The situation: A cold, windy, drizzly day in Santa Monica. Hordes of Christmas shoppers jostle the chilled homeless. Gale force winds whip up and down Broadway, Santa Monica, Arizona. A day that calls for something hearty, comforting, and of course, fried.
The solution: Fish and chips, accompanied by hard cider for me and ginger beer for Matt.
The venue: Ye Olde King's Head, Santa Monica.
The verdict: Crunchy, ethereal, perfectly fried batter. Standard issue cod, adequate as a base for the sublimely fried crust. Chips are much improved by sitting underneath a few pieces of vinegared fish for a while. Vinegar seems oddly mild -- diluted for the Yanks, possibly? A satisfying, tasty lunch for the slog back to the car.
The damage: A king-sized plate of F & C runs about $13.95, a queen size about $10.95. I managed to polish off the large size, but the smaller would have been quite sufficient.
Ye Olde King's Head
116 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Monica
(310) 451-1402