I've never been to The Marlay House, but I have eaten at The Mobile Marlay. It's a food truck that slings out Irish food; what's not to love? It's only a shame they can't pour you a Guinness to accompany your meal.
Fish & Chips is clearly the specialty here. It's what they want you to order, as evidenced by the fact that the words "fish & chips" are painted in big, bold letters on several spots on the truck and there is even a cartoon fish holding a pint glass. When I visited the truck at Alpharetta Food Truck Alley, they had some other items on the menu like burgers, bangers, and "risotto balls" (is that Irish?). But most people were steering clear of those and ordering the fish & chips. So did I. Maybe the cartoon fish put me in a trance-like, highly suggestive state.
...or maybe it was just the fact that those fish friers smelled really, really good.
I would say that this was the best fish & chips I've ever received from a food truck, but that wouldn't mean much. This is a very solid representation of the Celtic pub staple. The fries were crispy and well seasoned with just the right amount of salt. The fish was piping hot, crunchy and perfectly flaky. Everything tasted fresh and not too greasy. The last two bites of the fish were a bit chewy but otherwise the consistency was sublime. The portion size for ~$6 was adequate.
My only complaint was that the tartar sauce they served on the side was of the packaged Ken's dressing variety. I understand the need to standardize some of these things for a food truck, but a nice homemade tartar sauce would have really made this fish sing. Not unlike the pint-holding cartoon fish on the truck appears to be doing.
Service was fast and friendly. Prices were reasonable. But damn it all if I didn't crave a Guinness afterward.
(Stupid cartoon fish.) read more