Forum Topic

New Fish Shop in West Ealing

Just noticed that a new fish shop has opened up in West Ealing. It also sells frozen fish and chicken. I had a quick look in there today (yes it is open on Sundays, something that traditional fishmongers don't do). The fish looked really good and the prices seemed reasonable, I didn't buy anything today but will probably do so next weekemd.Has anyone else been there yet?

J Smith ● 5972d30 Comments

Yes I went in there the other day.  Big selection of fish, both frozen and fresh, prices were just as good as anywhere else.  Don't know the opening hours but did notice they were open on Sunday.Only, very minor gripe is that the guy who served me didn't speak English very well and when I asked if the crabs were cooked, he thought I wanted them cut.  When I asked again, he said that they were live which they clearly weren't!  He meant raw.  Anyway two crabs for a fiver isn't bad and I would go again.

G Lord ● 5971d

Yes I saw there was a great selection of fish, including Parrot Fish - that might be something to try.Didn't notice any opening times but looks as if they will be open 7 days a week.

J Smith ● 5971d

Takes me back to a lovely holiday in Jamaica when I chose freshly caught Parrot Fish that were cooked over a barbecue whilst I relaxed on the beach watching the sun set.Not sure West Ealing provides the same type of ambience :)

Diane Gill ● 5971d

This is very interesting and I'd like to try it - but there's no clue in the post or any of the replies as to where this place is or what it's called!Thanks for the pointer, but can you elucidate a little please?

Gerald Cabb ● 5971d

Good question!  I did not notice any signage outside, it looks a little shall we say unfinished.  It is near where they are building the housing assocation homes on West Ealing Broadway.

Diane Gill ● 5971d

Good question!  I did not notice any signage outside, it looks a little shall we say unfinished.  It is near where they are building the housing assocation homes on West Ealing Broadway.

Diane Gill ● 5971d

Good question!  I did not notice any signage outside, it looks a little shall we say unfinished.  It is near where they are building the housing assocation homes on West Ealing Broadway.

Diane Gill ● 5971d

Oops not my fault I posted 3 times!  There was an error message and it just did it automatically.Apologies

Diane Gill ● 5971d

Thanks Diane - does that mean it's near C Fresh and Leland Terrace?Incidentally I had a nice foodie time at the weekend going from farmer's market to the fruit & veg shop at the end of Mattock Lane, and then the Olive Bar and Poisson.  It made for a very nice barbecue and half of it was from places I only heard about due to this forum and WEN.  Thank you!

Gerald Cabb ● 5971d

It is the double fronted shop with the green awning that has Fresh and Frozen Fish written on it. Its next to a clothes / material shop.

J Smith ● 5971d

And signage just going up that has a picture of a fish on it.

G Lord ● 5971d

That should help :-)Thanks for the info everyone.

Gerald Cabb ● 5971d

That should help :-)Thanks for the info everyone.

Gerald Cabb ● 5971d

If its open until late in the evening it will provide some healthy competition for Northfields "Poisson".I might have a look tomorrow night and see what's on offer.

J Smith ● 5971d

You're a bit hard on Poisson, they've only just opened so hardly already into the complacent-and-needing-competition phase :-).  If it's about prices (as has been commented on here before) I suspect they have higher rent to pay too for a brand new shop in N'Fields Avenue location next to the Tube rather than Uxbridge Rd/W Ealing Broadway, rather than that they're price-gouging people for the privilege of buying out of hours, but I don't know these things.  Anyway I agree that another food place and one that's open late certainly can't do any harm or be at all unwelcome (the same as I said when Poisson opened), so this is a good development all round.  I hope the competition isn't such that one or other goes out of business, though - I suspect the locations are far enough apart that this won't happen as each will have its locals (and homeward bound commuters).  I'll look forward to trying the new place.

Gerald Cabb ● 5971d

By the way (and to show I'm not just holding a candle for Poisson) does anyone use Mo in Acton (opp. Ealing Common tube station).He's two doors down from Sushi-Hiro and supplies them, and in fact is here (from his previous location) due to the owner of S-H telling him he should come and try business here.  He does extremely well from the Japanese population since the headmistress of the Japanese school goes there and tells the parents, which certainly indicates freshness.It's a nice Ye Olde tiled shop, too, and he sells everything straight out of the polystyrene crates because at the end of the day he sends it all back to the suppliers (whence it gets offered to Waitrose, allegedly...).Bit further afield but worth mentioning too.

