Italian-style chipper in Cork?

Esho

Hi,

Burning question about Cork!!!

Where's there a chipper that does good chips like the Italian chippers in Dublin?

I tried a few places but its been straight out of the freezer bag and into the fryer, just not the same at all!

bingo9999

Not sure it covers the 'Italian' part of the ask but Lennox's on Bandon road is king of the chips world for many.

Also, and I cant speak to its quality a shavent been in, but there is a Mizzoni's on Coburg street which I think is a branch of the Dublin chain
https://goo.gl/maps/q2M7RKhHy4wgzb6NA

jackrussel

Mizonis use steakhouse chips.

The golden fry, lennox’s, dinos, KCs

Diziet

Also The Fishwife on Mc Curtain street and Grand Parade

Nicetrustedcup

The op is looking for a proper Italian chipper but really there few and fair between in ireland.

Must have went back home and retired or sold out there fish chips.

I can nearly count on a single hand how many are still run by Italians in the south of ireland.

A example would be pizza italia on the grand perade used to be Italian owened and run but now its fish wife however he rents it out to fish wife.

the beer revolu

Nicetrustedcup wrote: »

A example would be pizza italia on the grand perade used to be Italian owened and run but now its fish wife however he rents it out to fish wife.

But that was never an Italian chipper, it was a pizzaria.
Cork never had the Italian chippers like in Dublin.

New O Reily's on Barrack Street where Bao Boi was is supposed to be good.

H3llR4iser

Interesting fact: there is no such thing as an actual "Italian Chipper". A bit like "spaghetti alla bolognese", it's something that doesn't exist in Italy at all; Most Italians, actually, won't even know that "Fish 'n Chips" is a thing - actually most scoff at is as something "weird", until they taste is that is

There are, mostly in the south and especially in Naples, places called "friggitorie" (roughly translated, "a place where we fry things"), and their offering is going to be along these lines:



Those are all variations of fried bread dough, potatoes, aubergines, pasta or rice.

You'll find none of that in Ireland, or better, not anymore - there was a guy in Blackrock, here specifically:

https://goo.gl/maps/mseMxhBnYqSCZT7eA

...who actually did this stuff. He'd fry your arancino (ball of rice with mozzarella, peas and tomato in a batter) or zeppole (basically, fried bread dough) right in front of you, and these were VERY tasty...however the place looks like it's boarded up now

If it's just chips you're looking for, they'd hold Cork up if there was an earthquake; Have a walk on McCurtain Street and check which one you prefer, or head off to Lennox on Barrack Street, always a safe bet!

Actually, come think of it...the rule for Cork is pretty much that the worse the place looks from the outside, in a less-than-nice area with plenty of "hoodies" queuing outside, the better the food is

P.lane78

Not in cork city but Sorrento in Cobh is very good ....or la trattoria in Midleton

RINO87

Yeah I grew up in the midlands where all of the chippers were Italian, the whole way up to dublin.... go west or south tho and they didnt really exist!

The ones in the Midlands and dublin all seem to have amalgamated and homogenized under the "Romayo's" brand. You do still find the odd "real" chipper about the place too though - Angelo's in Banagher Co. Offaly is a fine example.

Closest to these that I've found in Cork is Murphys in Blackpool.

Esho

That is great!
Thanks folks!

I'll check them out, starting with one of them tonight. Nothing like a good bag of chips and a few frosty ones on a Friday evening

Its true - the Italians who originally ran the chippers in Dublin all came from the same village outside of Rome.
They charter a plane to fly back every Christmas - an Italian pal got a lift on it one year!

Is KCs worth the queue do you reckon?

RINO87

Esho wrote: »

That is great!
Thanks folks!

I'll check them out, starting with one of them tonight. Nothing like a good bag of chips and a few frosty ones on a Friday evening

Its true - the Italians who originally ran the chippers in Dublin all came from the same village outside of Rome.
They charter a plane to fly back every Christmas - an Italian pal got a lift on it one year!

Is KCs worth the queue do you reckon?

For Burgers/Pittas, yes. Chips no.

bingo9999

RINO87 wrote: »

For Burgers/Pittas, yes. Chips no.

