Yes, they get a point already with that clever name. Gotta give it to the British for their witty humor. It is located in the neighborhood that used to be known as “Little Britain” in the Village. If you want to get some authentic British afternoon tea, Fish and Chips, or groceries, this is the area to go. And, if your desire calls out for Fish and Chips, then A Salt & Battery is the perfect match.
It is a small spot, nothing fancy, just the basic essentials only. It is sitting right next to a wonderful afternoon spot called Tea & Sympathy, also my favorite afternoon spot in the city so far. I believe both places are owned and operated by the same British family, and although A Salt & Battery does not have a bathroom for customer, you are allowed to go into Tea & Sympathy and use their tiny (I mean, really tiny) bathroom if you are in the need.
When you walk in, you see some counter seats and one small bar table, maybe total of 8 or so seats. But, this is not a place for a nice long wine and dine time, but a quick bites or to-go order spot. There are also couple of benches right out side, so on a nice day, and if there is no seat left in the inside, you can eat your fish & chips outside as well.
They have lots of interesting memorabilia and signs on the tiny wall, including the t-shirts that they sell. The funny thing I found was their tip jar, with a clever sign that said “Fish & Tips” on the counter by the register.
The menu is rather simple, deep fried fish and other seafood like shrimp and scallop, several side items including chips, mushy peas, baked beans, deep fried beets, etc.. They also have some savory pies and desserts. They also deep fries some candy bars as well. Since we were there for Fish & Chips, that is what we ordered. We ordered Cod ($7.50/reg), Haddock ($7.50/reg), and one order of Chips ($5.00) to share. No, their fish does NOT come with chips already. The fish has two options; regular 4 oz and large 8 oz. Unless you are really hungry, regular size is pretty good. You can also make it into a sandwich for extra $1.50. The fish comes with their tartar sauce, and they have vinegar and other condiments on the counter. The fish were lightly fried, not greasy, and had great flavor.
The fish was very juicy and flaky, not over-cooked, and with simple seasoning, it really brought out the great natural flavor of the fish. Really great, simple fried fish. The chips were also really nice, lightly fried, crispy on the outside and soft, potato-y in the inside. One order of chips is enough to share, so unless you want whole bunch of chips, you might want to order just one to share, instead of everyone getting their own chips order.
So, how big/small are they really? You can see them in the photo here. Pretty nice portion, right?
They claim to be the ONLY truly authentic Fish & Chips place, and that might be very true. They do offer mushy peas, and no-frills, simple menu delivers excellent, simple but yet tasty dishes. If you are looking for some real Fish & Chips done the British way, head over to A Salt & Battery for some real good, authentic, home-cooked type fish and chips, and then some! They also have a store that Tea & Sympathy and A Salt & Battery owns and operate, where you can get some British groceries, teas, and gifts, so pop in for some extra British experience after a yummy meal!
A Salt & Battery – 112 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10011