Foodie Rev: The Frying Scotsman

I'm definitely a fan of fish n' chips. And I have tried servings from most restaurants I've been to, and they're, suffice to say, just ok. Some are quite disappointing though (say GREASE loudly now...ehem).

A couple of good friends of mine discovered this small 'hole in the wall' place serving good 'ol fish n' chips. The place was called, The Frying Scotsman. And yes, the proprietor is Scottish indeed.


The Frying Scotsman's hideout. NW 22nd and Raleigh. (Pic courtesy of a poster/reviewer on Yelp)
So one rainy and cold Friday, I joined my friends in visiting the place for lunch.

We got to the place and what you see is just simple - his 'HQ' is actually a small (but very clean) trailer, parked in a warehouse size garage. This is where the food is prepped and made.

There's some seating (3 tables x 4 chairs each). Other than that, it's pretty industrial.

But let's get to the food. The selection is....fish n' chips (yes captain obvious!). But there is variety to the type of fish. You can have Cod, Haddock (the norm in in the UK, I was told), Mahi-mahi, Red
Snapper, and Salmon. I didn't check the full menu, but they said there was soup too. And drinks, of course.

There were four of us and we took one of each (except the Salmon). I had the cod.

I was expecting a small order, but what came in the neat paper box was two huge pieces of cod, covered in light batter, and nice, chunky potato wedges. And a side of cole slaw and tartar sauce. So, with malt vinegar, HP sauce, ketchup, salt n' pepper on the ready, we ate.

The verdict? Awesome indeed! Does not compare do any of the other fish n' chips that I've had, and I think I won't order from any place again. Perhaps it's because it's hot off the fryer, but still. This kind of food is supposed to be eaten fresh and hot anyways.

The cod was good and the batter just right and light. There is a slight 'sweet' taste on the batter. The fish is cooked right, and juicy, not dry. And the chips? Nice good wedges of potatoes to boot!

I highly recommend the place and will definitely be back. I will have to try the rest of the variations, starting with the Haddock next time, as I have heard some raves about it.

So if you're around uptown Portland, somewhere in the NW 22nd and NW Raleigh area, and suddenly have an urge for some fish n' chips, swing by The Frying Scotsman. You won't be disappointed. ;)

Check out pics and reviews here at Yelp (now that I have a phone with a better camera, and video too, I fail to take pics and document these - I'll do better next!) - The Frying Scotsman