Bell Block Takeaways

    REVIEW LOCATION:

New Plymouth

Store: Bell Block Takeaways, 10 Pohutukawa Pl.
Price: $8.00

Amount of chips:     5/5
Chip quality:        4/5
Size of fish:        5/5
Fish quality:        5/5

Total Score:         19

Well drained of oil?: Lacking.
Satisfied?: Absolutely!

Comments: 

This shop came up as a recommendation from a friend after last week's review as it's in the same part of town as Parklands Takeaways.

It got off to a rocky start. Even though we phoned ahead and arrived at the time stated over the phone, they blatantly started cooking the fish and chips after we arrived. It's Friday night so I thought I'd give them a pass on that. We probably missed the rush and they're probably still reeling from it('scuse the pun).
The branding was your typical job by a self taught provincial design company. Big heavy fonts, a stark heavy duty color palette with the awkward addition of a cartoony burger mascot doing the thumbs up or something. A TV blaring some painful current events comedy show with Jeremy Crobet or whatever the hell his name who was absolutely bombing. Revealing how out of touch he is by unearthing the Karen meme as though it's still relevant. Covid19 ads play in between while no one in the store wears a mask. A mandatory commercial fish poster hovering in the corner and the deep fryers hidden out the back of the shop in a different room while I'm curious what they're doing back there.The way the kid working the register squinted at us left me wondering if he was just being an angsty teen or if he desperately needed an eye examination. We also have to talk about the weird unused cabinets next to the counter with AstroTurf in them because I have no idea what that's about. They almost seemed like cold cases for fresh fish but why the AstroTurf? I don't get it.
The chips were an incredible take on what seems to be the town favorite - Mr Chip's brand chips. Probably the best batch of them I've had in terms of fry time and temp. The balance of the crispy bite through to creamy center was like a starch filled dream. A potato sonata so delicate and well conducted but never reaching the full cescendo you were hoping for because they rushed the oil drainage before dumping them into the news print. Like a lover getting an important business call right before you climax.
The Warehou filet, while also slightly drenched in oil, was a cut above the rest ('scuse this pun too). Not a single sour note and cooked beautifully. It was huge and I enjoyed every bite so it just felt wrong to mark down the quality score because of their impatient bang hang mishap.
If I didn't have to choose a different fish and chips spot every week, I could see this as being a place I'd go to if I had a massive hang over.