Chippery-Fanwood. Good?

[erie1]

Anyone have any feedback on this place? I've driven by many times but never stopped. I have a craving for fish and chips and thought I would try it.

[Allura]

I live in Scotch Plains & still haven't tried it. I've got a friend who grew up in England and says it's decent; but he's got a cast-iron stomach......

[andrewhwest]

I live is Scotch Plains, and have ordered there twice. Totally unremarkable food. Not bad, but bland, and the "chips" are relatively soggy fries. The fish is good, but the batter fairly tasteless. My memories of Arthur Treachers is better.

[babyluck]

I love the Chippery!

I've eaten there about 8-10 times over the past few years. I always get the clams & chips or a crab cake sandwich. The clams & chips (waffle fries) have always been perfectly crunchy, which is a big thing for me (the reason I will ONLY tolerate Popeye's for fried chicken). The crab cakes are good but not great. I also like the clam chowder but I won't try to deny that it's just seriously thinned out canned stuff. I just prefer thin brothy soups and especially hate thick chowder that mounds up in the bowl like mashed potatoes. Theirs is bland but always nice & hot, and comforting to the belly.

I have been to Arthur Treacher's pretty recently (there was one still open until last year on the way to my aunt's farm - we stopped 2x a year) and I can tell you your memories are probably better than the real thing. Not a trace of crunch, icky oil taste -- I always got carsick afterwards although they did have my favorite hand soap in the bathroom -- the green stuff that smells just like Neutrogena Rain Bath. I've only found it one other place in the world and I must admit that when the restaurant finally closed I missed the soap more than the food. The only other good thing about it was that you could smoke.

Okay, back to the Chippery. It's certainly very good for NJ (not counting the shore). They keep their oil clean. No tummyaches (and I have a baby ulcer, which I keep on a strict diet of chili sauce, french roast & cigarettes, so I'm pretty much constantly in some amount of pain). They are an extension of the local Vo-tech and staffed by shockingly courteous & efficient high school students.

One admission on my part: I'm quite sure my love for the Chippery is due in part to my weakness for independent dive-y spots. The decor is of the peeling woodgrain/clipper ships kind. There are two "dining rooms" -- if I remember correctly the front one is bluer with intensely bright flourescent lighting, and the back one is depressingly dim and browner. It makes most respectable people in Westfield say "I only get takeout from there - who would EAT IN at the Chippery? Teeheehee" and well, that just makes it even better for me because it's one of the few places in town you can get away from THEM.

It's been 6 months, erie -- I hope you've ventured in by now. If not, the next time you get a craving, go in -- I promise nothing bad will happen.

[erie1]

I finally did stop, got the standard fish and chips. It was ok, nothing remarkable. Would probably go back if I was in the mood for it and in the area but certainly not a destination type place for the food. I think after about 5 years of driving by every so often I just needed to check it out.

[babyluck]

I would agree with that assessment - for me it's really convenient and homey and I'm glad there's a place like that nearby, but I wouldn't make a special trip if it were further away. But I still love it to death!