Food and Drink
I paid the chipper a visit yesterday afternoon to put some recommended menu items to the test.
ByKarla Sinclair
Family-run Rosemount chipper Fish ‘n’ Hook opened its doors in January 2020, and owner Kevin Carr says things have been “very busy” – particularly as of late.
No stranger to working in kitchens, he was head chef at the old Queens Hotel in Aberdeen (now Malmaison) for 12 years.
“I then worked offshore for another 12 years,” Kevintells me during our chat yesterday afternoon.
When his son Liam – who’s now 11 – was born, his offshore role became “harder and harder”, so he went back to working onshore at a north-east chipper.
And now he’s the proud owner of his very own on Rosemount Place.
Located in the former Mr Chips, which was previously The Kiwi, I’d heard great things about Fish ‘n’ Hook ahead of my visit. It’s also the highest rated chipper in Aberdeen on Google.
“It’s come on leaps and bounds and is very busy,” Kevin added.
Fish ‘n’ Hook operates a collection only service, and is open from 4pm to 8.30pm Wednesday to Sunday.
Read on to see what dishes we tasted at Rosemount chipper Fish ‘n’ Hook, and our ratings for each…
Dish 1: Jumbo haddock supper
The Rosemount chipper sources its haddock from Skateraw Fisheries, a fellow family-run Aberdeen-based business. It sources its other products, such as monkfish cheeks, from Granite City Fish.
The haddock itself was flakey, delicate and (unsurprisingly) fresh with a slightly sweet taste. As for the batter, it was addicting with a lovely crunch and little oil residue.
It’s a fair feed, so I hope you’re hungry if this is what you go for.
A jumbo haddock at Fish ‘n’ Hook is priced at £10.80. It’s an additional £3.50 to make the meal a supper, which goes for the rest of the dishes too.
Rating:
- Karla: 5/5
Dish 2: Stornoway black pudding
The batter’s texture on my £4.25 Stornoway black pudding was lighter and puffier. It was equally as tasty though, so may have been the same batter coated on my haddock.
It must depend on what’s being fried, but I’m no kitchen whiz.
There were two in the portion.
I broke one in half to give myself and photographer Darrell a closer look.
Rich and meaty, there was a nice peppery taste to the black pudding that lingered on the tongue.
Rating:
- Karla: 4/5
Dish 3: Katsu chicken
Next up, the katsu chicken – a popular Fish ‘n’ Hook menu special.
This dish, which costs £7.50, was just as flavourful as it was colourful.
The thick chunks of fried chicken, which were juicy on the inside and crunchy on the outside, were topped with thinly sliced peppers, chillies, onions and a drizzling of curry sauce.
The spicy elements balanced superbly with the sweetness of the curry sauce. I must add that this was the best curry sauce I’ve had the pleasure of trying.
If the Rosemount chipper sold them by the bottle, I’d be stockpiling them.
Rating:
- Karla: 5/5
Dish 4: Homemade smoked haddock fish cakes
Back to seafood, the venue’s homemade smoked haddock fish cakes were also recommended to me by Kevin and his partner Louise Skene.
There were two in the £6.20 portion.
Once I stopped complimenting the batter (again), I shifted my praise onto what it was encasing.
The interior was soft and almost creamy in texture with a smokiness that was the star of the show.I do think, however, that the addition of a mild cheesy flavour would bring them to the next level.
I tried out the thick chips at this point as well, and they boasted a slightly crisp coating with a fluffy interior.
Rating:
- Karla: 4/5
Dish 5: Homemade onion rings
Onion rings are one of my favourite side dishes, so I’ve tried a lot over the years… some great, some not so great.
The ones I tried at Fish ‘n’ Hook (for £3.50) were solid. I don’t mean in texture, by the way, but in quality.
There were five in the portion – and huge, so it’s for sure a sharer.
Both sweet and savoury in flavour, I rated the texture and they had a great batter-to-filling ratio.
Rating:
- Karla: 5/5
The verdict
Once you find a great chipper, you tend to stick with it and become a repeat customer.
Despite trying a lot of them in the north-east over the years, I haven’t quite found one that’s made me want to go back for more time and time again.
Well, that ended yesterday.
The food at Fish ‘n’ Hook is fantastic, and I won’t stop shouting about the business for the foreseeable.
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