So disappointing when you've been looking forward to discovering a new place in your neighbourhood for ages, the moment finally arrives - and you are left feeling a bit meh ...
Chipping Forecast ticks a lot of boxes: another restaurant on All Saints Road is always a good idea, sustainably sourced fish, cosy interiors, ironic name - nothing beats fish & chips on a Friday night!
They've been open for a fair few months now, so should have got the hang of catering for everything from romantic dinners to stag dos by now ... I was part of a large-ish birthday party which exceeded their longest table and I ended up sitting next to the coffee machine (Nespresso capsules!) - being stuck in the basement next to the open kitchen was actually less of an issue than feared, good extractor fans and I didn't wake up smelling of grease.
They were noticably annoyed with most of the party arriving late - but who can resist the temptation of being part of a hip hop video shoot taking place just outside?! Perhaps they are not quite cool enough for this part of Notting Hill?
Large parties are a challenge for the best but also mean superior income capabilities - usually on booze, they definitely missed a trick here. Instead they dampened the party spirit by insisting on a £6 cover charge (per person!) for serving a birthday cake we had brought in ourselves. This is quite a common practice and I have never come across a restaurant not agreeing to this tradition - generally selling coffee and liqueurs instead of pudding to make up for any shortfall.
So definitely a chip shop with attitude! On to the food itself, and the portion of cod was generous enough and beautifully presented. A bit tough, which was disappointing at £10.50 a pop - not including the chips (£4) and tiny cup of mushy peas (£2)! Chips always divide opinions, and I prefer mine crispier and less greasy - triple fried in Beef dripping, not for the faint hearted! Turns out I didn't make the worst food choice as the fish pie was so salty my friends didn't finish theirs.
As everyone was going for starters I had a salad to combat food envy - the butter leaf lettuce and avocado almost as lovely as the same combination at Pizza East - and a pound less at £5!
I love a sticky toffee pudding and theirs was delicious, but just too heavy. The other choices were just as rich - as my friend pointed out, this is the authentic English way! read more