This Old Town fish-and-chips shop is not a boisterous place, but it’s filled with plenty of noise: the tearing of paper bags (even if you’re dining in, your food will come in one), the slurping of pints of Guinness, and most notably, the loud crunch that happens when you bite into a hunk of hot, freshly fried Maine pollock. That last sound is the most important, a signal of both a fabulous batter (it’s spiked with malt vinegar) and a deft hand at the fryer. The thick-cut chips let the flavor of the potato shine through, and you can pair them with a colorful array of mostly mayo-based sauces. It’s hard to say no to the creamy, pink Marie Rose, but the Kitty O’Shea, flecked with capers and olives, is a close second, giving everything it touches a tangy, salty kick.
Cuisine: Irish
Where you can get it: 728 King St., Alexandria; 703-299-8384
Also good: Codwich sandwich; fried chicken bites; fried prawns; coleslaw.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
