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Friday 7 October 2016

The Magnificent Fish & Chips Bar @ Changkat Bukit Bintang

My family loves a good fish and chips (especially my son) but many offered by cafes these days are usually from the frozen variety (!) which aren't all that good.

So we came looking for The Magnificent Fish & Chips Bar @ Changkat Bukit Bintang that has lasted some 10-odd years on this street (and that's no mean feat)...and, hopefully, true to its namesake, some magnificent fish and chips! ;)

Reminiscent of a small English pub with its dark wood furniture and chalk board menu, there were several tables for indoor seating, mostly alfresco dining, as well as a space upstairs.  We chose to sit somewhere between indoor and outdoor (for better lighting for photo taking) as the indoor area was a bit dim.

Ordering from a paper menu, we went with the server-recommended Salt & Pepper Calamari @ RM32, served with a chilli dip that tasted like Thai chilli sauce, for sharing.  I think the pepper seasoning was probably part black pepper and red pepper flakes (maybe some paprika too) in a bread crumbed-like batter but don't expect the batter to be crunchy (coz it's not) but still very nice.  The calamari, on the other hand, was super duper tender.  

I used to think that squid and calamari were one and the same and that the name was used interchangeably by restaurants (some still do) only to realise later that squid is tougher (and cheaper) while calamari is more tender (and also more expensive).  Now I know why I've had different outcomes when I ate this previously...some were obviously salt & pepper squid (yikes!) while some were salt & pepper calamari (yay!)...and some were salt & pepper squid passing off as salt & pepper calamari (argh!).  The portion size wasn't all that big (for the price) as some would say but then this is the more pricey calamari we're talking about here, so I'll take it.

It would be a travesty to come to a fish & chips specialist and not order fish & chips, so we chose Battered Barramundi @ RM44 served with tartar sauce and a wedge of lemon.  You can also opt for grilled and your other fish choices would be butterfish, Icelandic cod or catch of the day.

Well, it looked like any traditional English fish & chips should be...with a nicely battered, rather large piece of crispy, moist fillet and chunky, hand-cut chips that's crisp on the outside but soft within.  The batter is not the light and crisp type but the thick and very crunchy type, maybe just a whisker too thick for my personal liking.

I noticed that the chalk board menu listed some other fish choices...must be the specials for the day....halibut, blue perch @ RM32 and silver cod @ RM52 (catch of the day).  The server said I can have it battered or grilled, so I ordered the Grilled Halibut @ RM48 coz (I'm thinking, right) it'll be a bit of a waste to have it deep fried for a fish that price and that delicate.  When it arrived, my eyes almost fell out of its socket when I saw how tiny a portion it was...probably enough for a very small-eater (and I'm no small-eater)! O_o Ah well, supper is in order then.

It was served with pan fried potatoes at the bottom with some sauteed asparagus and cherry tomatoes.

Notwithstanding the small portion, the halibut was incredibly soft and delicate.  It had crispy skin and the fish was so fresh and utterly flaky that it just disintegrates in your mouth.  I had to eat it slowly in tiny bite-sized pieces to savour every bite, otherwise one could finish it in 3 mouthfuls if one wants to....kekeke! :D

I was told that my halibut comes with a side and that I could choose to have either chips, mash or salad.  Since we already have chips and I didn't want mash or salad, I asked if I could have mushy peas instead since it's a quintessential accompaniment for fish & chips.  I told the server that just a small portion will do and was delighted that she agreed   The portion that arrived was quite generous I'd say (the price of a side of mushy peas on the menu is RM14 incidentally).  The lightly mashed mushy peas were chunky and soft to the bite. The buttery peas had some bits of beef bacon thrown in the mix for added texture.

