Merriland's Takeaways

     REVIEW LOCATION:

New Plymouth

Store: Merriland's Takeaways, 201 Mangorei Rd.
Price: $6.20

Amount of chips:     5/5
Chip quality:        3/5
Size of fish:        5/5
Fish quality:        2/5

Total Score:         15

Well drained of oil?: Not particularly.
Satisfied?: Felt neither here nor there.

Comments: 

The thing I love about telling people that I review fish and chips is how everyone comes out of the wood work to let me know the best places in town that simply can't be missed. Merriland's Takeaways was one of those places. We had extended family joining us for dinner so I thought it would be safe to take a punt on one of the shops from my recommendation list.

It was off to a bit of an undie ripping start when their address on Google maps sent us on a wild goose chase. The location marker falsely said it was among a cluster of kit set houses. This first impression was soured again when we arrived at the actual store after the time stated over the phone only to see our order hadn't been cooked yet.

While waiting for everything to cook, I took in my surroundings. The pseudo Mediterranean colour palette of pastel yellow, red and pale blue combined with wild west slab serif fonts, golden waving cats and a goofy cartoon fish mascot gave me mixed emotions. Feelings of confusion. It was one of those things you just have to give up trying to make sense of.

The serving size of the fish and chips for this price bracket were quite impressive so I definitely wasn't left hungry.

The fish was a girthy piece of Warehou and the application of the batter was pretty good. However, it wasn't cooked at an optimum temperature which left it doughy in some parts and pockets of oil which popped in my mouth and sent shivers down my spine. Also there were a few mouthfuls of metallic muddiness thrown in for good measure.

The chips were dry hollowed out sticks which would have been impossible to digest without a beer.

In hindsight it seems like the Google maps blunder was the universe sending me a message. You'd have a higher chance of getting amazing fish and chips wherever that pin was located.