Fish & chips, that staple of British take-away options will often bring satisfaction, relief at not having to cook for an evening….But it’s very rare to find one that brings true amusement!
Turning tradition upside down
Being such a simple, traditional mainstay of British culture; most people will have their fish & chip order memorised & locked in for life. It’s a predictable, option for dinner when you can’t be bothered to cook, right? Perhaps the only moment of uncertainty being ‘do I fancy fish or a battered sausage today….? Not so at Eric’s! I had no interest in my usual order of cod, mushy peas & vinegar-drenched chips: I wanted to (and pretty much did) order everything else on the menu instead!
Eric’s have taken the safe, predictable menu from every fish & chip shop in the land and….had some fun with it. It’s as if they’ve made a list of their favourite foods and asked the dangerous, yet relevant question…..’Can it be battered?’ Note I didn’t say ‘should it be battered?’ to which the answer for some things on their menu is….probably not, actually. However they are definitely injecting some fun into food which, for too long has remained untouched by improvement, curiosity or just plain sillinesss.
The menu consists of all the usual fare; various types of fish, scampi or sausages & saveloys battered & deep fried, as well as some more curious offerings. We eschewed ‘the usual’ and opted for a selection of all things we couldn’t pass up trying: deep fried gherkin, black pudding, arancini and, of course, a jam sandwich.
Should you batter a gherkin?
The verdict is that some things were a revelation – I recommend everyone to try a battered gherkin – and some things are not improved by being battered & deep fried (I’m looking at you, black pudding!) The real beauty of Eric’s is that they have taken a meal, which Brits rely on to be the same, no matter what part of the country you’re in, and made it a bit more interesting. You can opt for your regular chip shop dinner and have thoroughly lovely time. Or you can take a small, battered gamble on something quirky. You may find your new favourite thing, you may not. But at least you’ve taken something predictable and opted for a little joy alongside!
Where to find Eric’s
Technically not a Suffolk eatery, Eric’s have 3 shops across Norfolk & Cambridgeshire (Holt, Thornham & St Ives). We visited on a little getaway to North Norfolk so it’s not a quick day-trip out for fish & chips from Suffolk. Though in fairness, having once driven a 4hr round trip to Cromer on a whim to try Galton Blackiston’s fish & chips….It’s not out of the realms of possibilty! I’ll definitely be back for a gherkin soon!