Why do you Irish love the chipper.

The Master. · 07-04-2012 6:50pm #1

The quality of fish and chip shops in this country is desperate.
Italians??? serving you up what i can guess as up to three days previously battered food left to get to room temperature before reheating in a fryer when pointed at by you.
Whats the problem in battering things fresh and selling more of it rather than having part cooked aneamic looking cold batter covered muck inside the little glass cabinet.
This glass cabinet you see in the shops is not for keeping the chip bags in, it is to keep the FRESHLY battered food hot while you choose.
Next time you are in your local chipshop ask when the food was battered, ask what temperature the food in the little window is and why it isnt even turned on.
In fact dont even go.
Looka outa for the logo.

Fart · 07-04-2012 6:50pm

Waddya mean "you Irish"?

On a serious note, I think you're getting the Irish chippers mixed up with the British chippies.

In Britain, pretty much all the food has been cooked earlier and is lying the the glass area and being heated by a bulb of sorts above it. In Ireland, if you ask for a battered sausage, he'll get one that has been battered and not yet cooked, then throw it into the fryer and it's cooked on the spot.

In Britain it's disgusting, everything is stale and overheated. Much better in Ireland imo.

Underground · 07-04-2012 6:52pm

Doner kebabs are heavenly.

Nodin · 07-04-2012 6:52pm

The Master. wrote: »

The quality of fish and chip shops in this country is desperate.
Italians??? serving you up what i can guess as up to three days previously battered food left to get to room temperature before reheating in a fryer when pointed at by you.
Whats the problem in battering things fresh and selling more of it rather than having part cooked aneamic looking cold batter covered muck inside the little glass cabinet.
.

....it's part of our cultural tradition. And we like it.

Mint Sauce · 07-04-2012 6:53pm

Cos she doesn't judge me.

WoollyRedHat · 07-04-2012 6:53pm

There's feck all chippers when you reach Dublin City. Only really Leo Burdocks, which is over priced and not all that.

The Master. · 07-04-2012 6:54pm

Fart wrote: »

Waddya mean "you Irish"?

Its invariably Irish people i hear talking nostalgically about their wan and wans or their batter burgers.
They havent lived.

mackmuffin · 07-04-2012 6:54pm

Cause of years of oppression and women chained to the kitchen sink.... we are on strike damn it:mad:

44leto · 07-04-2012 6:54pm

Convenience to make chips you have to get out the deep fat fryer, peel and chop the potatoes then stink up the house, and then clean up.

For 5 to 6 euro you can get fish n chips and all the work is done.

Its alright to do this once a week (Friday for me) but I wouldn't make a habit of it.

gosuckonalemon · 07-04-2012 6:54pm

The Master. wrote: »

The quality of fish and chip shops in this country is desperate.
Italians??? serving you up what i can guess as up to three days previously battered food left to get to room temperature before reheating in a fryer when pointed at by you.
Whats the problem in battering things fresh and selling more of it rather than having part cooked aneamic looking cold batter covered muck inside the little glass cabinet.
This glass cabinet you see in the shops is not for keeping the chip bags in, it is to keep the FRESHLY battered food hot while you choose.
Next time you are in your local chipshop ask when the food was battered, ask what temperature the food in the little window is and why it isnt even turned on.
In fact dont even go.
Looka outa for the logo.

You're going to the wrong chippers.

eth0 · 07-04-2012 6:57pm

Things Irish people do = Bad

Things other Europeans do = Absolutely brilliant

07-04-2012 6:58pm

i dont tend to go to the chipper

Logical Fallacy · 07-04-2012 6:59pm

The Master. wrote: »

The quality of fish and chip shops in this country is desperate.
Italians??? serving you up what i can guess as up to three days previously battered food left to get to room temperature before reheating in a fryer when pointed at by you.
Whats the problem in battering things fresh and selling more of it rather than having part cooked aneamic looking cold batter covered muck inside the little glass cabinet.
This glass cabinet you see in the shops is not for keeping the chip bags in, it is to keep the FRESHLY battered food hot while you choose.
Next time you are in your local chipshop ask when the food was battered, ask what temperature the food in the little window is and why it isnt even turned on.
In fact dont even go.
Looka outa for the logo.

