Oliver’s has many of the characteristics we want in a modern chippy: fresh clean decor of cream tongue-and-groove panelling, apple-green tiling and metal chairs; bright young friendly staff; and an appealing menu that takes in British traditions as well as a range of international fish dishes.
Pity, then, that the food was so far below par on our visit. The chips were simply poor, riddled with off-putting dark patches. A main-course salad niçoise, served with grilled tuna steak, suffered from fridge storage and a greasy gloss. Crunchy brown-battered cod was better. The short wine list is wallet-friendly (we liked the Chilean sauvignon blanc) and the deep-fried Mars Bar with vanilla ice-cream is a fabulous way to finish, if you haven’t consumed too much fat already.
A few customers were dining during our mid-afternoon visit, and the takeaway trade seemed brisk (Oliver’s also offers home delivery to certain postcodes). So, the restaurant is doing something right, but we think it can – and must – do better.