sway even a staunch advocate of skinny fries like myself. These chippies set the bar by which I judge all other fish and chips. Having once been a local, I now stay in Glasgow, regrettably a 90-minute drive from chippy heaven. However, I've recently been given the mission to determine whether a posh serving of fish and chips justifies its price tag, reports the Express. Inspired by a review of £18 fish and chips, my quest led me to Crabshakk, the fashionable seafood eatery, which opened its doors in Finnieston well before it became the Glasgow's foodie epicentre. The restaurant has drawn in celebrities like David Beckham and Sam Heughan. Although the Outlander star kept mum about his meal, Becks excitedly shared his dining experience on Instagram, praising the scallops "cooked to perfection", rollmops reminiscent of his grandmother's, and, of course, the fish and chips. Their latest venture, Crabshakk Botanics off Byres Road, exudes sleek and chic with industrial black fittings, trailing greenery, timber-clad walls and floor-to-ceiling windows — an ambience my fellow diner described as "very New York". We agree it's the type of swishy restaurant to bring friends visiting from out of town. When I'm off on a weekday, as someone with inflexible working hours, I like to wonder what other people who are out and about do for a living. I don't have to think too hard – at noon on a Wednesday, the clientele at this upmarket seafood restaurant consists of three tables populated by well-groomed, silver-haired guests. Before a father and daughter arrive, we are the youngest diners by decades - a journalist enjoying a day off in lieu with a friend on the backshift. One look at the menu and you know it's for seafood lovers. Lobster, crab, scallops, langoustine, squid, Arbroath smokies — whatever you fancy, they've got it. Non-seafood mains are few, featuring one meat option (steak frites) and four vegan dishes. My companion opts for the complimentary fizzy water, whilst despite being off duty, my afternoon plans rule out alcohol. I spring for the Spicy Rita (£8), a coral mocktail blending citrus, sweetness and savoury elements that pleasantly evoked tomato flavours. Rather than the traditional salted rim, black Himalayan salt adorns one edge of the glass, not unlike a sandy bum on the beach. The service here is courteous and prompt. It's a quiet lunch service and our hefty plates of fried seafood and chips soon arrive. So, my verdict on £21 fish and chips — not worth it. Giving credit where it's due, it's a good meal overall and they certainly don't scrimp on portion size. The chips are creamy and delicious, but it's the fish that falls flat. While I wasn't anticipating it to be the best I've ever had, the fried coating is thicker, darker and oilier than it should be. A look at TripAdvisor reviews reveals I'm not alone in this observation. The creamy tartare sauce is good but one glaring omission are peas, mushy or otherwise. Meanwhile, my friend happily tucks into her breaded monkfish cheeks accompanied by skinny fries, salad and a tangy and moreish housemade ketchup (£27). To share, we can't pass on the tomato and watermelon salad with salsa verde (£9) garnished with what appear to be edible succulent leaves that provide pops of salty juiciness. The restaurant didn't invite me for a review nor were they aware I was conducting one. Having footed the bill, I winced at the cost but I'm not overly put out. I'm not against the idea of posh fish and chips. But I'd suggest holding off on the craving until you can make your way to the East Neuk of Fife.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
I paid £21 for fish and chips at a restaurant celebrities love – 4 words sum it up
The seafood restaurant's celebrity diners include David Beckham and Sam Heughan How much are fish and chips worth? For me, the cost is time, not money – the trek to the east coast of Scotland where two chippies make food so good it's life-affirming. At Tailend and Cromar in St Andrews, succulent haddock is expertly battered and fried to a standard I've regrettably not discovered elsewhere — an incredibly light, ultra-crisp coating with frilly, jagged fried edges that audibly shatter into pieces. This masterpiece sits atop a bed of perfectly-sized chips that are crispy, fluffy, and creamy enough to convert a skinny-fries-only devotee like myself. It's the benchmark against which I judge all chippies. Once a local, I now reside in Glasgow, a 90-minute journey from chippy paradise. But thankfully, I have been asked to see if one £21 order of fish and chips justifies the cost. Following a recent review of £18 fish and chips, I could only visit Crabshakk, Glasgow's fashionable seafood restaurant that launched in Finnieston in 2009, before it transformed into the city's culinary hotspot. Its celebrity clientele have included the likes of David Beckham and Sam Heughan, reports the Express. Whilst it hasn't been revealed what the Outlander star ate, Becks enthusiastically Instagrammed his way through his meal of scallops "cooked to perfection", rollmops he claimed reminded him of his gran, and fish and chips. Their latest venture, Crabshakk Botanics, is a sleek and stylish blend of industrial modernity with black fixtures, trailing vines, wood-panelled walls and floor-to-ceiling windows. My dining partner described the aesthetic as "very New York" – the type of place you'd bring out-of-town friends and family. As someone who doesn't have flexible working hours, I always wonder what others do for a living when I'm able to be out on a working day. So it's no surprise that on a weekday at noon, the other customers in this upmarket seafood restaurant are three tables of well-groomed, silver-haired patrons. Until a father and daughter duo arrive, we are the youngest by decades — a journalist enjoying a day off in lieu, accompanied by a friend working the backshift. The menu is a seafood lover's dream. Choose your creature — lobster, crab, scallops, langoustine, squid, Arbroath smokies — if you want it, they've got it. There sum total of non-fish main courses are steak frites and four vegan options. My friend sticks to the complimentary sparkling water, and although I'm not working, I'll be driving later, so a mocktail it is. I chose the Spicy Rita (£8), a coral-coloured drink with citrus, sweet and savoury flavours reminiscent of a tomato. Instead of a salt rim, black Himalayan salt lines circles one side of the glass, like a sandy bum on the beach. The service here is polite and doesn't linger. With a sparse crowd, our steaming hot plates of fried seafood and chips are served promptly. So, my verdict on £21 fish and chips — quite good, but not worth the price. To start with the pros: they don't scrimp on portion size, for one, and the chips are creamy and cooked well. It's the fish (exact species unknown) of the fish and chips that falls a bit short. While I wasn't anticipating it to be the best of all time, the fried coating is thicker, darker and oilier than it should be. A quick glance at TripAdvisor reviews shows I'm not the first to think so. The creamy tartare sauce is good, but notably, it comes without peas — a shocking omission, especially at these prices. Meanwhile, my friend has no regrets about ordering the breaded monkfish cheeks that come with skinny fries, salad and their restaurant's own ketchup (£27), a condiment I found surprisingly addictive when I typically wish posh restaurant ketchup was Heinz. We share a vegetarian main, a delightful tomato and watermelon salad (£9) with salsa verde. It's sprinkled with what appears to be edible succulent leaves that provide a salty, juicy contrast. The restaurant didn't invite me for a review nor were they aware I was conducting one. Having footed the bill for the meal, I'm grimacing at the cost, but not terribly put out about it – it was by no means a bad meal. I'm not opposed to a posh fish and chips, but personally, I'd hold off on my next craving until I can make my way to the East Neuk of Fife.