Sounds to me like you eat in **** holes mate.

The Master. · 07-04-2012 6:59pm

Leo burdocks have the oil barely hot enough to cook the chips. this i think is to save money on burning extra oil and so their staff dont have to work in higher than normal temperatures.
i know this because when you get the bag of chips open the oil starts to cool and harden instantly on your fingers.disgusting.
The chip shop near me growing up had a little clock on the front door saying "frying tonight" at whatever time the batter was getting done.
ITICA chippers would need a calender

Sunnyisland · 07-04-2012 6:59pm

Why do you Irish love the chipper.

Because we love having a chip on our shoulder.

Iam going,i am going.

chin_grin · 07-04-2012 7:01pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtX2IToSuHY

saa · 07-04-2012 7:10pm

Because fresh cut chips cooked to crispy and soft inside without a weird taste is the bee's knee's once in a while, couldn't over do it and have one every week but on a night out or looking for a cheap dinners its filling.

The last time I had a bag of chips was three weeks ago and it was some place in Dun Laoghaire and they were serving frozen chips what!???

Roma on Wexford street is pretty nasty but being really drunk and falling out of Whelans, I understand if someone isn't fond of a chipper, I like the taste but not the greasiness at all but if I do get fast food I do prefer it not to be made from reconstituted processed mush.

Fart · 07-04-2012 7:12pm

saa wrote: »

The last time I had a bag of chips was three weeks ago and it was some place in Dun Laoghaire and they were serving frozen chips what!???

Wasn't in The Ritz then. Mmmmmmmmm.

eviltwin · 07-04-2012 7:13pm

I wouldn't be a huge fan of chipper food but sometimes its the only thing that will do.

mikemac1 · 07-04-2012 7:16pm

You have lived until you've had fish n'chips in MacDonaghs in Galway

So OP, if you were a Galwegian you would not be asking this question

GLaDOS · 07-04-2012 7:18pm

Had a doner kebab tray last night, magnificently unhealthy.

saa · 07-04-2012 7:23pm

Fart wrote: »

Wasn't in The Ritz then. Mmmmmmmmm.

Ah no that's a grand place, this place is towards sandycove end near Marsella's I think, muck.

eviltwin wrote: »

I wouldn't be a huge fan of chipper food but sometimes its the only thing that will do.

I know what you mean I could of eaten them every day when I was a kid (ha thank god I didn't) gone off them now and have been caught out in town needing food and not able to get a sit down dinner, not enough alternatives, deli's are alright but still if they boiled quorn hotdogs like they do in IKEA in a wholewheat roll I would be a happy camper and they could sell cheap noodles and keep them warm, we need more on the go food options, I hate to say it but chicken rolls and chips are good once in a blue moon.

Swampy · 07-04-2012 7:30pm

I'm heading to one very shortly.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 07-04-2012 8:11pm

Hey man don't diss the Italians.:mad: We as a nation are forever indebted to their chip shop operating immigrants.

EdenHazard · 07-04-2012 8:13pm

Worst invention ever has to be the Spice Burger, disgusting tasting things.

Kamjana · 07-04-2012 8:17pm

I'm just back from the chipper,got a chip battered sausage breast of chicken and portion of curry...now op i love to wrap the chicken skin around a chip and dip it in the curry,come back to me when you have tried that.

Chuck Stone · 07-04-2012 8:26pm

We have a couple of fine chippers here in Cork City (KC's and Lennoxs Bandon Rd).

Tonight, however, I are mostly eating Hillbillys.

Mr.Biscuits · 07-04-2012 8:34pm

gosuckonalemon wrote: »

You're going to the wrong chippers.

In fairness, the vast majority of chip shops do what the OP describes. They keep pre-battered, half-cooked fish, sausages etc above the fryers. It's becoming harder and harder to find a chipper that has a bucket of batter on the go and will dip fish as you order it.

EarlERizer · 07-04-2012 8:35pm

The Master. wrote: »

Next time you are in your local chipshop ask when the food was battered, ask what temperature the food in the little window is and why it isnt even turned on.

