The Chip Shop

Overview

Despite the fact that there is one in every block of shops, a good fish and chippery is hard to find. People underestimate the science behind creating the classic kiwi cuisine, and the number of factors that need to be taken into account before frying up the feast. Grease and salt ratios, cooking time, seafood quality, menu variety and overall flavour balance all need to be accounted for when concocting the nation’s favourite meal, and if any one of these elements goes amiss, the entire meal could well be ruined. Luckily, a few places hit the nail on the head too. The Chip Shop is one of them.

Royal Oak’s local chippery is a petite and unassuming little store. It has that that same fish and chip shop vibe that every New Zealander is familiar with.  The staff are friendly, but the place is always pumping so there isn’t a lot of time to chat. They are always happy to offer up suggestions and specials though, and you’d be wise to take their advice. Being something of a fish and chip snob, I have my order down and any variation takes days of contemplation and pro-and-con list-making. I’m a solid battered terakihi and kumara chips kinda gal, maybe a potato fritter on the side if I’m feeling adventurous. Well. The staff at The Chip Shop should consider futures in used car sales, because the guy behind the counter managed to twist my arm into getting a hotdog.

And thank the heavens he did, because it was hands down one of the best hotdogs I have even had the pleasure of consuming. The fish was fantastic and fresh too, and the kumara chips were cooked to perfection. If you’re gluten-free, then you don’t have to drool as your friends unwrap the newspaper parcels, because The Chip Shop is one of the only chipperies offering gluten-free batter in the city. And I can personally vouch for the quality of the wheatless batter.

If you’re feeling patriotic and feening for a fishy feed, then the trek out to Royal Oak is worth it. The Chip Shop serves up seriously good f&c.