Whatever youre getting throw an old bombay in on the side, you wont regret it

the beer revolu

H3llR4iser wrote: »

Interesting fact: there is no such thing as an actual "Italian Chipper". A bit like "spaghetti alla bolognese", it's something that doesn't exist in Italy at all; Most Italians, actually, won't even know that "Fish 'n Chips" is a thing - actually most scoff at is as something "weird", until they taste is that is


D

Are you seriously trying tell us that Italians are not queuing up every Friday night for Fish suppers with mushy peas, batter burgers, potato pies and spice burgers??
That's crazy talk and no one believes you;)

H3llR4iser

the beer revolu wrote: »

Are you seriously trying tell us that Italians are not queuing up every Friday night for Fish suppers with mushy peas, batter burgers, potato pies and spice burgers??
That's crazy talk and no one believes you;)

I know, right?


You'd be surprised however, I had instances of colleagues and friends going to Italy and coming back wondering about where the "chippers" were...:D

Nicetrustedcup

Esho wrote: »

That is great!
Thanks folks!

I'll check them out, starting with one of them tonight. Nothing like a good bag of chips and a few frosty ones on a Friday evening

Its true - the Italians who originally ran the chippers in Dublin all came from the same village outside of Rome.
They charter a plane to fly back every Christmas - an Italian pal got a lift on it one year!

Is KCs worth the queue do you reckon?

Plus one in this they are all from the same area just south of Rome I would not say the same village but in the same say 25km Square area.

I look at my own father when he moved to Ireland in the 70s to work in his brothers fish and chips. He started washing dishes then moving on from that and in less then 10 years he owed his own fish and chips in Dublin ha.

It's the same in Scotland where must of the chippers where Italians all from the same area.

Like when I head back home. My town has about 5 fish and chips in it but only one proper Italian one and you can tell the difference hands down.

But in Cork Murphys is a very good chipper, fish wife is also good but none match the the Italian chipper back home.

Yah back in Italy there is no fish and chips ha. Where my dad's from its pizza slice shops and I can tell you hands down they are about 500 times better then the crap fast als sell.

You guys get to have the Fish Wife, having fúck-all Italian chippers is your penance for that.

dulpit

http://www.itica.ie/ for the full list of Irish Traditional Italian chippers. Only 2 in Cork, 1 in Cobh, 1 in Youghal.

Esho

H3llR4iser wrote: »

Interesting fact: there is no such thing as an actual "Italian Chipper". A bit like "spaghetti alla bolognese", it's something that doesn't exist in Italy at all; Most Italians, actually, won't even know that "Fish 'n Chips" is a thing - actually most scoff at is as something "weird", until they taste is that is

There are, mostly in the south and especially in Naples, places called "friggitorie" (roughly translated, "a place where we fry things"), and their offering is going to be along these lines:



Those are all variations of fried bread dough, potatoes, aubergines, pasta or rice.

You'll find none of that in Ireland, or better, not anymore - there was a guy in Blackrock, here specifically:

https://goo.gl/maps/mseMxhBnYqSCZT7eA

...who actually did this stuff. He'd fry your arancino (ball of rice with mozzarella, peas and tomato in a batter) or zeppole (basically, fried bread dough) right in front of you, and these were VERY tasty...however the place looks like it's boarded up now

If it's just chips you're looking for, they'd hold Cork up if there was an earthquake; Have a walk on McCurtain Street and check which one you prefer, or head off to Lennox on Barrack Street, always a safe bet!

Actually, come think of it...the rule for Cork is pretty much that the worse the place looks from the outside, in a less-than-nice area with plenty of "hoodies" queuing outside, the better the food is

Nice one! Great to get a bit of local knowledge!

bob mcbob

Nicetrustedcup wrote: »

Plus one in this they are all from the same area just south of Rome I would not say the same village but in the same say 25km Square area.

I look at my own father when he moved to Ireland in the 70s to work in his brothers fish and chips. He started washing dishes then moving on from that and in less then 10 years he owed his own fish and chips in Dublin ha.

It's the same in Scotland where must of the chippers where Italians all from the same area.

Like when I head back home. My town has about 5 fish and chips in it but only one proper Italian one and you can tell the difference hands down.

