A chippy off the old block

Quite a few restaurants in Hong Kong serve fish and chips, but there's only one bona fide fish and chip shop - The Chippy. It claims to serve 'Hong Kong's finest fish and chips', with some justification, particularly in the case of the chips.

These are hand cut and undergo a complicated multistep preparation which gives a satisfying outer crispness and inner softness.

Something similar could be said of the contrast between the shell provided by the house's own beer batter and the tender cod, sole, halibut, or plaice inside, all of which, we are assured by the management, are 'sustainably harvested in the North Atlantic and flown in fresh just for us'.

Fish cakes, fish bites and 'The Chippy Fishburger' are also available.

Those who prefer meat will be at home here. You can have bangers with chips or mash, the pies are all home-made, and you can also get burgers, black pudding, chicken schnitzel and Danish bacon or English sausage sandwiches.

Like many fish and chip shops in Britain, The Chippy doubles as a cafe, and offers an all day breakfast with the usual 'Full English' elements sometimes referred to as 'a heart attack on a plate'.

The Scots are just as fond of their chippies, and there are a number of concessions to Caledonian taste here, including the availability of haggis on request, square sausages and that great Glaswegian dessert delicacy the 'deep-fried Mars bar'.

Deep frying confectionary is not as simple as it sounds, and it says something about the attention to detail at The Chippy that the Mars bars are specially imported from Britain. Those available in Hong Kong come from Australia, and use chocolate with a higher melting point, which yields less satisfactory results.

Although The Chippy does a brisk takeaway business with its 'butties' (northern English for sandwiches), most of the fish and chips are served at tables on the premises, and you can order beer or wine as well as soft drinks to wash them down. Yes, there are mushy peas, pickled eggs and onions - and curry sauce.

The Chippy, basement, 51A Wellington Street, Central, (entrance on Pottinger Street). Tel: 25231618. www.thechippy.com.hk