As a devout foodie, I had to make the trip to Georgetown after watching star chef Gordon Ramsay turn a “nightmare” of a local British pub into a true taste from across the pond.
For nearly 10 years, I have been looking far and wide for a fish-and-chips dish that reminded me of my special time in northeast England. Luckily, watching TV actually paid off for once!
Leading up to the Super Bowl last month, commercials on the FOX network pushing Ramsay’s new season of the hit show “Kitchen Nightmares” constantly flooded my screen. My wife, Emma, and I were excited about the show, since it has been nearly a decade since a new season was released.
There are dozens of “Kitchen Nightmares” episodes and, to be honest, I probably have watched almost all of them. Each episode offers a different story of a restaurant owner looking to turn his or her struggling kitchen and dining room into their dream establishment.
Ramsay has been nearly everywhere across the U.S., but it’s not every day he comes to Texas. However, my wife had seen something back in the fall announcing that the chef would be in the Austin area to help some eateries in need.
After watching one of the new episodes this season, the preview for the next episode flashed the Austin skyline across the screen before transitioning to the downtown square in Georgetown. It turned out Ramsay was coming to visit The Grumpy George Pub & Grub in the nearby city.
The Georgetown episode was one of my favorites!
Ramsay helped fellow Brit Karen Soeffker realize the dedication it would require to make her restaurant successful, and he taught her Puerto Rican chef the finer details of preparing British cuisine.
After the episode aired, Emma and I immediately made a reservation to go check out the fish and chips recipe that Ramsay had gifted to the Grumpy George Pub.
Perhaps the most iconic dish associated with our cousins in the United Kingdom is fish and chips. In 2017, I spent seven months studying abroad in Sunderland, located in the northeast part of England. While there, my good friend Curtis introduced me to Colman’s Fish and Chips, which serves arguably the best of the best fish and chips in the entire country.
As a native Texan, I was very familiar with fried seafood. Fried catfish with a good blend of Cajun seasonings is delicious, but there was something special about Coleman’s fish. The batter was crunchy, the chips (fries) were crisp on the outside and fluffy in the inside, and the malt vinegar drizzled all over put the figurative cherry on top of the dish.
Since my trips to Colman’s eight years ago, I’ve been unable to find the same caliber of fish and chips outside of England. Thankfully, Ramsay’s rescuing of The Grumpy George provided my palette with the opportunity to be reminded of those happy days.
Not only did the Grumpy George provide the vibe of a true British pub, but it also brought the flavor. My fish and chips were just like I remembered from my days in Sunderland. The batter was crispy and filled with a thick fillet of cod, and the chips had the perfect amount of crunch with a pillowy inside.
So, for those “Kitchen Nightmares” fans who wonder if Ramsay’s visits to these restaurants really pays off, my verdict is yes. Thankfully, we have no nightmare eating establishments here in Lampasas!
ERICK MITCHELL serves as the news editor for the Dispatch Record.
