Brockley's Rock, 317 Brockley Road , Brockley, SE4 2QZ

HYPE can spoil just about anything so I was slightly worried when I visited this fancy chip shop, which, if Brockley-dwelling friends are to be believed, makes Raymond Blanc look like Ronald McDonald.


The price of my haddock and regular chips, at £6.40, was certainly as expected, and I treated myself to a helping of calamari to go with it - £3.90 for the smaller portion.


Food at Brockley's Rock is freshly cooked - no pieces of fish sat looking sad and lonely at the counter here - so, after placing my order with the very friendly staff, I took a seat and waited for 10 minutes or so.


After being given my food in an oversize white paper bag which made me look like I'd been designer clothes shopping, I took it round the corner to Hilly Fields and ate it on the grass.


The calamari was delicious, plump, cooked well, crisp on the outside, with a sprinkling of paprika and a tub of sweet chilli sauce to dip them in.


And, though it's hard to wax lyrical about fish and chips, there's no doubt this was the real deal - a generous portion with fish cooked to perfection and proper chips, not the bright yellow monstrosities you'll find elsewhere.


Batter is always my least favourite part of this dish, but I even enjoyed this, crisp and tasty while lacking the greasy flavour some other chippies provide.


All in all this was a damn fine meal, well up to the hype.

FOOD *****

Top notch with a wide range


SERVICE ****

Friendly and quicker than expected


INTERIOR/DECOR ****

Clean, fresh plus seating inside and out