Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

I was looking around the internet to see if I could find a chippy in Madrid. I mean a real one of good quality. Anyway, I came upon a thread in these forums which was dated about a year ago and has since closed. So, to bring everyone up to date, I thought I would post the following.

There was, not too long ago, a fish and chip shop in Madrid called Fat Tony's. I did visit once with my family and was far from impressed. Without going into details, we decided never to return. It was in the tourist area near Sol so maybe they thought they could make a killing selling to late night stag and hen party ex-pats who were over for the weekend. Well, they failed and it closed down some time ago.

I know that a new chippy is supposed to be opening soon in Madrid. As soon as I hear anything more definite I shall post it here. Apparently, this one will be importing quality ingredients if they can't be bought here so, maybe, we shall finally have a proper chippy in Madrid.

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

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Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

Hi Miyagi

Sounds great! What are you going to call it?:):scarper:

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

Hi, Jimenato,

:lol::thumbup:

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

Wait utnil you see my other posts. You'll probably have me down as a driving instructor

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

:thumbsup:;)

Actually you are a pre-dawn removal company:blink:

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

Yes, that old place had a terrible reputation. Shame really, it was right in the Guiri part of town (near Plz Santa Ana). But you do realise that certain Irish pubs serve up fish n chips (and not a few menus del dia will have fried fish as a second course, served with chips)? The new place will have to do very well to succeed I think.

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

Darn caught me out

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

Found out that the new chippy is open. Called The Underground Chippy but haven't found the address yet. If anyone finds out location then please let me know. Thanks

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

In my experience whilst most Spanish eat fish, and also chips they don't go in a big way for Fish and Chips served the British way. It is also very heavy food for the hot summer months so unless you have a guaranteed supply of Guiris (and most Brits I know who live in Madrid have gone native) then it might not be a winning idea.

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

That's a great name. Why did you call it that Miyagi?:rofl:

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

I never went in Casa Labra (for some reason it was always packed, with queues extending outside) but one of its specialities is fried salt cod - on the right hand side of the picture, the left side is a croqueta.

http://www.simplespanishfood.com/201...ra-madrid.html

http://simplespanishfood.typepad.com...89c2970c-800wi

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

Thanks Steviedeluxe. Where is that?:thumbup:

Jimenato, do you just assume that anyone who asks a question is trying to advertise their own business?:thumbdown:

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

I think part of the reason that fish and chips (english style) have not caught on with the Spanish is because we dont use the salt and vinegar, (I do BTW) on them, which is what makes the smell irresitable........

Splodging ketchup on does not produce that fabulous smell...

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

In the North they do rape/piscin battered English style, a bit like the photo from steviedeluxe. Delicious.

In the South rosada frita is probably the closest to English style fish.

Surely a bit of ali oli goes best with battered fish? :)

I actually think it is the smell and taste of the oil that would put off Spanish customers as they are used to olive oil for their fried fish. Now I'm used to eating olive oil I get stomach ache when going back to the UK where things are cooked mainly in sunflower oil

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

No - just having a laugh:)

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

Even worse, the trend amongst the younger ones in the UK in recent years seems to be to emerse them in copious quantities of curry.

An abomination in my opinion.

Absolutely revolting and disgusting. :thumbdown::frown:

What say you Miyagi ?

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

It's quite close to Sol, on Calle Tetuan. Near to one of the main El Corte Ingles stores in that area.

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

People in Madrid traditionally eat very heavy courses (cocido, callos, fabada, even paella) as they move around a lot, and winters can be quite cold.
As I mentioned before, you can get fish and chips in a few Irish pubs. Even this place offers it http://bristolbar.es/ for the low price of 12 Euros 90 !!:ohmy:
You get quite a large influx of Easyjetters each weekend too. Not all of them will want to try out local food, so they may well want to try out pie and chips or the fish option. In fact I know one or two people who've lived/worked in Madrid for donkey's years, who like a nice bit of British stodge at the weekend. Takes all sorts, I suppose.. :unsure:

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

I for one think well cooked Brit style fish and chips is a fantastic meal, as well as a full Monty English breakfast.......

