George's Fisheries

REVIEW LOCATION:
Whanganui

Store: George's Fisheries, 40 Victoria Ave.
Price: $7.40

Amount of chips:     5/5
Chip quality:        3/5
Size of fish:        5/5
Fish quality:        3/5

Total Score:         16

Well drained of oil?: Very good.
Satisfied?: Couldn't have eaten another bite!

Comments: I had a lot of confidence in this place as it was our go to while living in Whanganui. We lived above this store for years and it was extremely difficult to hold ourselves back from gorging on George's most days. So I came at this review with fond memories and nostalgia which I thought may bias my opinion on it only to find that it was under new management. Instantly the palace I had built in my mind of this hot chips hot spot began to crumble right in front of me. No Yvonne behind the deep frier banging away? Is it even George's if her oddly stern but friendly smile isn't beaming at you from behind the counter for that first 10 seconds after you set the shop door buzzer off?
The young white guy behind the counter asking a Maori customer where he stole his watch kinda put the whole experience off onto the wrong foot but I tried to look through it and not let ownership change get in the way of a fair review.
The chips are without a doubt the recipe bestowed upon them from the previous owners and when done right are the "double bounce" of the hand cut chip world which in my opinion is a massive accomplishment. Unfortunately, this batch were not cooked with the care and attention they deserve and I was served light fried chips with a raw center. This made the trudge through the generously large scoop very unenjoyable. Not even the fact that they were fried in beef dripping could save them.
The fish was a pleasant shift to blue warehou as the house fish, however, this was let down by the thick doughy batter application. It was not only under cooked but it over powered any subtleties of the fish itself which defeats the purpose of using anything different to a cheap lemon fish cut.
I think my longing for the great culinary experience from the good old days aside, these were objectively pretty bad fish and chips. The dream is over. It's now time for someone else in Whanganui to carry the torch and lead the way in the pursuit of perfect fish and chips.