After a gutfull I can barely ask for the fish n chips ffs,I consider it a triumph if i get food!!

Fart wrote: »

Waddya mean "you Irish"?

On a serious note, I think you're getting the Irish chippers mixed up with the British chippies.

In Britain, pretty much all the food has been cooked earlier and is lying the the glass area and being heated by a bulb of sorts above it. In Ireland, if you ask for a battered sausage, he'll get one that has been battered and not yet cooked, then throw it into the fryer and it's cooked on the spot.

In Britain it's disgusting, everything is stale and overheated. Much better in Ireland imo.

I find the opposite, never had a bad fish & chips in England,atleast they know how to batter a fish and not loose the thing in a cocoon of doughy grease.

Mickey Dazzler · 07-04-2012 8:44pm

How dare you. How fucking dare you.

The chippy is an institution in Ireland.

LordSutch · 07-04-2012 8:49pm

One thing that really annoys me (and the missus) about Chip shops in Ireland is that the chips are never done properly! They are always an anemic white'ish colour. Chippers in Britain always cook their chips for longer, so they are crispier & browner. I just love the crispies in the bottom of the bag. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_12XpBm0IMkQ/TKTzWQMPQzI/AAAAAAAAEfc/d9k8MhH6uuI/s1600/britishchipshop4.jpg

Irish Chip shops listen up "Cook your Chips for longer please".

knotknowbody · 07-04-2012 10:05pm

Mr.Biscuits wrote: »

It's becoming harder and harder to find a chipper that has a bucket of batter on the go and will dip fish as you order it.

My town had none that done battered fish to order until about 2 months ago when a new one opened, their fish is great their chips are great and have won awards, but they are always empty, nobody goes in their people just stick to the same old places and won't try the new place, how the fukk do you know what the food is like if you won't go in. I raging cos they will likely not survive because people won't try them out, anyone I have forced in their won't go anywhere else now but I can't convert a whole town

Owen_S · 07-04-2012 10:07pm

After reading this thread, I've decided that I want chips.

r3nu4l · 07-04-2012 10:11pm

EarlERizer wrote: »

I find the opposite, never had a bad fish & chips in England,atleast they know how to batter a fish and not loose the thing in a cocoon of doughy grease.

LordSutch wrote: »

Chippers in Britain always cook their chips for longer, so they are crispier & browner. I just love the crispies in the bottom of the bag. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_12XpBm0IMkQ/TKTzWQMPQzI/AAAAAAAAEfc/d9k8MhH6uuI/s1600/britishchipshop4.jpg

Irish Chip shops listen up "Cook your Chips for longer please".

Well as a resident in East Anglia for almost eight years I've only found ONE decent chipper between Cambridge, Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds. There are some really poor chippers in England and as for not having doughy batter...some of the worst battered fish I've ever had has been in England. Disgusting.

That said, the one good chipper I did find has made up for all of the bad ones

Sofaspud · 07-04-2012 11:07pm

I've been living in the UK now for about 7 months and I miss Irish chippers. It could just be where I live, but every local chipper here (and there's a lot) seem to be going the fast food route with their chips. They're all cut way too thin and come out too clean and dry.
Proper chips need to be thick and leave the bag see-through, and all the ones at the end of the bag should be either little crispy corners or greasy, salty, vinegary mush.

noodler · 07-04-2012 11:17pm

I don't get Fish so can't comment but in my local (Macaris - Raheny), you'll always have the burger cooked on front of you.

I am 99% certain the Fish is only thrown in the oil if you order it too.

God, don't know many chippers with that glass cabinet and bulb heating lark!

LeeHoffmann · 08-04-2012 12:08am

I just love the vinegar. I´d eat the brown paper bag if it´s soaked in it mmm vinegar-y goodness

cookie75 · 08-04-2012 12:22am

I'd really love a bag of chips!!

Run_to_da_hills · 08-04-2012 12:29am

I would not go into any chipper unless it was a member of ITICA. I have yet in all my years to get food poisoning from a single, fish or batter burger.

26th May is National Fish & Chip day.

