When I was a child chips were one of my favourites. We had them a couple of times a week. They were fried in beef dripping and proved very popular with a vegetarian friend of mine – I didn’t have the heart to tell him. I also omitted to mention that the apple pie that followed had pastry made with lard. There was a blue van at the top of our street most nights that sold chips coated in Newcastle Brown Ale before they were fried. Chips were so important they were anointed in the region’s holy water!

Most Northern folk take the view that there are few decent chippies south of Sheffield. I share this view – but 200 miles is a long drive for a decent chip.

Chips are a treat these days – and the best chips are part of pub meals. The perfect chip; crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and not visibly greasy or oily, is rectangular, about three quarters of an inch square and three inches long. The perfect chip is one that someone has taken trouble over, thought about, created. Chips shouldn’t be an afterthought. Chips should be seen as an integral part of the meal, or even as a meal in themselves. Good chips need good ingredients – the right potatoes, and the right oil – or even beef dripping.

Three great pubs, a ready meal and a chippy make up this five – with an honourable mention for The Hand and Flowers at Marlow (again!)

 

The Hind’s Head Hotel at Bray

01628 626151   

Having until recently concentrated on the serious business of being a three-star chef, Heston Blumenthal is now in serious danger of Ramseyesque over-exposure. Nonetheless, his Bray pub, the Hind’s Head continues is one of THE places to go for a great chip. Actually, I’d say a perfect chip, which alongside a bacon, roasted tomato and rocket sandwich and the best pint of Greene King IPA I’ve had outside of East Anglia it’s the perfect pub lunch. The Hind’s Head really is run as a pub and the service is still excellent. 

Triple Cooked Chips – £4.50 Bacon Sandwich – £4.50

 

The Royal Oak at Paley Street

01628 620 541

Michael and Nick Parkinson’s gastro pub has been picking up accolades left, right and centre over the past year or so. There are plenty of opinions on the quality of its chips – overwhelmingly favourable. The Barnsley connection must have something to do with it.  Either way, the ever growing reputation for crunchy, fluffy chips is well deserved. As a side with anything, alongside the Cumbrian ham with a fried duck egg and parmesan as a light lunch or accompanying Grilled Lemon Sole with Bearnaise.

Chips – £3.50. Ham and Egg £8.00 Sole £22.50

 

The Yew Tree Inn at Highclere

01635 253360

Marco Pierre White has the credentials for any dish – but most importantly for chips, he’s from Leeds. That said chips as such are not normally on the menu on their own at The Yew Tree. This is a pity, because in the shape of Pommes Pont Neuf accompanying Rib Eye steak they are sublime – the original French Fries and, as the name suggests, you get nine of them – and the steak is pretty fine too, but it’s worth ordering just for the chips!

Pommes Pont Neuf with Rib Eye £18.00 – £19.50 Fish and chips – £14.50

 

Marks and Spencer

Chips at home don’t necessarily need frying, and if you just can’t face all that hot fat stuff the gastropub range from M&S food provides an alternative that taste grand after 20 minutes in a hot oven. But if you CAN do the hot oil thing they can become brilliant double cooked chips.

Gastropub Chunky Chips – £1.99

 

Sanders

158 Park Lane, Tilehurst 0118 942 6894

This collection wouldn’t be complete without a chippy. When the name of the game is shifting quantity you don’t expect a beautiful chip. But if chips are THE thing you do why wouldn’t you want to do them right? The same rules apply  – crisp and fluffy, not soggy and stodgy. In this respect Sanders delivers a good chip. Not quite northern – but you can’t have everything.

Small Chips £1.40 Large Chips £2.10