The perfect fish and chips is a little bit Goldilocks-like. You want it a little dirty, but equally not swimming in grease. You want the chips to be a little soggier than your day to day fare, but not dripping. The list goes on. So when we moved to Hemel, we started to hear good things about Lawn Lane Fish and Chips - and establishing a go-to chippy was a must!
I ordered through Deliveroo - the downside of this (along with Deliveroo taking a percentage cut from Lawn Lane) is that there's nowhere to instruct them of one of the most important details....how you want your chips done! (In case you're asking, slightly salted with vinegar. I have strong opinions on this). That was frustrating. Thankfully a swift call to Lawn Lane later and they had the vital vital details. The chip portions btw, are HUGE. Order a large at your peril or if you want to feed at least two people, if not three. Also be aware the chips are ordered separately from the fish.
I had the cod and got a 10 piece scampi to go with the chips. That came to £14.28 (£2.50 of that was delivery and Deliveroo fees). It arrived 20 mins later, nice and hot, wrapped in paper (of course).
I have to say... This was banging fish and chips. The chips were perfect. They are light, with the right amount of sogginess. Chips from the chip shop can be a bit too oily or soggy, but these felt fresh. The fish and batter was also really impressive too. I am not a big fan of fish batter - I sometimes horrify C by only eating the fish and leaving the batter. But this batter was airy, crisp and light, even though it has been wrapped in paper. It wasn't too thick or overpowering. It allowed the fish to be the feature and complimented it well. The fish itself was lean, plump and flaked perfectly, no overcooked, rubbery or sadly defrosted fish here.
I had really low expectations for the scampi; most fast-food scampi feels obviously frozen and reheated, weak, watery and bland, even in some of the nicer pubs I have been too. But these were actually pretty nice - and while they may well have been frozen, we couldn't tell - which is a good sign.
Fish and chips doesn't have to be big and clever to nail its brief. Yes, you can buy posh fish and chips, but for me it sort of misses the point. Fish and chips are meant to be a bit cheeky, a bit of a treat. To get it right at this price point, it just needs to be fresh, light and just the right amount of dirty indulgence. Lawn Lane has all those in spades.
Service:
Deliveroo service was spot on. Quick and easy
Price and Value:
Around £11 for a cod, chips and scampi is pretty good value for money (plus £2.50 for delivery and Deliveroo fee).
Quality:
This isn't a posh fish and chips and nor does it claim to be. But for this price point, it is good. The fish isn't going to win any prizes, but do you expect that when you order fish and chips?
Overall:
EXCELLENT - This is a really solid effort. Not too oily; it's airy, crisp and light in all the right places. Comfort food at its best.
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