Search online for the best fish and chips in London and you’re sure to find several first-page references to The Sea Shell of Lisson Grove. Rarely is the praise on review sites so unanimous.
Just look at the intros from the toptable.co.uk and timeout.com reviews:
Marylebone restaurant The Seashell of Lisson Grove promises to fulfill the fish and chips dreams of any discerning London diner. This fabulous kitchen, according to food critic Alain Ducasse serves up ‘the best fish and chips in London’.
– toptable.co.ukMarylebone restaurant The Seashell of Lisson Grove promises to fulfill the fish and chips dreams of any discerning London diner. This fabulous kitchen, according to food critic Alain Ducasse serves up ‘the best fish and chips in London’.
– TimeOut London
Notice the similarity? I have no problem with TimeOut and TopTable sharing content. It’s sort of charming they both get the spelling of the restaurant’s name wrong. But based first on reviews of this ilk and then on my recent visit I’d say The Sea Shell (not Seashell) is less London legend than London myth.
Forget about best in London. It is mortal sin to charge £7.90 for a cod fillet, chips not included, if you commit two fundamental transgressions in a single order:
- The first cod fillet I was served (top photo) was tepid. Clearly it had been sitting for longer than five minutes.
- My replacement fillet (see photo below), this time fried to order, had a pair of tears in its surface.
The batter should fit the fish like a wet suit and be just as impenetrable, absorbing the frying oil for delectable crisping while keeping it off the fish itself. The fillet effectively steams under its protective coating. This cod fillet had two small fissures into which oil had leaked to grease the fish. Yuck.
Know what I really think of the Sea Shell of Lisson Grove?
Did you complain or just lob the second portion in the bin?
Rachel – I complained about the first portion, which is how I got the second. I ate half of the second, out of hunger, and binned the rest.
Is that a slick of oil under your fish? Looks too thick to be vinegar. No excuse for fish dripping that amount of oil: that’s just poorly trained staff.
I wondered where the Ducasse quotation might have come from as the last thing he is, is a “food critic” … You only need to read the fourth paragraph of this to realise it’s a place best avoided: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/chips-and-champagne-chef-alain-ducasse-finds-londons-best-fish-supper-6540710.html
So where are the best fish and chips in London? I’m starving.
I have been visiting the Sea Shell since it was called Sonny’s.
In those days the queques stretched around the corner and as you could order your fish fried in egg and matzo meal on Friday nights a stream of swanky cars arrived for their owners orders. They brought with vast dishes to be filled with the fish and I bet their Mother in laws never knew the difference. I never dared try it my Mother in law would have killed me!
Now it’s gone badly astray and I swore last time never again. The batter was inedible and the chips pathetic.
Try the Paddington Fish Bar in Marylands Road (off Harrow Rd.) I haven’t tried the fish yet but the chips, served in an open cornet of white paper, are hot, excellent and generous. I can’t quote the price as I was treated. Please report back.
AZ.
I
A big Sorry to everyone I went back to the Paddington Fish Shop tonight.
It was awful – I will investigate further.
Sorry, sorry sorry.
I feel like I’m living in a parallel universe, wierd!
AZ
Best fish and chips in London is Georges Fish Bar, Shirland Road, next to the Chippenham. It’s take out only but the portions are massive and the fish cooked perfectly, they also have great tasting chicken coating.
The only thing wrong with their fish (and this is across London) they leave the skin on!! Whats all that about?
Try Kerbisher & Malt, Shepherd’s Bush Road, near Brook Green. Fish cooked to order and generally very good.
Seafresh at Victoria and Masters Super Fry at Waterloo, both excellent for eating in and takeaway, both frequented by cabbies, which is usually a good sign.
Ben – Appreciate the recos. Must try Seafresh.
Kerbisher and Malt. Truly truly scrumptious.
North London? Toffs and Two Brothers.
Tony – Thanks for recos. I’ve been to all three: Liked but didn’t love Kerbisher Malt and Toffs.
Dear Daniel Young,
I would like to disagree with few of your statements on this article.
The holes in the batter cannot be possibly of missing batter on fish, it is from using metal tongs for serving, and you can clearly see on the picture that flesh of fish is white and oil unattached!
As well as drippings on tray are from vinegar not from oil.
Besides, there are customers who do not prefer wait, so there is always ready cooked fish, but if you wish to have it cooked for order, just need to ask to members of staff straight away. Furthermore, on first picture I can see reflection of perfectly cooked, light golden, crispy generous portion of chips!
On top of that, the price now is £7.20!
So maybe you should come one more time and review more carefully this place again, before make so serious statements.
P.S. Likewise, if you want to know real feedback, please read people reviews and comments, who actually have dined with us, on these web pages.
They clearly state that The Sea Shell IS Legend!
Excellent fish and chips at Tollington’s 172 Tollington Park, London N4 3AJ
If you don’t like the Sea Shell don’t go , you use to have to queue at 11.30 am on a saturday in the seventies , we don’t want you there.
Peter – I suspect the relevant words in your comment are “used to”. The Seventies were 30 years ago.
It can be hit and miss what I would is don’t order the scampi because it’s frozen when I asked I was told it was done in breadcrumbs?
That’s not what I asked it’s in breadcrumbs because it is prepared before being cooked IE it’s frozen!
Prices have gone up since fire and as someone who knows of it for 30 yeasr plus it’s not as good as it used to be mostly because they pre cook the orders
That said there are some many bad chip shops in the UK selling everything but fish but rather kebabs which means for I would never go into them.