Frankies Fish Bar, West Didsbury, Manchester

Fish and chips again. If you'd asked me how often I eat fish and chips before I started writing this blog I'd have said about 2 or 3 times a year. It turns out that once a month is probably closer to the truth. Having a written record of what you've been eating and where can reveal some interesting truths. Since I started this blog it's becoming increasingly obvious that I spend rather a lot of time eating pies, curry, fry-ups and fish and chips. Perhaps the documentary evidence will encourage me to get some bloody exercise done.

Anyhow not to worry, last Friday may have been fish and chip Friday, but this Friday will be very Good Friday as I'm off to climb the Yorkshire Three Peaks again. A 25 mile walk is exercise in anyone's book (we'll be taking loads of pies to sustain us through the ordeal obviously).

These fish and chips were from Frankies Fish Bar in fashionable West Didsbury. The chip shop itself has been rather trendified, and I've certainly never seen such a young and beautiful bunch working the fryers in any chippy before, but fortunately the product itself hasn't been messed around with. Haddock, chips and peas was pretty much spot on. Good sized moist, flaky fish in a nice crisp batter. Chips the right combination of crispiness and a hint of greasiness that I always waffle on about. Sloppy peas. The inclusion of a lemon wedge and a little pot of tartare sauce is the only hint of gentrification, and a welcome rather than pointless addition. The tartare sauce needed more bite though, it was too creamy and not sour enough for my taste.

A very worthy contender, but not quite good enough to wrestle my 2011 fish and chip crown from the Chippy in Hawes. That's still the top of the tree for now for using the king of chip fats, beef dripping, which I'm pretty sure Frankies doesn't, and also for serving an absolute monster of a haddock. More attractive staff at Frankies though, if that's how you rate your chippies (male as well as female, I'm not being sexist).

£5.50 for haddock, chips and peas which is probably a touch pricier than the average in the North, but hardly expensive either. Great stuff.

8/10

Frankies Fish Bar
178 Burton Road
West Didsbury
Manchester
M20 1LH

http://www.frankiesfishbar.co.uk/