New fish & chip shop in Bennington, VT

Lil Britain... We were wandering around Bennington today looking at the Seward Johnson statues and stumbled across Lil Britain. We assumed it was just another American attempt at making basic British fare, but found that it is, indeed, a real British chap frying the fish... and chips. I'm a Brit, by the way. So, I was greeted with a familiar accent (Kevin, the joint proprietor is from Stoke, in an area of England also known at the Potteries, historically famous for making, you guessed it, pottery).
http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/daytrips/out/potteries.html
His wife, he told me, is also British but has been in the States for a few more that the ten years he has been here. We had a brief chat (he was, after all, busy frying fish and chips) and found (big surprise) that we have a passion for football (the game in which one kicks a ball with one's feet, rather than running with it in one's hands), and his team, Stoke, are playing my team, Everton, tomorrow (Sunday 14th Sept 2008).

What about the food... Well, it was good. The fish was flakey, tasted of fish and the batter was golden and crunchy (but not overly crispy... it was just right). The chips were of the home-made variety, except not as crispy as my mum used to make. I have no complaints though. They were fried perfectly, and thoroughly cooked. There's nothing worse than undercooked potatoes of any style. I was given a rather an admonishing look for having coleslaw as a side dish, rather than a 'cocktail sauce' or roll and butter, but I've never had a cocktail sauce with fish n' chips (there are many regional variations in England where fish and chips are concerned), I didn't want a roll just then and my partner (an American) was sharing my 'supper' so I went with something that was a comfort food for her. I should have had a cup of "hot' tea (that is the way it is described on their menu board) as tea just seems to go very well with fish and chips. It's an odd mix. A sip of tea, a few chips, a mouthful of fish and batter, another sip of tea... It's difficult to describe, but it is is perfect accompaniment to the dish. I wish we had both been hungry as then we could have sampled something else rather than sharing one dish. Although I gave up eating meat some years ago, I do, however, have the occasional plate of bangers and mash if we stop at an 'Irish' pub. I think I would quite like to try Lil Britain's steak and kidney pies, and I hope his sausage rolls are better than the fast-food offerings in the UK. I'm sure they are.

The actual eating area is quite Spartan, but most fish an chip shops in the UK (those where you can eat or take away) are quite basic. We call them 'caffs' (cafés), and they would usually consist of lino(leum) floors, tiled walls, a fair amount of stainless steel and Formica counter tops. There would also be a large jar of pickled eggs sitting on the counter next to the till (register). You would not find the array of British staples that sit on stainless steel shelving in Lil Britain in a UK establishment. In this instance I think they are there to enhance the "Britishness" of Kevin's and his wife's eatery. I feel so guilty now having not introduced myself, of bothered to discover his wife's name.

I will definitely eat at Lil Britain again, though I am an infrequent visitor to the area (I'm over the 'mountain' in Brattleboro). The food is good. The price is about right for the quality of food provided. It's served on paper plates, by the way, and you collect your food from the counter. There is no table service. One does the MacD thing on departure too... There is a trash can on the way out. We didn't leave a tip because of this (no table service as such), although I felt guilty about this also.

I wish them well and hope that the town supports their efforts. I will bet if the word gets around that you can stop off for a bag of chips as a snack meal (I'm not sure if you can, but it could be a little extra business for them), then they may enjoy a regular trade in the way that British F&C shops do business. Regular and small often beats infrequent and large.

Tony Eastwood in General New England Archive