The McDonagh family has been serving Galway’s favorite fish & chips since 1902. The famous establishment is located on the popular Quay Street and has 2 sides – the chipper and the Seafood Restaurant.
At the chipper you order your fish & chips to go or grab a seat at one of the long picnic-style tables and devour all that fried goodness.
If you’re fancy, like me, you go to the Seafood Restaurant. At the restaurant you can get the same fish & chips, but you can also order 5-star dishes like native oysters, oven baked salmon, and balsamic grilled mackerel mackerel. As you may expect, all the dishes are prepared with local fish and fresh ingredients. Each is plated better than the last.
I decided to be slightly sophisticated and order a few oysters to start followed by the Traditional Fish & Chips – deep fried cod in a golden batter served with mushy peas and fresh cut chips. I was super excited for this meal as I had been holding out on ordering fish & chips for almost a week.
I was ready to devour my plate. When it arrived it came piled high with a generous helping of golden brown chips.
The cod was prepared perfectly. The crispy crust cracked in just the right way when you hit it for the first time with your fork. On the inside, I found a bright white and flaky fish.
Unfortunately, the mushy peas, which are typically my favorite part, were rather disappointing. They lacked flavor and it was clear from the skin on top that they had been scooped into the ramequin long before I had ordered.
Thankfully, the chips made up for it. Perfectly fried and paired with malt vinegar and lots of salt. As a kid I always drowned my fries in a puddle of vinegar and then lathered them up with as much salt as I could shake. I would put so much salt and vinegar on my fries that my fingers would wrinkle up and my lips would go numb. Though I didn’t put quite as much salt and vinegar on these fries, I certainly didn’t go easy.
All in all, I understand why McDonaghs has Galway’s favorite fish & chips – reasonably priced, friendly service, and delicious eats.
McDonaghs, 22 Quay St, Galway, Ireland
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