Battle of the Fish & Chips, Round 2: Punch & Judy.

Let me tell you guys. I was about to send this post to the trash bin. This is due to the fact that I could not, for the life of me, remember the name of this place. Hence, in my previous post (Battle of the Fish & Chips, Round 1: Applebee’s Fish.) I neglected to put it. However, after intense research, and bypassing signs that pointed to the establishment’s name, I finally got it!

Today’s contender in the battle of the fish & chips is Punch & Judy. Located in Covent Garden. The pub faces the West Piazza and has a balcony that overlooks the square where you can find an array of street performers. We went in through Apple Market via its ground floor, which caused me confusion when conducting my research.

My Uncle recommended the pub and assured me that my taste buds would not regret it. I know you guys are thinking that I could have easily solved this by calling or texting my uncle for the name. But, no! I had to put my Horatio (CSI Miami) sunglasses on and solve this mystery, MacGyver style. I did have the following clues:

 

Both clues led me to victory but also made it that much harder to solve the mystery.

Punch & Judy has a quaint atmosphere to it which might be due to the exposed bricks and wood furnishing. The crowd was mainly the after-work/happy hour kind when were there. Nevertheless, it was kid friendly. The music selection was terrific. From Bruno Mars to Kings of Leon. My head was bopping.

Okay lets get down to business.

I ordered a pint of  Peroni and the Ultimate Fish & Chips. Included were a chunky hand-battered cod, chips, mushy peas, bread & butter, curry and tartar sauce, and an onion I had asked to be excluded. It was strange to me that curry sauce was included. Don’t get me wrong: I love a good fish curry, but, it seemed peculiar at the time.

It turns out that curry is a staple at many pubs/restaurant that have fish & chips on their menu. 

My second round with mushy peas was not unpleasant. Still, I am over it. My peas shall remain whole.

I used the curry sauce as a dip for my bread. I did make a mini fish sandwich using Tabasco, curry and tartar sauce and I enjoyed it. *smacks lips* Don’t judge me.

The stars of the dish did not disappoint at all!

The batter of the cod was a step up from the previous contender. There was a slight crisp to the skin. I appreciated the fact that the fish was not dry, there was a hint of juiciness to it. Although the sauces were not needed to enhance the flavor they were a preference.

The chips were delicious. I love the chunky cut — like steak fries but not quite.  The balance between tenderness and crispiness was top notch. Potatoes might be my new kryptonite. Watch out caramel. 

Punch & Judy lived up to my expectations. My taste-buds certainly danced with joy after each bite.

R.K

Stay tuned for the final round of the Battle of the Fish & Chips.