But in Cork Murphys is a very good chipper, fish wife is also good but none match the the Italian chipper back home.

Yah back in Italy there is no fish and chips ha. Where my dad's from its pizza slice shops and I can tell you hands down they are about 500 times better then the crap fast als sell.

Yes this is an article about it

https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/travel/welcome-to-barga-the-most-scottish-town-in-italy-1-4238742

the beer revolu

Nicetrustedcup wrote: »

Like when I head back home. My town has about 5 fish and chips in it but only one proper Italian one and you can tell the difference hands down.
.

What is the difference?
Obviously, between a traditional chipper and an Italian traditional chipper?
Are there different methods and practices? I'm very curious to get your "insider" view.
I've found good and bad chippers run by Irish and Italians.

Agree with you on Fast Al's but believe it or not for a while when he first opened and Al made the pizzas, they were the best pizza in Cork, at the time. I don't know how the quality was allowed to drop so drastically.

beer enigma

the beer revolu wrote: »

What is the difference?
Obviously, between a traditional chipper and an Italian traditional chipper?
Are there different methods and practices? I'm very curious to get your "insider" view.
I've found good and bad chippers run by Irish and Italians.

Agree with you on Fast Al's but believe it or not for a while when he first opened and Al made the pizzas, they were the best pizza in Cork, at the time. I don't know how the quality was allowed to drop so drastically.

Palm oil versus beef dripping

salmocab

I’m surprised to hear that the chippers in cork aren’t pretty much the same as the ones in Dublin.
Years ago my friends football team hosted an American soccer team for a week or so u16s I think and the American lads were crazy for our local chipper.

Ludo

salmocab wrote: »

I’m surprised to hear that the chippers in cork aren’t pretty much the same as the ones in Dublin.

Meh...lived in Dublin for 15 years. Good and bad chippers there also just like here. I did particularly like P.Borza in Dalkey but a few of the Macari's I ate in were only ok. C Aprile (non-italian) in Stillorgan was excellent also. Just like here..good and bad. Here, for example, I think the Dinos in Turners Cross is far superior in general to Dinos in Douglas.
It is just as good as most chippers in Dublin.

yuridwyer

Slightly off topic..... but does anyone agree that nowhere is Cork does a proper battered sausage? I'm at the point that every time I'm in Cork (City or County) I have to try a different chipper to find the first one there!

the beer revolu

yuridwyer wrote: »

Slightly off topic..... but does anyone agree that nowhere is Cork does a proper battered sausage? I'm at the point that every time I'm in Cork (City or County) I have to try a different chipper to find the first one there!

Looney's in Blackpool does a good and cheap battered sausage. I really like their chips, too.

I'm not sure what you mean by a "proper" battered sausage, though. What do you look for in a bs?

the beer revolu

beer enigma wrote: »

Palm oil versus beef dripping

Italians use palm oil?
Or you're saying the other way around?
I know of Irish chippers using beef dripping - Looney's being an example I'm sure about because you can see the containers.

corks finest

Esho wrote:

I tried a few places but its been straight out of the freezer bag and into the fryer, just not the same at all!

Chish n FIBS Crosshaven without doubt the best fish n chips in Cork( haddock yum yum)

pwurple

Loads of places do beef dripping chips. Golden fry in Ballinlough, Franks in Carrigtwohill... maybe Denny’s by the he silver key?

TheQuietBeatle

Luciano's in Glanmire are from Italian family.

pwurple

beer enigma wrote: »

Golden fry and Dennys are Palm oil as far as I know

Golden fry has boxes of beef dripping delivered in the front door.

Denny’s you might be right, it is definitely solid at room temp, does palm oil do that too?

ontheditch2

Best chips I've had in Cork are in the golden fry in Ballinlough, along with best potato pie.
Keohanes in Midleton do a nice batter sausage and chips but a small portion.

corkgsxr

Chipmonger has about the nicest chips in Cork.

Dinos and lenoxes after that.

Anyone else meh

TheQuietBeatle

Lennox's in Middleton are very good also, voted best chipper on Ireland last year (not related to Jackie Lennox from what I've heard).

yuridwyer

the beer revolu wrote: »

Looney's in Blackpool does a good and cheap battered sausage. I really like their chips, too.