Gerald Cabb ● 5971d

I have nearly gone to Mo, parking was not easy when I went, but I won't give up so will try again.Another place worth trying (and with ample parking) is Hoo-Hing, the Chinese supermarket near Hanger Lane.  Prices are perhaps not as good as elsewhere, but there is usually a good selection of shellish.  It's fresh, Lobster, Crab, Crayfish so fresh it's still walking, so maybe perhaps for the hardcore fish fans only.

G Lord ● 5971d

Gerald, didn't mean to sound harsh about Poisson, was just stating a fact and as you say they are a distance from each other to possibly not cause problems.Have never been to Mo but have heard about it. Have been to Hoo Hing a few times and yes with some of the shellfish you do have to be a bit brave. Turn your back on some crab or crayfish and the next minute they've gone walkabout!

J Smith ● 5971d

As we are talking fish, I have been told a story and it is only a story, that a Carp is eaten in Poland on Christmas eve?  I was also told that its often purchased some days earlier and is kept in the bath whilst it "purges".  The same person (who has a reputation of being a joker/wind up merchant) also said the fish is carried home from the shop in a bucket.Advance apologies if this is total rubbish and offends someone, but is any of this true as I have seen frozen Carp in a couple of shops around Christmas time?

G Lord ● 5971d

Thanks for the info, I'll try Hoo Hing as I haven't been there for years (I usually go to Loon Fung for Chinese stuff - also near Hangar Lane but up to the NW on the road to Harrow, past the Alperton Bus Garage and opp. the big Sainsbury's.  They supply wholesale to a huge number of Chinese restaurants, and their dim sum restaurant upstairs is full of, well, Chinese restaurant proprietors, which can't be a bad thing.  But their fish is mainly sold frozen in large packs (and ungutted), so Hoo Hing sounds the place for seafood.I'm not Polish but I've heard of Carp and Xmas too.  If it's a river fish/bottom feeder then purging it live makes sense if it's only just been caught, people used to do this with crayfish in the old days.  So.. it's plausible!

Gerald Cabb ● 5971d

Had a quick look and found this out about Polish Christmas traditions."The centrepiece of the traditional Christmas Eve feast in Poland is Carp. If you walk around the streets of almost any village, town or city in Poland you will come across streetcorner sellers with live carp for sale. Customers pick out their favourite fish, and the vendor bags the fish live and the fish taken home. These Christmas carp are kept alive in large buckets or the bathtub until Christmas Eve, when it killed and cooked! In some parts of Poland and the Czech Republic it is a custom to carry a large scale from the head of a carp eaten on Christmas Eve as a token of luck." So it would seem that you have been told a true story.

J Smith ● 5971d

Interesting.  But, as I'm not Polish either, (I have been and I understand it gets rather chilly at Christmas), so am I right in thinking someone has to transport/carry a live fish, I assume in water, in the middle of winter?  How is it prevented from sloshing around doing fishy stuff, thus splashing its new owner?  I'm also assuming its a large fish as it feeds several people?How long is it in the bath for?

G Lord ● 5971d

The article I saw didn't say how long, but from what Gerald has said carp is a bottom feeder so perhaps a couple of days in a bucket / bath?.

J Smith ● 5971d

Have just had a thought, perhaps Wiktor could shed some light on this Polish Christmas tradition? What does carp taste like?

J Smith ● 5970d

well I love this fishmonger - finally i have found out that one of my favourite fish - perch which you can never find - is otherwise known as Tilapia - which is plentiful. Hurrah.

Viv Ellis ● 5967d

Ah, have always wondered what Tilapia was. Although I am sure Perch aren't usually that big?

J Smith ● 5967d

Just remembered C Fresh sell Tilapia as well.

J Smith ● 5967d

Went into the new Fishmongers today - Big Ben, they're called. Bought some sardines, very reasonably priced and very fresh. They were also cleaned for those of you who are a bit squeamish. Also had a look in the frozen section, good selection and again reasonably priced. I am still not sure of the opening hours as nothing was on display, but think they will be open late in the evenings.

J Smith ● 5965d

They sell Parrot fish! Wonder why they called the shop Big Ben?

G Lord ● 5965d

Have no idea why it is called that.Yes they have Parrot Fish - they dont' answer you back either (the fish that is!)

J Smith ● 5964d