Kiely’s of Cork. Maylor Street Chipper With A Difference.

Kiely’s of Cork. Maylor Street Chipper With A Difference.

Ummera Smoked Chicken

Kiely’s Chipper in Maylor Street was long regarded as a leader in the market but the 1940 enterprise faded from the scene in the noughties. 

Now though, in 2022, Kinsale’s Blue Haven have revamped the premises and have also revamped the menu; it is still fish and chips but the new crew have added a few attractive touches of their own. For instance, how many chippers do Ummera Smoked Chicken fritters? How many offer dessert?

But let us start with the basics. They have three versions of their homemade chips; you may have them with a Garlic Aioli, Guacamole, or Parmesan and Truffle Mayonaisse.

Catch of the Day

Move on up the menu a bit and you see Seafood Croquettes with tartare sauce and those Ummera Smoked Chicken Fritters. They don’t mention that both of these also come on a base of fries. Indeed, they are two substantial enough boxes. The croquettes are packed full of fish and the chicken fritters, all six of them, are delicious, especially with that tomato relish.

For another few euro, the choice increases again. And they include Homemade Chips with 56 hour sous vide beef stew and crispy shallot. Also the Homemade Chips with Pulled Chicken Thai Curry, radish, chilies and Sesame seeds.  How about the Chip Butty (Cuthbert’s White Sliced Pan, Seafood croquette, tartare sauce, crunchy slaw and homemade chips)?

Fish croquettes

The €14.50 Catch of the Day (tempura haddock, prawn, calamari, with homemade chips, sesame seed, lemon and Kiely’s Special Sauce) also falls into that category. It is delicious and a meal in itself.

Extra sauce for one euro

One that I enjoyed was the Prawn Scampi  (15.50). It came with homemade chips, crunchy slaw and Togarashi Mayonnaise. A big bunch of well cooked prawns, excellent chips (as was the case all through) and another good sauce, not to mention the crunch of the slaw. Couldn’t eat another bite!

But if you could, they have Churro with deep fried banana, strawberry or chocolate sauce. Are Kiely’s the only chipper that offer dessert?

Scampi and Togarashi sauce

Like most chippers, it is not a sit-down premises, though there are a couple of small tables outside on the street. Kiely’s is well set up for online ordering. Make your choices, click and collect. Our order was close to being ready when we called (we were a little early) and they handed out a chip or two as we waited and soon the lovely chatty crew had us on our way.