Fish for your food

IN MANY WAYS The Fish & Chips Room is more quintessentially British than you might imagine.

Despite its sun-soaked surroundings, the restaurant in Jumeirah Beach Residence offers customers a surprisingly authentic taste of the UK.

Inside the takeaway, jars of onions, eggs and gherkins – all pickled – sit behind the counter. There is that familiar bustle as well, as staff race to satisfy hungry customers.

This could be Derby instead of Dubai save a few minor details, namely the freshness of the restaurant’s dÈcor (devoid of any vandalism), the powerful fans cooling the clientele and the fact you can’t eat in-house before Iftar during Ramadan.

The food is also faithful to tradition, as the restaurant attempts to replicate popular dishes rather than reinvent them. In taking this approach, both the novice to British cuisine and the seasoned diner are catered for.

The chef’s enjoyable ìsecret recipeî cod comes in a lightly spiced herb batter and is thankfully short on grease. The chips, meanwhile, are deliciously soft and the mushy peas – a staple accompaniment – round off the meal perfectly, leaving the diner full-bellied and satisfied.

However, prospective customers may find the price of such home comforts off-putting. The fish and chips together cost Dh58, while a can of soft drink alone will set you back a hefty Dh7.

Some may see the Fish & Chips Room as a godsend, some a slightly quirky addition to JBR’s bustling selection of shops and eateries. But for anyone experiencing pangs of homesickness or wishing to taste something a little different in Dubai, it will come as a very welcome sight.

Visit www.thefishandchipsroom.com or call 04 4270443 for further details. For those with an aversion to fish and/or chips, the restaurant serves a wealth of other culinary choices – including kebabs, pies and pizza. All major credit cards are accepted and home delivery is an option.