For drinks, we went with some Chilled Juices of Pineapple & Mango @ RM12 each.  When we were there, the tele was playing some old music videos (from the 80's and 90's) which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Side Story:
Parking on this street is a nightmare (this being my first trip to the area)!  The first open-air parking we approached wanted to charge us RM20.  The second one we went said they offer the cheapest rates here at RM10.  As we were there for an early dinner (knowing that this street, full of pubs and bars, would be riddled with drinkers at later hours), we noticed some cars parked illegally by the roadside next to the restaurants and decided to do the same as we knew we'd be there probably for an hour, tops one and a half hours.  That's when we told ourselves, ok we won't be here for long, let's take a risk and park by the road since there was a space right outside the restaurant we intended to eat at.  But, just as we tried to do that, a "parking tout" (even though he's part of the so-called parking "management") came over to say that we have to pay RM15 for parking....what the...?  You even have to pay for parking illegally on a public road?  It's like these people own the streets! >:(

My Personal Opinion

Known for one of the better fish & chips in town, it was certainly a decent fish & chips....just not as magnificent as it should be...for the price we paid!

The food prices here are on the higher end, for sure, and the clientele on this street seems to be mostly expatriates and tourists staying in the area who want to chow down on some food and then soak in the night life by going pubbing and clubbing till the wee hours of the morning.  The place seems more suitable for the younger/singles generation, if you ask me (like TREC KL)...not feeling the family vibe ^_*

With cut-throat parking rates and parking being a nightmare, I'm not sure if I'll want to come back to this area (even if the food was decent)! >_<  

The Magnificent Fish & Chips Bar
28 Changkat Bukit Bintang
50200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2142 7021

14 comments:

  1. This post is so interesting. I also encountered many lousy fish and chips locally. My friend once dragged me to eat the real English styled in London with a mug of icy cold beer and it was the most delicious I had eaten. Since then, I realised only most 5 star hotels here could offer the real English cooking.

    Today I learnt from you that squids and calamari are different!!! LOLOL Silly me.....

    The worst parking ticket I ever paid was at KL Hilton where one night's dinner slaughtered me @ RM38.00!!!!!! That was after getting chop/stamp by the waiter! If no chop, I dare not think...

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    1. The highest parking ticket I've experienced were RM17 at KLCC and RM21 at Intermark...no where near your RM38!! >_<

      Of course the best fish & chips would be a real English fish & chips. Well, many of us thought squid and calamari is the same thing...me included for the longest time (after all, calamari is the Italian word for squid + many restaurants use the word interchangeably).

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  2. ooo, their prices have changed that much since the earliest days - maybe about a 30 percent increase over time - compared to the 200 percent increase in parking rates!!!

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    1. Oh, I checked your earlier post on this place...back in 2009, so a 30% change is certainly acceptable over 7 years....but not the parking rates which is daylight robbery! >:(

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  3. I have heard of this place but have not had a chance to visit. And when I do, I must remember not to order the specials >.< So I take it that you would not be keen to try El Cerdo since Changkat Bukit Bintang is such a nightmare hahaha!!

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    1. I actually wanted to try El Cerdo after seeing your numerous reviews of the place but that was before we knew about the exorbitant rates and the parking touts in that area. My family is not keen to go back there again :(

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  4. What do you expect ar? Changkat... that place is gangster operated one, of course any type of parking is charged, even those illegal looking road side ones...

    Your grilled halibut... tsk... that place fine dining one issit?

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    1. Halibut is expensive but still....getting such a small portion was eye opening! >_< I hear that fresh halibut is even more expensive than cod...and I do appreciate that this one was very fresh.

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  5. I guess your family ordered seven items. That sure was a magnificent seven. Aha, catch of the day......that should suit the young clientele, pardon the pun.☺️

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    1. Well, the young clientele can certainly hope to land the 'catch of the day' (besides fish) since this is like a 'party street'...hehe! :D

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  6. Parking is a nightmare over there. A tip for the next time you dare to venture over that way again - we usually park underneath the building two streets behind - the one that's in the same street as Pisco Bar and No Black Tie. We'd rather not deal with the self professed parking guards and just pay the machine in the lot. Feels a bit safer too.

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    1. Thanks for the tip (if I ever come this way again). These parking touts are a nuisance! >:(

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  7. Not really fancy fish & chips as I don't like battered food. I'll take out all the batter and only eat the flesh inside >_<

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    1. Oh, you don't like battered food. What about battered chicken, onion rings, squid, mushrooms, tempura.....I can go on and on...hehe (all I like)! ;D

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