What we thought

The Petrou family name is something visitors to the Cambridgeshire towns of Ely, Chatteris and March will forever associate with fish and chips, the classic national dish. Well, it was the nation's favourite before curry, kebabs and a plethora of other fast foods took over the high street.

However, in true Churchillian style, it's making a comeback. 'Traditional' fish and chip shops are springing up all over the place. One

There is fish and lots of it. In addition to cod, haddock and plaice, there is, depending on the season, rock, whiting, pollock, coley, dover sole, megrin and mackerel.

of the latest is Petrou Brothers on Burleigh Street, and a colourful welcome definitely awaits you.

The famous brothers, headed by Mark, editor of the trade magazine Chippy Chat and Fast Food, won the National Fish and Chip Shop award in 2006 and regularly make the shortlist. This makes the Petrou Brothers a welcome addition to the Cambridge eating scene - often too reliant on chains and late-night burger bars.

The walls are adorned with a photographic mural of the beaches of Brighton, Blackpool, Southwold and Cornwall. Even the floor didn't escape a full makeover in mid-2011, not long after opening, with an image of a pebble beach which almost feels like the shells are crunching beneath your feet.

But of course the main attraction is the food, and for a fish and chip shop the menu is both traditional and modern. There is fish, and lots of it. In addition to cod, haddock and plaice there is, depending on the season, rock, whiting, pollock, coley, dover sole, megrim and mackerel.

To complete the time-honoured chippie menu there are fish cakes, but with a spicy Thai twist, six types of sausage, including London saveloy, Lincolnshire bangers and the regular 'pinkie' either battered or plain.

The imposing-sounding Burleigh Street Monster features an 8oz burger with all the trimmings, but this is quickly followed by salads. Fish can also be ordered with Greek or Italian salads as well as the usual mushy peas, beans or curry sauce.

The kids went for sausage and chips, conveniently available in half portions, a pity we had to pay extra for the sachets of ketchup. The most popular dish, we were told, especially at lunchtimes, was the excellent value mini fish and chip meal: a succulent, snack-sized piece of flaky, battered fish, with delicious thick-cut chips and mushy peas to die for.

Unlike most other fast food outlets which use vegetable oil, all Petrou Brother's shops still fry using the traditional beef dripping, which gives the chips the unique taste and look that knocks spots off dull, frozen, pre-packed 'fries'. The hotter temperature of the dripping cooks the chips quicker and allows less fat to be absorbed, therefore producing a healthier chip.

Indeed, the pleasant staff are only too happy to explain the health value of fish and chips, a dish seemingly forever having to prove its worth in an increasingly overweight society. The mini-fish contained less than 300 calories with 9.4 grams of fat per 100g, beating the figures for fried chicken, pizza, curry and even many mass-produced sandwiches.

From an environmental point of view, almost all the packaging is biodegradable, although sadly newspaper is no longer allowed to be used; and most the fish available in the nation's chippies also ticks all the right boxes: over 85% is caught in sustainable fisheries in Arctic waters, far away from the over-fished and polluted North Sea.

There are also plans to offer unlimited tea and coffee in the near future. So hats off to great fish and chips and also to the good people at Petrou Brothers for bringing Britain's best fast food, the original fast food, back to a high street near you.

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