Fish and chips in Tauranga
New Zealand takes its comfort food seriously. Fish and chips are considered really serious talk. The current holder of The Chip Group’s best fish and chips is Richard and Daniel Billington’s Oceanz Seafood Silverdale, 45 minutes’ drive north of Auckland. Who says so? Chip Group members are suppliers, potato growers, oil suppliers and media, plus the Heart Foundation and the Ministry of Health (find out more).
Well, the gal’s best fish and chips on her last cruise, or rather off it, was in Tauranga. I was with my good friend Rob Young who is THE person you need if you want to talk about the very best luxury trip to Australia, New Zealand or Fiji. He wanted us to sit on the beach and have a real picnic but all the best Tauranga fish and chip shops were too buy to pack anything up, so we sat on the terrace of Tay Street fish and chipper on Marine Parade and ate, fish and chips New Zealand style, with big chips, tomato ketchup and a lemon ‘cheek’ (wedge) and talked. What is the best this, what is the best that? Try to get to Laucala on Fiji, he urged. Yes, but I am here in New Zealand, what is the best lodge now? Kauri Cliffs, because they are child-friendly (in fact they love kids), their golf and spa are fantastic and, unlike some lodges, they let you choose simple food rather than presenting you, night after night, with celebrity-chef complications….
