No Plain Old Fish And Chips...

On the corner of Marlborough Street with the ever busy Lisburn road, the bright exterior of the Chelsea bar is inviting, despite its obvious fanciness. Stepping inside the beautifully subdued cream decor embraces me like a gentle hug. The room is dominated by a large, but not imposing, circular bar. At first the scant display of booze gives me pause, but I realise, it’s quality, not quantity, that really counts. The spirits may be few but they are well chosen, supplying the bar with its selection of cocktails.

Lite jazz plays at the most respectable volume, taking the quiet out of the air while leaving the perfect space to enjoy your conversation.

I'm suddenly struck but how far away the bustling Lisburn Road, with its heavy rush hour traffic, feels after just a few minutes inside.

Avoiding cliché is a constant battle in this job but sometimes they are the only thing that really works - the Chelsea feels like a cool, calm oasis from the muggy busy city just outside. I can't hear any traffic. Not a single sound from the outside is invading this sanctuary. I just want to sit here and watch the ice in my drink slowly melt away as the perfect visual metaphor for all my worldly troubles. I might never leave.

But alas, I am here to work and won't get much done by just staring at my drink; time to address the menu.

The first thing I notice is that there isn't a single vegetarian dish. While not vegetarian myself, I still find this odd. One of the day's specials is a vegetarian dish, but I am surprised not to find more offered.

The second thing I notice is how decidedly pub grub it all appears. Fish and chips, chicken curry, steak, and a savoury crepe. The pleasant bubble the Chelsea has lured me in to is starting to lose its buoyancy.

I plump for the fish and chips, forcing myself not to order the burger, in the hope that the fish and chips will be a little more refined than meat in a bap.

However, not for the first time, the Chelsea catches me by surprise. What arrives is the finest looking fish and chips I think I have ever seen.

The fish is a beautiful fat piece of white cod, complete with perfectly crisp skin. It sits on and is surrounded by an array of spring vegetables - as the menu clearly states now that I revisit it - which look like they haven’t long left the ground.

There is also a small bowl of chips. Eleven of them to be precise, but while it may not seem like a lot, assessing just how much food I have in front of me - the size of the fish and the selection of veg - I predict that they might have this number spot on.

The fish is exceptional. It is just holding itself together, flaking away beautifully with the slightest pressure from my fork. The pea puree, oh the pea puree, I am already wondering if they might bring me bowl of it. The asparagus is fresh and crisp, even the unidentifiable reddish leave at the very bottom of the fish and pea stack adds its own particular flavour.

One of the best things about doing food reviews is that I feel compelled to eat at least a bit of everything, even stuff I usually tend to avoid, like vegetables. Today I gratefully eat whatever is on my plate.

However I have almost instantly regretted not considering dessert. I am full and as tempting as they all sound, I just can't do it.
I have been surprised by the Chelsea since I walked through the door. The atmosphere is inviting, the staff are friendly and helpful and the food has been exceptional.

Just walking past I perhaps wouldn't have thought to stop here, but I am certainly glad I have and I will definitely be coming back; to get away from the noise of the city and eat a big bucket of pea puree.

Hornby

The Chelsea Bar is on the Lisburn Road, on the corner of Marlborough Street. Open until midnight through the week and 1am on weekends. For more information go to chelseawinebar.com

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