Grosvenor Fish Bar -The Teege Critiques

So one sunny afternoon I had the delight of stopping by an old place that's had family owners in the last 30 years, and has always been one of, if not THE, most popular fish and chip shop in Norwich. Taking a traditional view on the way it's served, maintaining the feeling of quick service and an upbeat pace, this place never slows, and you will tend to find the queue lagging somewhere out of the door and around the corner.

Their new and expansive menu has brought questions to your critique's lips though... shark and miso on chips? Now I am a true fan of the finer culinary delights, but placing them in what's marketed as a traditional fish and chip bar is something new altogether.

The variety of choice for fish and sausage, however, has grown vastly since the days of a sausage and chips and a piece of unknown godforsaken fish. With the loss of Hot Chip, the hipster version of fish and chips, this left the Norwich market with Grosvenor Fish Bar as the only contender.

Upon entrance, the newly decorated walls of wood and pop art bring an air of vibrancy to the old chippy. The upbeat Americana music to accompany was an interesting touch... I didn't realise that in the USA they served a traditional English dish...!

The queue had six people in, with varying orders, which were handled swiftly. Upon my order the lady greeted me with somewhat of a fake interest into my presence, which seemed to bother her day...? "Sorry for wanting to purchase your chips," was my first reaction!

Order placed, we were offered our meal to eat in or take away... eating in being the preference this time, we were subsequently told to go downstairs and wait for our order. Sorry, wait, what...? Back up two seconds. You should never tell a customer to do something. That's Hospitality 101! You may advise that there is seating downstairs... anyway. We sat upstairs to watch how the rest of service was handled. Pretty much the same treatment, but overhearing the lady who served us discussing with her colleagues that "we never get to know our regulars" was interesting.

Upon the food arriving, we were excited. Two lots of sausage (no batter), and chips with gravy, cheese and curry sauce. The main ingredients, as far as I'm concerned, are the options available at any good chippy. The chips were as phenomenal as ever - crispy, yet light and fluffy. No excess oil, if only a tad too salty. The sausage was mediocre... I was expecting better. There was far too much salt. The sausage itself didn't have much flavour, beyond some piece of pork... I could tell that much! They could do with a partnership with Pickering's of Norwich, it would add a great twist.

So service and salt aside, The Teege gives this a 3.5/5 Stars. Less salt, more passion, and genuine personality from your staff will bring a whole new level of service to a revitalised old favourite.

I've an almighty fondness for the fishy fineries served at Grosvenor's, together with the friendly atmosphere and jazzy music. The vibrance of the establishment is a credit to Norwich, as is the hard work and commitment of its staff. The Bunker, the labyrinthine underground seating of the place, is a wonderful area in which to commune and unwind, and you can cheerfully take your fish and chips over the street to The Birdcage and eat them there. It's a fantastic part of the community, and if you've never tried it, I have just three words for you - Cha Cha Chips. Try them, and thank me later. It's 4/5 Stars from me!