Mr. Chips Puts a Sophisticated Spin on Fish and Chips (Just Don't Expect Any Romance)
When you think of food in Beijing, one of the last dishes likely to spring to mind is that old bastion of fine British dining: fish and chips, and understandably so – we're close to 200 kilometers from the sea, it's not a foreign dish that begs for repeat visits, and it's rather niche, to say the least. And yet, over the years, there has always been at least one brave and perseverant soul keeping our cravings for this hearty fare at bay.
You can imagine then our pleasant, if not slightly wary surprise upon hearing that Beijing's latest chippy was not only dedicated to that craft but only did delivery. Having first made the rounds via word of mouth (i.e. WeChat) last year, Mr. Chips, has now happily found a home on the second floor of The Crib in Sanlitun.
The space, to put it lightly, is not why you'll want to visit. Almost entirely absent of decoration, the only indicator that this is actually a restaurant is the lone lit-up Mr. Chips sign at the end of the bar. Without it, you may very well mistake the space for a storeroom for tables and chairs. (Rant incoming.) Dining here also serves as a stark reminder of how quickly The Crib has aged, going from chic Sanlitun dining hub to a veritable grime dungeon in two and a bit years. A prime example: the plastic soap dispensers in the bathrooms appear to be the very same ones that adorned The Crib's opening and are now filled with little more than water, which doubly sucks because you'll quickly realize you need soap even more after having touched them.
Of course, none of that is Mr. Chips' doing and the concept of The Crib itself, allowing smaller outlets to rent space and for restaurateurs to follow their passion is a sound one. It's just unfortunate that no one's putting time into the upkeep. Anyway, no matter how bad the environment is, the food here is actually rather good and goes a long way to making up for the setting.
Mr. Chips' shtick is to put a stylish spin on the humble art of battering fish and deep-frying chips, and it works. Advertised as having previously been head chef at London's three-star Michelin Restaurant La Tante and Beijing's Cours Et Pavilions Hotel, the one-man kitchen machine Zak El Hamdou has so far used his Midas touch on everything from Norwegian salmon to striped seabass and Eton mess to Bakewell tarts. He also offers a RMB 98 three-course supper menu with drinks between 5-7pm, which is by far the best way to sample the menu. (Since our visit, El Hamdou has also paired with Frankie Zou of the now-defunct Botany bar, who has put together a small selection of British-themed cocktails.)
The portions may appear small, especially to those accustomed to inhaling a folded up newspaper's worth of chips before vegetating on the couch (ah, miss you England), but you certainly won't leave empty. The sheer addictive quality of Mr. Chips' chips guarantees that. Beautifully cooked and crisp, if you've never had the pleasure, make sure to add lashings of Sarson's malt vinegar and salt as necessary for the full effect. The fish is equally legit, with the crispy outer crust giving way to beautifully moist and flaky cod, while the scotch egg and mushy peas sent the feast into overdrive.
The dessert of crème caramel almost feels unnecessary by the time you're stuffed with carb. However it's a nice touch if not slightly frustrating because of how damn delicious the caramel is and how flat the plate is (some of our more wayward tablemates resorted to licking the plate – not to be recommended if you're on a date).
As Mr. Chips continues to grow and experiment with different menu items, we can see it becoming a favorite for comfort food with a sophisticated twist. Though for this small-scale and humble operation to prosper, some of that hard work will need to be directed towards the decor. Otherwise it's likely that the whole undertaking will falter, or worse yet, there may be no evidence of it ever having existed at all.
Mr. Chips
Tue-Sun, 5-11pm. 2/F, The Crib, 1 Gongti North Road, Chaoyang District (132 6122 1151)
朝阳区工体北路1好院育膳房2层
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Photos: Tom Arnstein
