This venerable West London institution has been shut for several months after a fire in the kitchen. However stuck in an inevitable traffic jam around Marylebone station the other day I noticed it had re-opened. It was a firm favourite of ours when we lived in the area so having been picked up by my lovely wife and baby G after work we decided to pop in on our way home for a takeaway tea at my mum's. It can be a bit of an ordeal parking around there as you get queuing traffic from the ring road, the roads around are narrow and most London cabbies go there for their dinner. Anyway we parked up the road and leaving the family in the car I went to get our order.
It has to be said the owners made good use of the shutdown to tart up the place which was starting to look a bit rundown. The new kitchen looks bright and airy and well organised. I ordered cod for the ladies and plaice for me. I had a little wait for the plaice but that's usual. I was pleased to see that the regular clientele of taxi drivers, tourists and locals had returned. It was rumoured in the 80's that Princess Margaret used to send out for Fish and Chips from the Seashell. I've very fond memories of being taken there by my dad and queuing on a Friday for our family takeaway. I'm very glad it is still there so that I can do the same with my little boy. They have put a few tables outside which makes this scruffy part of Lisson Grove look a bit nicer. Inside is still standing room only which seems to please the cabbies.
I took the our order home and it has to be said the girls were very happy with their enormous pieces of cod. I was less happy with my plaice as the batter had come off in transit and the piece was pretty small compared to the whopping cod. The chips however were very good. All in all not bad and as Costa's Fish Bar is no more "the Seashell" remains our closest decent option for fish and chips. I do wish so clever entrepeneur would open a good no nonsense Fish and Chip shop for us in Notting Hill.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7