Nothing like strolling around Old Town Alexandria on a snowy December day doing some Christmas shopping, and no better place to take a break than at Eamonn's chip shop. Owned by Cathal and Meshelle Armstrong, the people behind the wonderful Restaurant Eve and PX, it's as close as you'll get to a real Dublin chipper this side of the Atlantic. The concept is simple: go up to the counter to choose your fish (cod, ray, or whatever they're offering that day) or a fried burger or fried sausage if you must, some chips, and one of 7 sauces, pay, find space at a picnic table, and wait for your food. It can get pretty crowded, but the tables turn over and people are happy to share. This might not be the best place for a first date or lunch with Felix Unger, as they don't serve plates or utensils, but who cares when you're eating fish and chips? I recommend at least one member of your group get the curry sauce; it's served hot and should be ordered ahead. You'll find malt vinegar on the table. Some may grumble about portion sizes, but a small cod and fries, along with a lemon Club soda (more memories of Ireland), is plenty for a dainty lass like myself. If you're still hungry after all that fried food, you can always wrap up the evening with a fried Milky Way.
I took my sister (mysterywriter) and brother-in-law (NorthernOutlaw) here last summer. It was a risk, as Northern Outlaw is not only Dublin-born and bred, but a connoisseur of all things food (and astoundingly good-looking, as he asked me to point out). I'm happy to say that Eamonn's passed the NorthernOutlaw test. (And Tom likes it too.)
Eamonn's, A Dublin Chipper
728 King Street (corner of S. Washington)
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 299-8384
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