Yes, you read that right. We’re reviewing a Fish & Chip shop. The reason for it is this little chippy in Whitley Bay has a vegan menu and we wanted to give it a try. Just a short walk from the metro station, or with plenty of (metered) parking outside, Laura’s has been garnering a lot of attention on social media thanks to their specialist menu. To be honest, they seem to be doing a great job on their own Facebook page of drawing attention to the fact they have animal product free items and I think this is great.
Despite the changeable weather my friend and I decided to take a trip through to give some of the veggie and vegan-friendly options a try, as well as having a cobweb-blowing wander to St Mary’s Lighthouse.
The menu is on the wall for all to see – not something you have to ask about surreptitiously – and features a couple of fish alternatives. I decided upon banana blossom as I had never tried it properly and also have a tin sitting in the cupboard. My friend decided upon battered halloumi as it is one of his favourites. This obviously isn’t vegan and I’d hoped he’d choose a vegan dish (for the blog!) but hey ho.
It was just over a tenner for both of our meals, which we got to take away. There is a small seating area outside but I wanted to make the most of the glorious North East coastline on its doorstep. It may not have been blue skies and sunshine but, for me at least, there’s something moody and atmospheric about visiting the beach when the skies and grey.
I was impressed with with batter and how ‘fishy’ it tasted with the use of nori. I wasn’t overly taken with the texture of the banana blossom, however. That’s nothing to do with Laura’s and everything to do with personal preference. I think I’d have liked battered tofu instead as I found this fibrous. The halloumi was a big hit, however, and their chips are lovely and fluffy.
We’d definitely pop back and have to say how great it is that Laura’s team have taken the time to expand their range and cater so well for vegans. There’s no second guessing whether sundries like the gravy or curry sauce are suitable, which is so often the case if I visit other local chip shops. We hope more local establishments follow Laura’s lead.
Thanks for reading,
Pip x
Card payments accepted. You can find out more on Laura’s Fish Bar Facebook here.
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