We went along and tried Darlington’s newest fish and chip restaurant after it opened this week – here’s what we really thought.
The Darlo Fish Inn in the Queen Street Shopping Centre opened its doors for the first time this week and in the name of supporting local business, we went to give it a try.
Since moving to Darlington earlier this year, I must admit that I haven’t tried any fish and chip shops in the area. So far I have sampled a few of the local Chinese takeaways but haven’t found any favourites yet.
The shop itself is tucked away in the shopping centre and can be found just down from CeX. Even though it has been open for a few days, balloons commemorating its opening were still sitting outside.
But, you don’t need to go inside to see what’s on offer.
Taking a look at the menu through the window, it’s very easy to consider the eatery as just a fish and chip shop as it has such a wide selection of food.
You can get everything from rice, to burgers, pizza, wraps, and even Nutella doughnuts. If I’m honest, calling it a Fish Inn is underselling the brilliant variety they have.
As much as I would have loved to try some of the other items, I stuck to picking the classic fish and chips and even went for a battered Mars bar too as surprisingly, it’s a delicacy I had never tried.
Price-wise, a portion of fish and chips ranged from £9.50 to £11.00 for either a standard or large. On the side, you could also get a large portion of curry, gravy, or mushy peas for £1.50.
There was also a fridge that included a range of soft drinks like Coke, Dr Pepper, Monster and more.
Special shoutout to the staff too who were very kind and welcomed each customer with a smile. Top marks for customer service from me!
A few others were waiting before me, yet my food only took around ten minutes which was pretty quick. Plus, this gave me a bit of time to admire the décor and the work they’ve done inside.
The whole unit is decked out with a sort of forest green theme coupled with dark brown seating and mood lighting as well as a sign reading ‘good vibes’.
The other walls featured funny quotes about either loving fish and chips or being a foodie.
Even though I was taking my food home with me, I have to say that it was beautifully themed, clean, and would be a lovely place to sit and eat.
Following a short drive home, I unpacked my food and was impressed with what I saw. The fish was of a decent size and lay on top of the chips – which inadvertently kept them quite warm.
Crunchy and not at all greasy, the fish was an absolute delight and I have to admit that it is some of the best I have had. You could tell that it was really fresh, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The chips were also tasty but were typical fish and chip shop style.
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That brings me to the battered Mars bar which I know will taste the same regardless of where you get it, but I must admit I was pleasantly surprised! You would never think that a battered chocolate bar would be anything to wax lyrical about but I’d recommend it to anyone.
Overall, I have a lot of good things to say about the new Darlo Fish Inn. The food was tasty, the staff were polite and it was reasonably priced.
The only concern I have is that it is very tucked away inside the shopping centre. Had I not seen it online and made an effort to go inside I wouldn’t have known it was there. But, I’m sure as business grows they will make more of a name for themselves and become quite popular in town.
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