'Not your average chipper' is how Eunice Power describes her stylish fish and chip restaurant on the quays of Dungarvan town and it would be hard to put it better.
It's not big - mainly takeaway and with just eight seats at a counter for eating in - and the menu isn't long (variations on fish & chips, burgers, falafels), but one look at the premises with its impressive portico, standout signage and classy plants would give a fair idea that there's something unusual going on here.
And then there's its full name, '...And Chips by Eunice Power' - Eunice, of course, being one of Ireland's leading caterers, a well known face and voice on RTE and one of the founders of the annual West Waterford Festival of Food which takes place in April, among many other things. A powerhouse of hard work and creativity and a great ambassador for Dungarvan, this self-taught chef has recently focused mainly on outside catering until she saw an opening for a quality fast food outlet and opened ...And Chips in 2019, but she was one of the Guide's very well deserved award winners when she ran her home, Powersfield House, as a restaurant and B&B.
A total commitment to using the freshest and best of local seasonal foods is the common denominator in all of the Eunice Power enterprises and that, along with the fact that everything is carefully cooked from scratch, is the secret to the deep deliciousness of everything that's served. Prices may be a little higher than most takeaways, but you won't find a more telling sourcing statement and supplier list anywhere than at ...And Chips, and you'll know when you spot the striking floral display on the counter, that this applies to flowers in season too, which makes a lovely welcoming touch.
As to the seafood used, the statement is unequivocal - "We source our wild Irish fish from Waterford and surrounding coastal counties. All of our fish is sustainable" - so you won't be surprised to find a range of suppliers credited (including Helvic Seafood, Ballycotton Seafood, Atlantis Seafood, Moonfish Fermoy, Flanagans Co. Waterford...) and some less usual fish, such as fresh ling and pollock, featuring on the menu alongside the more widely known species. In an upbeat take on traditional fish & chips, they come with homemade tartar sauce and mushy peas, and with milkshakes, Pellegrino or soft drinks to wash it all down.
Not that it's all about fish - you'll also find Angus Beef sourced from Bobby Flynn's Farm at Gracedieu, Co. Waterford and supplied by the local butcher, Liam Rossitor, Bertram Salters Free Range Chicken from nearby Co Carlow and a wide range of growers suppyling beautiful seasonal fruit and vegetables for the vegetarian options and all the sides and extras. Other items like the breads (burger buns from Walsh's Bakehouse, for example, famous for their blaas), honey from Monihans & Drumhills, Dungarvan and artisan hand roasted coffee from Coffeehouse Lane, Co. Waterford are all sourced with equal care.
And when it comes to the chips, they aren't half bad either, of course - unlike most places, no frozen chips are used here, so they vary with the season too. Definitely not your average chipper.
