GB Fish and Chips

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reviewed on June 15, 2007

I don’t fully understand the fascination with fish and chips. Don’t get me wrong—I like fish and chips. I just don’t get the passion with which some people get involved with this culinary gift from our British brothers. Just mention the words on The Restaurant Show, and you can be guaranteed that the phones will start lighting up immediately. And, as with barbecue, Mexican, and Chinese, everybody has their favorites.

But, honestly, fish and chips is fish and chips. If you start with good fish, traditionally cod—still favored by most purists, create a tasty batter and keep your oil hot and clean, you’re pretty much assured of turning out a good product.

The latest entry into the Denver f&c market is GB Fish & Chips at South Broadway and Louisiana, which just opened a few weeks back, and has already gotten lots of calls on the show. Keep your eyes peeled for the restaurant, especially if you’re heading south on Broadway or you’re likely to miss this free-standing building painted a dark shade of violet and sporting a logo that’s a takeoff on the Union Jack. Best thing to do is watch for the Winchell's just to the north of it, and when you see that, grab one of the plentiful on-street parking spaces.

Inside, the restaurant is as simple as the outside with the Union Jack theme carried throughout along with framed photographs on the walls and soccer shirts spread across the ceilings. Don’t go expecting anything fancy, because that’s not what fish and chips is all about. This is a quick service restaurant where you order at a small counter, then grab one of about five bare, wooden, picnic style tables, and wait till your name is called.

The most challenging thing you’re going to have to do is order because GB Fish & Chips does more than just your basic battered cod. There’s tilapia, prawns, squid, scallops and, coming soon, oysters. And meals are available in half or full portions, ala carte or a complete meal. It sounds confusing, but they’ll walk you through it and make sure you get what you’re looking for. Further complicating the ordering is that, in addition to fish and chips, GB Fish & Chips also offers bangers—those delightfully plump English sausages, shepherd’s pie, pork pie, and pasties.

Dinners, when they arrive, are served in those ubiquitous red plastic burger-baskets with plastic knives and forks and paper napkins—again, if you want china and silver, you’re in the wrong place. The half meal we selected consisted of three good sized pieces of cod, surrounded by a tasty batter, and accompanied by a generous portion of pretty ordinary fries. I like my fish and chips with a sprinkle of malt vinegar, provided in small shaker bottles on the tables. For a half portion, it was more than enough food, and I can’t imagine anyone with a normal appetite making their way through twice that amount of food.

Our second choice was the bangers which we ordered with mashed potatoes. I’m not normally a huge fan of bangers but since these were touted as homemade we had to give them a try, and wow, were they good, accompanied by a portion of caramelized onions.

GB Fish & Chips has a beer and wine license and carries a nice variety of domestic and imported beers. After all, what’s fish and chips without a cold beer to wash it down.

And if I still haven’t convinced you to give it a try, consider this—how can you resist a fish and chips restaurant with a motto like “In cod we trust?”

GB Fish & Chips
1311 S. Broadway, at Louisiana
720-570-5103