Paparazzo · 08-04-2012 12:33am

I definitely think the general standard of fish and chips in England is far, far higher than in Ireland. But it's their national dish, it's to be expected.
But the colcannon in ireland if way better

GHOST MGG2 · 08-04-2012 12:45am

Paparazzo wrote: »

I definitely think the general standard of fish and chips in England is far, far higher than in Ireland. But it's their national dish, it's to be expected.
But the colcannon in ireland if way better

have you ever tried ordering colcannon in a chipper in town at 1 in the morning
after a savage beer swilling bender?....:eek:

The Master. · 05-09-2021 7:36pm

For a while now Leo Burdocks have been battering their stuff off-site so im afraid fresh battered products are even further out of reach.

Dont get me wrong, the chips are great. What comes with them is poor fare. It seems the Italian lads come in at around 10AM to do the battering and reheat it at night. Why give yourself a 12-14 hour shift when you could just cook things fresh for customers.

fullstop · 05-09-2021 7:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/78003185#Comment_78003185

Sorry, no. It’s the complete opposite. Very difficult to find any chipper here who freshly batter fish. Most in the UK do. I asked my local chippy on my last (rare) visit if they freshly batter their fish...”yes” the nice Italian man says so I order a fish and chips. He proceeds to go in the freezer and take out a bag of battered fish and chucks one in the fryer 🙄

mistersifter · 05-09-2021 7:52pm

When I was living in Argentina I missed the occasional feed from an Irish chipper, as you tend to when you're away for long periods.

My prayers were answered when I stumbled across an Irish chipper called "Chipper" (no messing about with the name!). in the middle of Buenos Aires. It's run by an Irish woman (not an Italian weirdly enough!).

Bloody delighted , I was!

05-09-2021 7:53pm

There are good chippers and there are bad chippers.

They’re not all run by one big corporate entity and are universally the same.

If you take somewhere like the Fish Wife on MacCurtain St in Cork - all freshly bartered fish, great chips and even serve swordfish.

Sorrento in Stoneybatter in Dublin has been around for decades and is totally unpretentious and delicious.

There are lots of good places, but there are also some places I would skip.

Fish and Chips in England really only became a broader national dish after WWII.

https://youtu.be/hxVnr23jioU

JP Liz V1 · 05-09-2021 7:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/78004577#Comment_78004577

Dinos too

Zicos closed down

It's just convenient and nice sometimes

whisky_galore · 05-09-2021 8:15pm

Theres some awful, some good and lots of so-so chippers. The terrible chippers wont stay in business for long.

The multis and chains have pushed out the independent places and what many of those serve are fries, not proper chips.

05-09-2021 8:19pm

Curry Bacon Cheese Chips is unreal!

Battered fish is nice but only from certain chippers.

Strumms · 05-09-2021 9:53pm

I’m living in between two, excellent chippers... spotlessly clean, delicious and flavorsome food, in two of them you can see them battering the fish, sausages, burgers etc... everything is fresh...

the third one went a bit crap, used to be best and the food while is edible isn’t AS good since a takeover and the sister of the new owner who when working there seems to be employed just to make small talk with the auld wans and auldfellas, and will get to your order when she can sort of attitude...on my way home from work, starving, and I’m left standing, giving evils and getting them back... I’m here or food and efficient service but let’s entertain the pensioners... “ how is your Maureen, we haven’t seen her..”. I’d eat the scabby head off a bulldog im that hungry, just take the order and then get back to pretending you give a shît about Maureen and Frank, jeebus !

They lost my business when they changed their curry recipe to rank watery shît.

RobAMerc · 05-09-2021 10:24pm

very few of the Italian chippers are run by Italians any more - I am close to the industry and very few Italians are involved. The chippers tend to be owned by the older generations but the kids arent interested and moved on, leaving the folks rent it to whomever will take it over ( or close )

ednwireland · 05-09-2021 11:01pm

most chippers now use frozen fish your as well to go and get frozen battered fish in the supermarket and cook it yourself.

when I was young in the uk we went to the chipper on the corner. he had a potato peeling machine and a chipping machine and only cooked fresh fish delivered daily (van outside every day)

Why do you Irish love the chipper.

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