Kerbisher & Malt, fish and chip shop, Hammersmith

Kerbisher and Malt is a modern, upmarket British fish and chip shop. You can take out, but the clean stylish interior may encourage you to eat in. Cool photos hang on the white tiled walls, and trendy wooden benches and tables provide casual seating. Located in W6, a few minutes walk from Hammersmith station, I was delighted to be visiting a café so close to home.

The food is simple and classic, a selection of fish varieties that promises to be the best and freshest available. I was disappointed they didn’t have plaice when I went along, but as all the fish bought in is fresh off the boat, it obviously means the menu will vary, and so it should in a good fish eatery. Impressed by the inclusion of sustainable fish on the menu, I chose the Coley. The batter was crisp and light, and inside the soft melting white fish was perfectly cooked, and super fresh.

The best bit was perhaps the deliciously vinegary pickled onion rings. I find this accompaniment can often be too sloppy and greasy but these were perfect, the onion was cooked but still a little crunchy, as I like it, with a pleasant kick from the pickling and a generous coating of batter. Oh, and the twice-cooked chips were amazing, I couldn’t help finishing off my large portion, a far cry from the usual soggy and heavy chips in most takeaway places.

It was lovely to see some regular customers come in while I was eating… each ordering their favourites from the menu, bulging chip butties or bowls of crispy calamari with chilli sauce. We also tried the Kerbisher side salad, an interesting mix, sprinkled with pomegranate, this gave a little necessary greenery to the meal!

We didn’t have pudding (I ate too many chips) but Jude’s ice-cream is on offer. I overheard the waitress listing the flavours and there are more than enough to satisfy all tastes.

Kerbisher and Malt is old fashioned and stylish, with reasonable pricing, comfortable seating and seriously decent grub. Surely the best fish and chip shop in West London?

Visit the website here for more information.

Loch Fyne restaurant, Covent Garden

Halloween in London: but instead of dressing up in my scariest attire and donning white face paint I decided to do the opposite and go for a lovely girly and civilised meal at Loch Fyne in Covent Garden, a branch of the famously fishy restaurant chain.

Slotted between theatreland's stage doors, Loch Fyne is ideally placed for tourists and hungry audience members. In fact the diners seemed to just be pure and simple fish-lovers come to enjoy a relaxed meal. I went along to review with a friend who actually previously worked at another branch of Loch Fyne, so she could offer valuable insights and wisdom about the brand.

Walking in, the restaurant seemed a little disorganised and the waiter who greeted us seemed unsure about my request for our booked table. On cue the temporary manager for the week arrived and was very friendly, he found us a table and apologised for the confusion.

We were offered bread and olives and ordered a delicious bottle of chilled white wine to complement the fish. For starters, we tried the mushroom and camembert bake and the Loch Fyne Kinglas fillet of salmon. The salmon was served sashimi style and was almost glowing with a healthy freshness, presented simply like sushi, served with wasabi and soy sauce. The mushroom tartlet was creamy and comforting with a lovely kick from the cheese, and deliciously buttery pastry. It felt like an enlarged canape, perfect as a mouthful but this portion was a little too big and rich and we couldn't quite finish it.

For main courses, we chose the Monkfish and Prawn Thai green curry and the 21 day aged British rib-eye steak with garlic mushrooms, king prawns and peppercorn sauce. I think it is sometimes worth trying a dish outside the speciality of the restaurant and it was interesting to discover, that the steak meat was, perhaps predictably, not as high quality as the fish despite the price tag. The Thai curry was fragrant and thick, but seemed to use very little coconut milk, instead compensating with fresh herbs and lemongrass. The strong seasoning worked well with the lightly flavoured monkfish and, served with prawn crackers and steamed rice, it was a success. We also tried a side order of Samphire (a strange seaside plant) which had been recommended to me, though I found the unusual taste not particularly pleasant!

After a short digesting interval, pudding was served - creamy creme brulee for my friend (I was a little envious, as this was definitely the best dessert) and the mini trio for me: chocolate mousse, cheesecake with berries and wonderfully warm pear crumble. The desserts were appropriately light and complemented the main menu.

