Sunday Lunch at The Magnificent Fish & Chips Bar, Changkat Bukit Bintang

I really hate the name.

I mean, I would have visited this restaurant sooner if it had a different name. But it came highly recommended by so many people that we decided that we should just go and have a look for ourselves.

Also, I had been pretty well-behaved the whole week, and Bald Eagle didn't have an excuse to make me pay for an expensive meal again. He tried, though. As we sat down in the restaurant this morning, he thanked me for lunch. I merely fluttered my eyelashes at him (yes, it still works even after X years of marriage) and he knew what he had to do.

The restaurant looked quite nice and somewhat cozy. What's interesting here is that they don't have a food menu. Everything's written on several blackboards placed on the walls using just chalk. That's a cost-effective way of doing things. Of course, it can be quite a chore to walk up to the blackboards to figure out what you want to eat. And God forbid if you're shortsighted.





Paying due reverence to its name, we both decided to go with the obvious choice - fish & chips. Well, in all honesty, I was more keen on the big breakfast (it was, after all, just 11.15am), but when I found out that it wasn't very different from the other big breakfasts I had sampled at other restaurants, I figured I'd be better of with the fish & chips.

There is an astounding number of options just for fish & chips. Dory, barramundi, coral trout, parrot fish, grouper, salmon and silver cod at prices ranging from RM26 to RM45.

Once coated in batter, both choices (barramundi and parrot fish) tasted the same, although Bald Eagle's parrot fish had bones in it, so one would have to eat very carefully, or risk being rushed to the hospital (seriously, a friend just related that story to me where she had to seek outpatient treatment because she had a fishbone stuck in her throat - NOT at The Magnificent Fish & Chips Bar).

I loved the thick cut potato chips. And dousing everything in vinegar (instead of Malaysia's all-time favourite chilli sauce) was so satisfying. I think the restaurant tried to make the experience as "authentic" as possible by putting layers of newspaper underneath a thin piece of white paper on which the fish was placed, and I suppose there was a certain charm to how it was presented. Am not sure of the practicality of such an action, though.





What I really enjoyed was the mushy peas. This is typical pub food and is probably quite simple to make by adding dollops of butter into mashed peas (sometimes mint is added to this, but I didn't taste any here). At RM5, the serving is substantial and sufficient for two. Did you know that in Yorkshire, this is called Yorkshire caviar?

The entire meal, with coffee and taxes, came up to RM90. Thanks, Bald Eagle! I love it when I'm well-behaved.

The Magnificent Fish & Chips Bar
28, Changkat Bukit Bintang
50200 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2142 7021

Opens daily, 8.00am - 1.00am weekdays and 10.00am till late on weekends.

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