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| - After attending the Yelp Burgh bash event, I left with one restaurant I really wanted to actually go to and try. The sampling from Piper's Pub and the Pub Chip Shop, in my opinion, were the top offering of the evening. So some co-workers and I were heading for an attempted evening of karaoke at Lava Lounge, and decided to try dinner at either Piper's or the Chip Shop. We opted for something less formal, and hit the Chip Shop.
Now, I would have given them a full five stars, but even with the five-star aspects that I really do like, I will wrap this up with the one that I don't. And it's easily fixable.
The menu is truly unique for this area, with the Brit offerings ranging from the bangers and mash to the but-of-course fish and chips. One the sign outside they were promoting their Nutella Rangoons with a peanut sauce on one side, and the other side was the nana's pierogi special of the day, which was pierogi on a bed of halushki. My co-workers both ordered the Nana's pierogi special, and I went right for the staple...the fish and chips, even though I've been no-carbing it for the last month.
The atmosphere is...well...deli counter. One big high bench with chairs on either side as a seating area, with an additional few seats at the window counter. Doesn't really shout 'Come on IN and eat', but rather 'Here ya go, take it with you'. We planned to eat there, but no one asked 'For here or to go?' so our food ended up coming in to-go boxes and a bag. I was in a suit coming from work and going to karaoke, and I really would have loved to use a plate and a fork...even a paper plate...I'm cool with that. But instead, I was eating magma hot fish out of a paper bag by wrapping it in napkins and dipping it in the tartar sauce.
ALL of their drink offerings are bottled, even water. So if you're a Diet Coke addict like me, they only have Pepsi products, or a collection of specialty sodas. No brewed iced tea. And I REALLY hate getting a plastic bottle of water in a restaurant. But that's what I had to do.
My co-workers didn't rave OR complain about their pierogis. They just ate them, so I can't really comment on those. But I can say that my fish and chips were the top of the line, and very fairly priced. Two healthy sized chunks of fish, with a delicious home made batter, and a boatload of pretty chunky chips that were done just right. The fish taste exactly like good fish should, as opposed to either breaded dry sawdust or something that washed up on a beach and roasted in the tropical sun for a week, which I have found at numerous other fish-raving establishments in the burgh. These fish and chips are a perfect take-out goodie.
I know that they are limited on space, but they could nudge just a tad nearer to a 'restaurant' by at least asking if we plan to eat there. And hit up Aldi for a case of paper plates. Or grab some plastic plates or baskets and toss them in their dishwasher next door at Piper's.
If I lived on the South Side, it might actually be a 'fast food' joint that I would hit frequently when I was coming home from work and didn't feel like cooking. But I do not live on the South Side, and I am truly grateful for that. The South Side is just a tad too 'Coney Island Side Show meets drunken frat children' for my tastes. So there really isn't much to draw me there.
However, I will still go back and try a real sit down meal at Piper's Pub the next time I muster up the desire to venture into the side show. And even though The Chip Shop isn't on my route to become a regular stop, I do very highly recommend it if you are in the area. It's very reasonable and the food is done with dignity. But without a 'sit down' option that is really viable, it won't draw me back there.
And ironically, neither will karaoke at the Lava Lounge.
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