I had a lovely time at Loch Fyne though there is definitely room for improvement. They impress with their fresh high quality fish and seafood, but to be a truly excellent restaurant everything else must be of that standard too.

Visit the Loch Fyne website here.

The Fish Place, Battersea

I am ashamed to come away from a delicious meal at ‘The Fish Place’ and admit to you that I didn’t really eat much seafood. Then again, it truly says something about a speciality restaurant, if it is able to excel in other areas of the menu too. I’m not much of a fish-eater, and will always choose meat or vegetarian options first, and here the steak and lamb on the menu was too tempting to pass up.

‘The Fish Place’ aims to serve the freshest and finest fish, so it seems right that it is located on the bank of the Thames, next door to the London Heliport in Battersea. Elegant and understated, the venue has an instantly calming effect, which my friend and I needed after the frantic rush to find it! Clean contemporary decor gives the setting an unpretentious but smart feel. We were seated at perhaps the best table in the restaurant, on the first floor. From this vantage point even the grey sludge of the River Thames manages to look romantic - the bright sun twinkling behind the London cityscape. Helicopters buzzed past and I couldn’t help wondering about the exciting missions on which the passengers were embarking.

A kind waiter brought us menus, while our glasses were filled with mineral water. The restaurant is relatively small, and on this night was about half full, a good show considering we were visiting on a Thursday. It’s worth pointing out now, while I remember, that The Fish Place is only open Tuesday-Sunday, and on Sundays they only serve lunch. I quizzed our waiter on his favourite white wine from the list, and when I gave my exact preferences he seemed confident that he could pick a bottle that would satisfy my very picky taste buds. He returned swiftly with a gorgeous bottle (annoyingly I have forgotten the name), a wonderfully light variety that was very drinkable and would complement any fish dish.

Before starters we were treated to fragrant warm bread and salted butter, and delectable prawn and pea puree amuse bouches. Well balanced and deliciously flavoured these little mouthfuls didn’t last long. Soon after, our starters arrived: Grilled Devon scallops with sautéed girolles, chorizo, tomato and chicken jus for my friend, and Teruel Serrano ham and goat’s cheese with wild rocket and asparagus salad with vincotto dressing for me. There was a crisp freshness about my salad that made it refreshing and enjoyable, a happy marriage of sweet meat and soft cheese with perfectly picked greenery. The scallops received a hearty thumbs up from my friend, who especially savoured the chorizo and shellfish combination. Before our main courses, a shot glass of sorbet came as revitalizing palate cleanser, a thoughtful touch.

We were both starving so ordered the Chargrilled sirloin steak with crispy pomme-pont neuf, carrot puree and green peppercorn sauce for our mains. A premium cut of meat was delivered to us, presented magnificently on large white plates. Bright smudges of orange carrot puree added an extra sweetness to the rich peppery meat and thick potato chips sat in a neat tower ready to mop up the remains of the sauce. My only complaint with this course is the sauce, that though nicely flavoured with whole peppercorns, it had a rather slimy texture that I am guessing is the result of some kind of thickening ingredient.

The dessert menu is brilliantly designed to offer a selection of light, mostly fruit based puddings. I chose Alfonso mango mousse with coconut tuille and my friend had English strawberry and lemon curd tart with mint syrup. I was pleasantly surprised with how good both desserts were, they tasted like they had just been made and were both very original too. The mango mousse was beautifully arranged piled between extra thin honeycomb like sheets accompanied by the best coconut ice cream with real slivers of coconut inside. Soothing fresh mint tea finished our perfect girly meal.

As my companion rightly pointed out, this is a lovely and luxurious restaurant for locals, or those living in a surrounding borough, perhaps not so much of an ideal choice for those further afield. With such a hidden location I hope it gets the recognition it deserves - for fish lovers this place is a must!

Vicentia CourtBridges Court Road, London SW11 3GY020 7095, visit website here.