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

Yes both meals are great, when done well

Unfortunately 90% of the time they are done very poorly, usually because they are skimping on the ingredients

Have you seen the 1.99 euro full English breakfasts advertised by the Brit bars down here? One can only imagine! :rofl:

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

From what I have seen of the cheapo breakfast, there is not much difference between the more expensive and the cheapies, the bacon may be a bit inferior, and the sausage could be quite a bit inferior, but an egg is an egg, mushrooms, and toms, and beans are much the same.

The main difference between the cheap and "realistic priced brekkie, is the amount of profit made by the owner.

A really cheap breakkie is not necessarily inferior, it is just that the owner is more desperate to get bums on seats and try to keep their head above water, and under the illusion that by lashing brekkies out cheap, their customers will make up the shortfall in the till buying tea and coffee....and showing loyalty.....which is hardly ever the case.

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

I've only ever bought English breakfasts in London - there was a ton of difference between a good and a bad one there

For about £9 you would get an amazing one, anything less than a £5 would be cheapo ingredients swimming in grease. There is a world of difference between good English sausages and bacon (which I love, proper pork from local farms, sometimes with apple or something in) and cheap ones (full of water, shrink when cooked, just taste salty).

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

You are talking a different world altogether ie London or UK and you know it.......A 9 quid breakfast for British tourists on the costas is not going to attract many, .the difference between what the British bars buy in the way of bacon and sausage,when selling breakfasts priced between 6 euros and 2 euros in not so great, most come from the Brit suppliers and are much of a muchness.because most use the same wholesaler anyway.

And the price of the ingredients does not necessarily coincide with the amount of grease found on the finished meal, that is the manner of cooking more than anything.

The shrikage does not enter into it too much either, a sausage is a sausage even if it is a bit shorter, and fulfills the description on the menu, same with the bacon.

Most people are not so hung up on the difference is size, it is more about the price and to pretend otherwise is foolish.

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

On the Costas and possibly outside of London then sure you are probably right

But in London a lot of people will pay twice as much, or more, to have something nice

I disagree that there is not much difference in shrinkage and taste for sausages and bacon. Cheep pork in the UK has water and "fillers" added (things like palm oil) to reduce the meat content and make the product cheaper to make. It means the product shrinks when fried and tastes worse of course, especially if the pork is reconstituted

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

That is not what Isaid.

What I meant was you will hardly find any difference in the sausages and bacon on a breakfast that cost 5 or 6 euro than one that is 1.99.

Most owners will buy the same ones from the same supplier as most suppliers have a "territitory" because it pays no-one to sell to one bar then the next customer is 4 miles away.

So usually the "breakfast" places in an area will have the same products includingthe baked spuds, beans, black pudding etc.

The more desperate bar owner will knock out the breakfasts cheaper, thinking it is good business, but the ingredients are usually the same as the next door place selling a brekkie for twice the price.

I was not comparing good products to inferior ones, but especifically talking about brekkiesin a business sense.

And for someone who want to save 3 euros a centimetre or 2 off the sausage length will not matter to them.

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

OK I see what you mean

Yes I'm sure you are right.

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

Back on track and fish and chips. There was a chippie in Dudley that certainly until the late 90's (last time I went) cooked their chips in Beef dripping and they are just a different class of chips, lard is not bad and I'll use either at home from time to time, well worth it.

If this place in Madrid has good quality Cod and Hake, good spuds and its cooked fresh it should do well. The Spanish seem keen to try new food these days, plenty of them to be seen tucking into a curry or a big mac.

Re: Fish and Chips in Madrid
 

For me, tartare sauce and a squeeze of lemon on battered cod maybe but definitely salt and vinegar on the chips. By the way, The Underground Chippy is located in Scruffy Murphy's in Calle de la Palma in the Malasaña area. It's a real chippy menu, including the little extras like curry sauce, mushy peas, pickled eggs and gherkins as well as, of course, battered cod and chips. Trying to work my way through the rest of the menu.