Chippy

Chippy, that's what they call them in London, those places solely dedicated to the art and science of creating fish and chips. Fish and chips really aren't English in origin, I always found this a little disquieting since I completely associate the dish with England. The fish half is actually Jewish in origin, while the chips half is French. I think the dish's enormous popularity in England in the 1800's and the following deluge of chippies that pepper the country, is what gives the dish that association.

Wherever it came from, its one of my favorite workaday meals. But once you've had the real thing from a chippy, its discouraging to eat the malformed reproductions usually offered up in Dallas.

I made it a personal mission to try every single version of fish and chips in Dallas. I'm nowhere near trying them all but the winner thus far is this place,

Picardy's Shrimp Shop
6800 Snider Plaza
Dallas, TX 75205
Phone: 214-373-4099



Picardy's, Snider Plaza

The fish is cod, fresh, the way I remember in England. The batter is thick, smooth and fried to greaseless perfection. The chips are thinner, like normal fries, which is off, they should be more like potato wedges, but still handcut and delicious. They serve the lot with salt and malt vinegar, which is how fish and chips was presented to me for the first time in London.

This recent visit was a little disapppointing; the batter was not as crisp, the chips had that distinct I've-been-under-a-heat-lamp flavor ,but even slightly off their peak, Picardy's beats all other fish and chips I've tried here .

Picardy's