Kerbisher and Malt

Fish and chips to takeaway were disappointing relative to a more run of the mill chip shop. The fish was good — and sustainably sourced — but the chips were below par. Mushy peas and the home prepared tartare sauce were both good. Everything is cooked to order, so allow ten minutes for your order to be fulfilled.

It was the first time I heard of Kerbisher and Malt. A new announcement on Twitter about their 50% soft launch offer pulled me in to their new branch on to Mortlake East Sheen and it was only then did I realise it is their third branch in London and another one soon to open in Clapham. They are the focused on delivering quality and sustainable sourced fish but still reasonably priced.
I do look forward to them opening nearer to central London as East Sheen was not easy to get to. Inside was like you’re old traditional fish and chip shop, tiled white walls and back to back tables and beach seating but also with a contemporary feel with the gloss finish. It was very well maintained, very clean and I very much approve of the warm lighting which gave it a classier and relaxing feel. It was an open kitchen for everyone’s viewing and it was amazing to watch the chef preparing the food non-​stop.
Service was friendly although we could see they were really busy and could do with another staff as the two of them were managing take outs and eat-​in.
With 50% off we ordered nearly everything starting with the calamari, fish cake and a battered sausage. For me it the calamari really stood out covered in a light breadcrumb batter leaving bits of the flesh exposed so it was just there for the crispy crunches leaving room for you to still enjoy the fresh bouncy texture of the calamari. It was perfectly seasoned and I would advise everyone who ordered these to order the homemade chunky tartare sauce to dip it in, creamy and appetising.
The fishcake was also very pleasing. It came as a one big patty rather than two and was filled with a creamy mashed combination of fish but extremely generous with the fish with some vegetables in there for a natural sweetness of flavour. The coating of batter was perfectly crisp and thin too and probably one of the best fish cakes I’ve had in a while.
Most disappointing was the battered sausages as the quality of sausages tasted poor. There wasn’t much taste in the pork and lacked seasoning.
From the main dishes we ordered a battered haddock and chips, a grilled coley with chips and a portion of mushy peas. I was pretty glad I chose the battered haddock as it was near perfect of what I would expect from a battered fish. The batter was light and airy, just touching the fish, grease-​less and crispy so was enjoyable to eat on it’s own. The fish itself was flaky and sweet like you would expect from a haddock. Not the sweetest I’ve tasted but only beaten by the ones I’ve eaten in the South coast. Together with the tartare it is by far one of the best battered fish I had in London.
Sadly I couldn’t say the same about the coley as it was completely unseasoned and bland. We understood it is a white fish from the cod family but it was desperate for some salt and flavour. We did appreciate how flaky and fresh it was but it was nothing as satisfying as the haddock.
Chips were average, not the highest quality and also came unseasoned but was fluffy enough to enjoy with a bit of salt and ketchup. One of the better sides however were the mushy peas and they were seasoned, nice and chunky and peppery. They actually became very moorish and I was eating them alone like ice cream.
Overall I really did enjoy our dinner at Kerbisher and Malt. Prices are reasonable and it’s great to be able to get fish from a more sustainable source without breaking your wallet. Service was lovely, all with a smile as they replenished our waters and cleared our many plates. The place is very cosy which made it feel very homely too, filled mostly of locals which was a nice change. Would like to see this small chain branch out to other areas in London.