Restaurants / Reviews
Fisk & Frite, St Werburgh’s: ‘Fish and chips with a bougie touch’ – restaurant review
Sunday was the day of many firsts for me: my first time visiting St. Werburgh’s and my first time at a fish and chips shop. I know that’s a bit of a revelation, but beyond the UK fish and chips are not much of a staple. I blame this on cultural differences.
Having travelled over 50 minutes – including a short footbridge over the M32 – I was starving. So it’s only fair that I spotted Fisk & Frite’s blue glass box set up on Mina Road from a distance.
I could see warm light bulbs dangling off the ceiling, and white murals painted on the glass – very chic and modern for a fish shop. But as Fisk & Frite had been branding themselves, they were a fish “bar” with a “twist”.
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In anticipation of unfolding this twist, I pushed through the heavy glass door to be greeted by a young lad.
Black and white images of fishes were framed on a wall by the till – photo: Karen Johnson
For a Sunday afternoon, the place was deserted which meant I could seat myself anywhere without any whims about taking up too much space. I took up a two-person table by the door, glancing through the menu and preparing for the onset of a sea feast.
Once my lunch pal Hannah arrived and we decided what to order, we were met with a confusion. Would they be taking our orders at the table or should we be walking up to the till? Our doubts were soon cleared when another couple walked in and swiftly made their way to the till.
Moments later, we had ordered a salmon florentine, a battered cod, butterbean rice with dill, a side of hand-cut chips, mushy peas, curry sauce and garlic and chive mayo.
The salmon florentine arrived in a blue bowl, in keeping with the colours of the restaurant – photo: Karen Johnson
The salmon dish (£17) arrived in a bowl with cubes of the fish and baby potatoes drenched in a smooth mushroom sauce with bits of spinach. Every mouthful had a mix of perfectly cooked fish, gooey potatoes, and a silky hint of the sauce with the spinach adding a layer of texture – something that I could only describe as heavenly.
Hannah devoured her plate of butterbean rice with dill (£5) paired with mushy peas (£2.5) and curry sauce (£2.5). The peas were a tad garlicky, but that was something that could be easily overlooked when put together with the rice and sauce.
The thing about chips is that they’re either a hit or a miss. With Fisk & Frite’s generous portion of thick, hand-cut chips (£4) it was surely a super hit. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside; the chips dunked into the sauce were delightful little bites, that are now making me all dreamy.
For a pre-dominantly seafood shop, there were plenty of vegan options on the menu – photo: Hannah Massoudi
The last to arrive – and something that I ended up taking home – was the battered cod (£10) with a side of chips. Served hot and crispy from the fryer, the cod looked scrumptious. This being my first tryst with fish and chips, I must admit I fell in love.
The fish scooped into the chive and garlic mayo (£1.5) left a zesty freshness on my palate, that I don’t think I’ve ever experienced. And I absolutely cherished yet another encounter with those sinful little chips, that were tucked beneath the fish.
By the end of it our tummies were full – and so were our hearts – having spent a few hours diving into deliciousness in the middle of St Werburgh’s.
The vibes of the shop (or should I say restaurant) were immaculate and perfectly filled into the “twist” element that they had been advocating.
If you’re on the lookout for fish and chips, but with a bougie touch at affordable prices Fisk & Frite should be on your list.
Fisk & Frite, 78 Mina Rd, St Werburgh’s, BS2 9XL
Main photo: Karen Johnson
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