F is for Fish and C is for Chips! (Stein's Fish and Chips (Padstow))

Member Name: sweetpea01

Product:	Stein's Fish and Chips (Padstow)
Date:	27/08/09 (64 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great, fresh food

Disadvantages: Bit of an anticlimax!

I have just come back from a long weekend to Padstow (or I should stay Padstein!) as it was Mr Pea's mothers birthday and it was decided that we would all celebrate her birthday down there. Despite taking us nearly 5 hours to get to Padstow basically due to traffic, accidents and typical Friday driving conditions the view of the harbour as you turn into the main street in Padstow is well worth while! We didn't go down to eat at Rick Stein's main fish restaurant instead on the Saturday we went to his Fish & Chip shop based on the Quay over looking the bay and further over to Rock.

Rick Stein as around 11 establishments in Padstow hence why the locals now make reference to Padstein among other terms which I certainly cannot reveal on here! His Fish and Chip shop is based next to his deli and near his cookery school. Now I must warn you that you cannot just enter his shop for fish and chips you actually have to queue! And trust me people start queuing well before its opening time of 12pm, so you may be in for a wait! And there is no provision to book a table either so you either wait or go to another fish and chip shop (Chip Ahoy apparently is good!) and get your food within about 5 minutes rather than a few hours!

*~*~* The Shop *~*~*

As I said above the fish and chip shop is based next to Rick's deli in what was probably an old warehouse of some description, it has been completely renovated to still give that warehouse feel but with more of a modern but rustic look. The chip shop does not stand out in the crowd and unless you knew what you were looking for you could quite easily walk straight past the place!

We ate inside the restaurant (if it could be classed as that!) so this review is not about the Take Away aspect of the shop. Inside the walls are awash with glossy white tiling and has a lovely stone floor. The tables are quite large, sturdy wooden tables with similar wooden benches and can probably fit around ten people per table. There are also similar wooden tables with high stools which can accommodate around 8 people. We were sat on high stools but at the window which was nice, apart from we had a view of the people queuing outside!

You can see the food being cooked directly in front of you, there is no "back room" where the chefs are, its all out on public display so you can see what's going on. Toilets are much to be desired, the place isn't large so there is only one toilet to be shared between men and women and I would suggest you wait to go somewhere else!

Decoration is minimal in the restaurant, there are of course sea/ fish related pictures on the walls which add a bit of character to the place but other than that minimal seems to be in fashion here!

*~*~* The Staff *~*~*

The staff at the particular time we went happened to be summer staff from East European countries which the downside was their English was not the clearest so ordering food in a busy place which is noisy isn't great! There manner with customers is also a bit poor, they are not particularly friendly or welcoming, they just want to sit you down, take your order and then get you out as quickly as possible for the next lot of people. Which I understand at lunchtime they want a quick turn around but it costs nothing to be happy and polite and they all seem to lack this.

*~*~* The Food *~*~*

The good part! This is what people queue up for! The only thing is there is always an anticlimax because you anticipate great, godly things! You get the impression that because your in a Rick Stein establishment that the food is going to be all singing and all dancing but just remember its not actually him that's cooking your fish and chips, it's a chef, probably called Peter!

The menu is displayed on a huge board inside the restaurant, setting out all the possible options that there are available, you also get paper menus once you have been seated which again set out your options. I will below give an example of dishes and prices to give an idea of what is available.

Starters:-

Battered Oysters (each) £1.10
Battered Scallops (each) £1.65
Local Squid £4.45

Grilled Fish:-

All served with a lemon wedge, parsley and chips or a salad
Sea Bream £9.55
Monkfish £12.20
Mackerel £6.80

Children's Dishes:-

Cod Chunks and chips £5.85
Goujons and chips £5.85

Battered Fish:-

Cooked in beef dripping and served with a lemon wedge, parsley and chips or a salad.
Cod £7.80
Hake £7.90
Haddock £7.90

Side Orders:-

Bread and butter £0.65
Mushy Peas £0.95
Tartare Sauce £0.75

As I said above all the food is cooked straight in front of you so you know it's freshly cooked and not zapped in a microwave!! Rick prides himself on local, fresh ingredients and you can tell everything is fresh in his fish & chip shop! All meals are served in cardboard "traditional" boxes - which I guess reduces washing up!

Because of the quick turn around (I'm reviewing lunchtime not evening so the turnaround may vary) your food is brought out to you in around 10 minutes, if that! So you certainly don't have a long time to wait before your quickly tucking into your lunch! Just remember that the prices of food are also more expensive if you choose to eat in the restaurant.

*~*~* Useful Details *~*~*

Address:-

South Quay, Padstow, Cornwall

Opening times:-

Restaurant
Lunch: 12pm - 2.30pm - Please note that you do and will have to queue, so don't leave it until 2.20pm until you join the queue as you certainly won't be getting any food! Some people go to Padstow for Rick Stein so there is always going to be an abundance of people waiting!

Dinner: 5pm - 9pm

Take-away: 12pm - 9pm - Again please expect to queue, there is obviously no seating but you can sit on the harbour and eat.

There is not an option to book a table at the fish and chip shop so you will either have to come early and queue to guarantee a table or you will just have to wait. We waited on a Saturday afternoon (around 1pm) for about an hour and that was for a table for 4.

*~*~* Reviews *~*~*

"White-tiled shop on the harbour front with a huge choice of fish (battered or grilled) served with luxury homemade tartar sauce, aioli and even Goan curry sauce. Fish and chips don't get much smarter than this."

The Telegraph, 2009

*~*~* Overall Opinion *~*~*

You can't not go to Padstow and not eat at atleast one of Rick Stein's establishments even if its buying things from the Deli and snacking! However, there is an anticlimax as to what you expect and to what you actually get! Yes the food was great and it tastes wonderful but it was nothing amazing which would make you go back again and again. But then again you are going for fish and chips not to a restaurant with a great variety of dishes!

The restaurant its self was lovely inside, however very warm (if they had air conditioning it certainly wasn't on the day we went!). Because they pack you in like sardines in a can it's noisy and because of the warmth it was slightly uncomfortable to actually enjoy your food and by the end me and Mr Pea had to go outside for fresh air!

It seems that all I'm doing is focusing on the negative points! I'm really trying not to! The food was served hot and in great time, so the food aspect is positive! All four of us enjoyed our food thoroughly and ate the lot! So no complaints with the food whatsoever! It's just a shame about the unhappy staff and the restaurant being a bit too warm!

So would I go back? Well....probably not. I've done it once and don't really feel the need to do it again, especially as it is only fish and chips. I'm please I went and ate there but both me and Mr Pea don't feel the need to go back especially when you have to queue for a table and there are certainly plenty of other great places in Padstow to eat!

But would I recommend? Yes I would...despite its negative points (and it may just be me that thinks it's too hot and the staff are unfriendly!) BUT the food is great so for anyone who doesn't mind queuing for fish and chips and wants to sit in and have a fun meal then this is ideal! There is a wide choice of fish which you don't normally get in any other fish shop so there is no doubt something to suit most people unless you don't like fish!!

Summary: A posh chip shop!