We choose to post only positive reviews but of course there may be negative ones as well, feel free to visit the associated websites to see other reviews!
Aside from the reviews below we also have great reviews from the following:
Sept 2011 – Calgary Herald – Brits in Calgary by Val Fortney
Aug 2011 – Calgary Sun – Second Time Around by Bill Kaufmann
Aug 2011 – Cheap Eats Guide by John Gilcrest
June 2010 – Calgary Sun – Dining Out by Bill Kaufmann
Sept 2010 – Bar & Restaurant Guide by Fast Forward Weeklys
Nov 2009 – CBC Radio by John Gilcrest
User entry at http://chowhound.chow.com
October 15th, 2009
Best New Fish & Chips in Calgary – The British Chippy
Today was opening day for *The British Chippy* (Shoppes at Bridlewood Plaza, 2335-162nd Ave SW, Unit 233). I’ve been waiting for some time to visit this place, mostly because they advertise themselves as “authentic” British Fish ‘n Chips. Whenever there’s a new fish ‘n chips place in Calgary, I have to try it. “Authentic British” has always intrigued me, since it usually signals greasy overcooked fish, soggy beer batter, flaccid fries and decor suited for the 1970s. My mission was to see if this new place matched the sterotype. My expectations were not high.
Man, was I surprised. This is, without a doubt, the best fish ‘n chips I’ve had in Calgary to date! Anywhere, for that matter. Miss L agrees completely. The cod is hand-cut in house, a nice 6 oz. portion. The batter is home-made from an old (secret?) family recipe. (The owners, Gary and Simone Hodgkinson, bring 3 generations of traditional British fish ‘n chips to Calgary.) The potatoes (local and organic) made the very best chips I have ever had in Calgary. Flavorful, nicely browned, and very very good. The batter for the fish is light and crispy, with no aftertaste. The fries are perfect. They clearly cook at the right temperature, which results in a very pleasant and tasy meal. Mmmm …
Being “traditional” British (northern), you won’t find any halibut or pepper here. Yup, no pepper (but you can ask and you will receive). There’s also a shortage of Canadian drinks, although there is a really good selection of British pop. They also have traditional mushy peas (fresh, no preservatives or coloring), and a curry sauce (which I haven’t tried yet, but will). The service is outstanding, and the place is very clean, even after the opening day lunch rush.
This is definitely one of my favorite new little restaurants in Calgary. It’s a perfect location for residents of the SW, and a little bit out of the way for other Calgarians … But definitely worth the drive. The British Chippy is all about fish ‘n chips and nothing else. And it works.”
Taken from http://www.urbanspoon.com :
Wonderful Fish and Chips
“We checked this place out shortly after the insanity of their opening died down. For a while an hour long wait was the norm, but now while busy they are not crazy busy.
I had the haddock and chips with curry sauce, and my partner a steak pie that he proclaimed very good. The fish was wonderful, the batter crisp, not soggy and you could taste the clean flavor of the fish through it. The chips were thick proper chips, a bit soft but filling and satisfying.
This place took great care to source good, quality ingredients, turning down the offerings of most food suppliers for generic fish. They sourced a quality product that is sustainably harvested, and prepared it very well . The care and attention shows.”
Worth the Wait
“Took a second try to actually get food here and a hiccup on the very first visit but never mind that the food is amazing, just like our local chippy in the UK (I’m also from Northern England). Even has my boyfriend craving fish and chips and he’s not a fish person at all. They don’t overcharge for anything we ever get (Haddock and Chips and Lilt).
I agree on the wait times and some of the staff could do with more training but we just call in our order and head over when they say it will be ready and on both occasions it’s been ready within a couple of minutes of us getting there. Fish is perfect as are the chips and love having Lilt again.
So call in your order and you won’t be disappointed.”
Taken from http://www.yelp.ca :
“The size of the fish is huge. The fries are delicious.”
“They have done wonders with the interior. As Decker’s, it was relaxing, nautical, simple. As Chippy’s, it’s warm brown and sleeker. The large screen TV showing British shows is a nice touch, although I miss the daily newspapers that its predecessor had for those waiting for their takeout orders. That would have made my 10 minute wait go faster, although today, I was just as happy to sit and close my eyes for a few minutes.
The chips are huge. Well done. As Willman says, they’re tasty. My haddock was huge. It hung off of my plate by a good couple of inches. Not too much batter and not too greasy. Very smooth on the palette. Done up fresh.
Piecewise? Not bad. I used to get two pieces of haddock when it was Decker’s (sorry, I can’t help but compare Chippy to its predecessor). I just got one piece with my lunch. Mind you, it was big.
They put three packs of tartar in my bag. Nice. I miss the paper product container and newspaper wrap that Decker’s used. It seemed more “British” that way. The British Chippy does have plain paper wrap that they put over the Styrofoam container.”