Fish and Chips! It’s a traditional dish that we adore and with a chippie practically in every high street, you can be forgiven for ‘enjoying’ the same experience time and time again. However, with most of these shops serving the same old greasy stuff, help is at hand in the name of Kerbisher & Malt.

The latest Qype event saw us venture to its Hammersmith base, where I was instantly transported to sea, thanks to the white tiled walls, scripted with black text echoing the menu. All wouldn’t be complete without the long wooden table and stools, ready to accompany me in my new found pleasure. It was a surprise to be greeted with entrees, which were offbeat from your normal chippie menu and varied. K&M’s experimental approach provided pickled onion rings, white bait fish and my favourite – calamari. I could have eaten these all night, especially the tentacles. Although omitted from most chippie menus, these were a welcomed exotic addition to a ‘ye olde’ menu!

Next was an insightful talk about the K&M ethos. Old definitely meets new, as their thoughtful and impressive food processes were explained. The fish is steamed in hand-made batter and preservative-free (as is the home made mushy peas, baked beans, salads and sauces). K&M still manage to create the perfect chip; pre – cut and double fried, which delivers a fluffy inside and a contrasting crunchy outside. And of course, preservative free too. As for the fish, you are definitely spoiled for choice, as haddock, cod, plaice, pollock and coley are served, battered, breaded and grilled. Only the best, sustainable fresh fish is bought from Billingsgate Market and excellent potatoes supplied by British farmers.

For the main event, we were treated with grilled cod, battered haddock and matzo-breaded coley. Qypers Lankygirl, Chrissj, Bring_stuff and I became food critics for the night, trying to figure out which fish was which before it was revealed. Tasty chips also went down a treat, along with an unexpected likening to the mushy peas and tartare sauce. No better dessert suited the mood than ice cream. With so many flavours, I went for the honey comb. What a delicious way to end the evening!

Qype’s next event takes place on Wed 29th February at Cabana in Westfield Stratford.

Sign up for your free place now!

When 40 Qypers gathered after dark for an exclusive Art of Scare tour at The London Dungeon, thanks to Merlin Groups, we expected the evening to be a bit spookier than our average Qype event. What we didn’t expect was a night of screams and heart-thumping scares…

The Art of Scare took us on a tour of London’s gory history through the dungeons. Starting with plague-ridden surgeries, we dropped by torture chambers, Sweeney Todd’s barbershop and the abode of Jack the Ripper’s most unlucky victim amongst others. The skilled actors, fantastic sets and gloomy atmosphere meant that even the most hardened Qypers were a bit jumpy.

After nearly an hour of nerve-shattering spooky tales, scares and rides (we particularly loved the 5D Victorian seance ride, Vengeance), we retired for pizza and a much-needed drink.

Not only did we have the venue to ourselves, we also had the opportunity to chat with The London Dungeon’s Head of Performance afterwards. His name is Richard, and we’re sure that he’s not usually so blood-spattered:

Richard told us about the historical research undertaken for each section of the tour, as well as the rigorous auditioning process that the actors are put through. (Fun fact: Karen Gillan of Doctor Who fame only lasted two days.) Seeing the dungeon with the lights on was also really interesting, and made some of us feel a little silly for being so scared.

After the event many Qypers were pleasantly surprised to find that The London Dungeon isn’t a slightly cheesy tourist destination, but something that all Londoners should try at least once. If they’re brave enough…

Thanks to Merlin Groups and The London Dungeon for having us!

This Halloween we’re exchanging the horror of themed club nights and aggressive trick-or-treaters for another sort – a night at The London Dungeon! They’re opening late especially for 40 lucky Qypers and putting on an after-hours tour that brings the city’s darkest moments to life.

At London’s spookiest destination we’ll come face to face with the infamous Sweeney Todd, explore Jack the Ripper’s brutal crime scenes and (hopefully) survive the tale of Stingy Jack, the evil mythical character damned by the devil in Irish folklore.

Plus, we’ll try out their 5D ride, Vengeance, that’s a “full scale assault on the senses” and take a lesson in The Art of Scare. We can’t promise that you’ll make it home without looking over your shoulder…

But this being a Qype event, you’ll definitely be fed, watered and entertained (thanks to those lovely folks at Merlin Groups, who offer group savings to 29 Merlin attractions across the UK, including Alton Towers Resort, THORPE PARK and the Dungeons).

So if you’re free on 20th October from 6.30pm and have nerves of steel, put your name down for the event here.