I'm not sure what you mean by a "proper" battered sausage, though. What do you look for in a bs?

Batter that doesn't crack when you bite into it.

sporina

Tasty Snacks in Churchfield do fab chips apparently

rob316

O Reilly's food truck on the straight road is for me the best.

sporina

I use to live in Drumcondra in Dublin - Fortes chips on Dorset street were (and still, are I believe) class.. proper italian style chips.. cut in-house from real potatoes..
Can't get anything like them here in Cork..
Murphy's are not the same - v greasy

Mardyke

"Italian style chips" is a funny one, considering chips aren't a thing in Italy at all.

Still not sure what the difference is...

I live in Leinster but am from Cork.
Dublin Italian style chippers are IMO utter crap, the food is rank. Not a patch on Lennox's etc.

the beer revolu

Mardyke wrote: »

Still not sure what the difference is...

Even the Italian person from an Italian chipper family couldn't explain the difference.

To be honest, I don't think there is any.

Good chippers, bad chippers, Italian run chippers and Irish run chippers. I don't think there is a particular connection.

the beer revolu

the beer revolu wrote: »

........... I don't think there is a particular connection.

Potatoe pies seem to be a Cork thing.

Seathrun66

RINO87 wrote: »

Yeah I grew up in the midlands where all of the chippers were Italian, the whole way up to dublin.... go west or south tho and they didnt really exist!

The ones in the Midlands and dublin all seem to have amalgamated and homogenized under the "Romayo's" brand. You do still find the odd "real" chipper about the place too though - Angelo's in Banagher Co. Offaly is a fine example.

Closest to these that I've found in Cork is Murphys in Blackpool.

Not exactly true. Cafollas in Ballina & Castlebar are authentic and have been running for 5/6 decades. Ballina one was opened in 1967 by the Orlandi & Cafolla families and has been in Italian ownership ever since. Good chips too.

sporina

Seathrun66 wrote: »

Not exactly true. Cafollas in Ballina & Castlebar are authentic and have been running for 5/6 decades. Ballina one was opened in 1967 by the Orlandi & Cafolla families and has been in Italian ownership ever since. Good chips too.

Speaking of Mayo, Danollas in Westport is class too..

RINO87

^^For fish yes, I don't think Murphys even do fresh fish, only square "cod". For chips and other assorted deep fried/battered/southern fried/messy goodness Murphys wins.

RINO87

OmegaGene wrote: »

I’ve never had square COD from murphys, I haven’t been in a while but it was always decent fish and chips

You're right, we treated ourselves to Murphy's last night, love big lump of fresh haddock, perfect batter and a battered sausage to wash it all down!! By jaysus their chips are unreal!!

Ludo

Where exactly is O'Reillys in Bishopstown? Is it actually in the petrol station?

Ludo

OmegaGene wrote: »

I googled that for you

https://www.oreillysfishandchips.com/about-1/

Thanks...I'm new to this whole internet thing.

bot43

Was in Douglas last night so said I’d try the mythical King Creole from KCs. Absolute meh. The chips smelled funny too. Not impressed.

zilog_jones

I never really saw the appeal of the King Creole, probably because I'm not really a fan of mayonnaise. But they have so many other nice things on their menu that no other chippers do.

My experience of their chips isn't great either, I'd go for a potato cake instead.

Esho

The Golden Fry on the Ballinlough Road - lovely chips that they cut themselves.

The best burger we've ever had from a takeaway, and I saw they do a proper fish dinner on a paper plate, with a a choice of fish and peas.

they also do potato pies - first one I ate, very nice indeed

RINO87

Resurrecting this as I have a confession to make -

For a long time I had assumed C.F. Lennoxes was the same as the dodgy, crap, frozen chip Lennoxes that are on McCurtain St. and Ballincollig.

How wrong I was - Had a C.F. Lennoxes from Tory Top Road on Sunday after a day at the beach - Holy God the Chips were amazing. I'm starving just thinking about them, proper beef dripping fresh chips, and loads of them too. On a par with Murphy's.