A Devon delicacy

We had occasion in Dawlish last week to partake of that Devon delicacy known as a fish finger sandwich. Served with skinny fries, a dollop of green salad and a dollop of white salad. Supplied by the Beach Bar, appropriately just a short step from the beach. Just nip under the railway line and you are there.

I did not bother with the salads, but the sandwich and accompanying chips were rather good. A substantial snack. And as with bacon sandwiches, you do need factory sliced white to bring out the full flavour. Not the same at all with proper bread or fancy bread. It was not appropriate at the time, but the establishment is also fully licensed and is quite possibly busy on summer evenings.

I dare say that if you asked for such a thing at the rather fancier restaurant at reference 1, to be found at Lyme Regis, you would get hand crafted goujons of locally caught rock salmon or something, rather than whatever falls off the lorry from Bidfood, that is to say principal supplier to the casual dining industry. But I very much doubt if the result would be worth the very large amount that they would undoubtedly charge. Particularly if they opted for some multi-grain, sour-dough bread instead of factory white.

PS 1: having said that, I remember once, many years ago, reading of someone who thought it would be fun to march into the main restaurant at the Savoy Hotel and call for a bacon and egg sandwich. There, so the story ran, the sandwich was excellent, well up to the standard of the Market Restaurant of Whitecross Street, an establishment mentioned in these pages from time to time.

PS 2: Mr. Wylde can't be all bad. His offering appears to include fake clasp knives from Laguiole, also mentioned in these pages from time to time. Not least for causing the security chaps on Eurostar a frisson. See, for example, references 3, 4 and 5.

PS 3: we were interested to see that square plates have made it across the Exe and down to Dawlish.

References

Reference 1: https://www.robinwylde.com/.

Reference 2: https://www.bidfood.co.uk/.

Reference 3: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2023/04/fake-157.html.

Reference 4: https://pumpkinstrokemarrow.blogspot.com/2010/06/dts.html. A post which, although I say it myself, appears to have stood the test of time fairly well. With apologies to the various kind and pleasant nurses who help me along my way. I have not had a lecture yet!

Reference 5: https://www.couteau-laguiole.com/en/.