PASS the Sarson’s, dudes, the Hip Hop Chip Shop has found a permanent residency at Northern Quarter bar Kosmonaut to serve their edgily un-trad fish and chips and pun-tastic bites. Taste of Manchester picked up a fork and went to try out the deep-fried treats inspired by hip-hop culture.
It looks a sympathetic bricks and mortar setting for peripatetic Ozzie Oswald and Luke Stocks, who have purveyed their sustainable ‘food from the ghetto’ from their boombox trailer at festivals (currently at MediaCity, run by Ozzie’s wife Holly) and until recently a unit at Leftbank Spinningfields.
Ozzie told ToM: “Our next move was always to expand and find a bricks and mortar place we can call home. It was so important to find the right venue with the right people and as soon as we met the owners and all the staff at Kosmonaut, it just felt right. They were proper passionate and full to the brim with ideas of what we could do together.
“For us, it’s all about simple food, done well. You won’t be finding any gluttonous eating challenges or ostentatious culinary smut here. Delicious good value food made from scratch served on actual plates in a warm inviting and fun atmosphere. And you can’t beat that with a bat.”
After Ozzie with his advertising background came up with the name Hip Hop Chip Shop, it actually started life as multi-punning comedy website with spoof hip hop articles. Then came the catering with Luke as head chef (below). A case of the tail wagging the fish?
Whatever, they’ve battered down the door with a delicious menu that includes dishes such as Halloumi Myself and I (£7) made with battered halloumi fingers, chips and minty mushy peas, and their most popular dish, Feastie Boys (£7) made with battered fish biters, chips, minty mushy peas and tartare sauce (main picture). Luke's batter, made with beer, is quite glorious.
Breaking new ground is the gloriously spicy DJ Kool Kerk made up of jerk batter fish, battered plantain and scotch bonnet pickled pepper (£6.95).
We liked too their Shell L Cool J spiced crab cakes, served at Kosmonaut in a burger with battered smoked bacon on a brioche bun (£8) and the moreish sides like the beer battered gherkins (£3), chilli onion rings (£3) and secret recipe Black Sunday Gravy (£1)
And if that crustacean action doesn’t spook ya head down to the big Hip Hop Halloween Party in the bar on Saturday, October 29, where there’ll be special prizes for the most hellish celebrity zombie costumes. Free. 8pm-2am.
The Hip Hop Chip Shop is now open from Mon-Thurs 4-9pm and Fri-Sun 12pm-10pm. Full menu here.
Kosmonaut, 10 Tariff Street, Manchester M1 2FF. 07496 977443.
