Kerbisher and Malt is a taste of the seaside

Kerbisher and Malt is a self-styled modern British fish-and-chip shop. With its menu boasting buzz-words such as "sustainable" and "twice-cooked", it would be easy to think that this new hotspot will be overpriced and fussy.

But in fact the menu doesn't stray far from its original late-Friday-night form - classic fish and chips, just with less grease and sog.

The interior is clean, trendy and nautical with white tiled walls and a blue and grey colour scheme. Industrial lights and black and white photos hang around the small shop while a chalkboard with specials sits outside its simple blue front.

It's not just its décor that makes Kerbisher modern. Although the range of food is simple, it offers taste and texture twists on the traditional fish supper. The tartare sauce was buttery, studded with chunky gherkin and dill, while the pickled onion rings had a vinegary kick, cutting through the richness of the batter.

The chips were crisp and served generously but not in the soggy abundance of a normal chippy - in my experience, 70 per cent tends to remain in paper on the kitchen table until morning.

The fish fingers in the butty had a crunchy coating and were delicious in the soft farmhouse bread with a generous glug of ketchup. The only disappointing order was the calamari - it lacked flavour and felt a little limp.

But this was made up for by the house-battered cod - soft, melting fish encased in a crisp, golden batter. It's not surprising that this has become a firm favourite for regulars.

The pricing is very reasonable, with battered cod and chips costing £8.50, the difference between the fresh fish of Kerbisher and Malt and the claggy offering from your local won't be more than a couple of pounds.

Apart from the stylish surroundings, not much thought has been given to atmosphere. But as people bustle in and out of the music-less space, ordering "the usual", you can see why. People are here for food, not for a meal out. Because Kerbisher and Malt isn't a restaurant. It's actually a really decent fish and chip shop. And as you wander out onto the street with your little brown boxes of batter, it feels like if you have a little piece of British seaside in W6.

Kerbisher and Malt
164 Shepherd’s Bush Road, W6