Soul Fish

The walk to my “local” chippy is one that really makes you feel like you have earned the prize at the end. Not only do i have to walk past my house from work to get to it, by the time you’ve got home everything is stuck together, a bit cold and the portions borderline ridiculous. Not always a bad thing but i am the sort of idiot that will fill up on chips and have to leave half the fish behind. Criminal. Plus there is a a hill, something i hoped would have been knocked down or tunneled through when we won the Cycling City prize but alas there they remain.

As i left work, that hankering for cod and chips with tartar sauce hit me and i could think of little else. Luckily Soul Fish popped up a few weeks ago and, as is my usual tradition, i let the keeners clear out before wandering in a few weeks after opening to try it for myself.

The interior is a Bristol glass blue, with long tables for people to sit at (i noticed a lot of families in the first opening weeks using these and tucking in, it warmed my cockles) and thankfully a takeaway option. I was greeted warmly and had the choice between traditional fish & chips or 3 types of Po Boy (a type of sandwich, i showed you how to make one here ). Also a range of other treats i shall definitely be back in to try, hello Monk Fish scampi!

I thought i would go traditional for my first trip, it’s like ordering the Tikka Masala from a new curry house, it’s the benchmark. I was pleased to see Soul Fish only use sustainable fish, something i do worry about when i buy a fish supper, so ordered cod, chips and a pot of tartar sauce. This was presented in a biodegradable takeaway box which fed the woodburner. Win win.

The chips were double fried and chunky with plenty of crispy bits at the bottom. The fluffy centers soaked up the vinegar nicely. The cod was lovely and light with good flake and crispy batter. It benefited from not being particularly greasy, a pet hate of mine of anywhere that fries, it takes two seconds to bang the basket and shake off that excess. The tartar was rich with a good sharpness from the capers and was a generous portion for only 70p. In all the meal cost me just over £6, very reasonable for a fish supper and i will look at going back soon to try the Po’s, monkfish and maybe even the fried chicken, a foodstuff we lack in Bristol. No i will not acknowledge Miss Millies.

Find Soul Fish  here and go give their Twitter some love here