Oh my Cod!

Fish and Chips Takeaway
Date of consumption: 16th May 2026
Score: 8/10

Fish and Chips is another dish that has survived in Britain. One can argue that its origins are not British but let’s not go there today. I will eventually get around to writing up the history of battered fish, full Englishes and pie & mash.

Up until now, we have not tackled any fish and chips establishments. So I thought I’d start with one of my local takeaways.

We used to be spoilt in Grays. There was a restaurant called Mumford’s. It had been around for years, but unfortunately the family running it packed up during COVID. When they were open, their food was the best for miles around. Instead of buying small pieces of fish, they’d buy huge ones and cut them up into portions. So you would end up with huge, tasty flakes of cod. But times change and we move on.

My favourite local establishment is Oh my Cod! The cod and chips are always nice and the portions are huge. It’s my go-to takeaway shop, so it is the first one to review.

Before we continue, we should set some standards for scoring. I will order cod, the smallest chips and a side of mushy peas. I will order the size of cod that satisfies my hunger.

One thing I have not thought about is the different types of fish. Some shops serve excellent cod, but less than excellent rock and skate. But we need to measure like for like, so we will order cod or haddock. Usually cod is the default in the south and haddock is the preference in the north.

Of course on a takeaway, the presentation will be mine, but takeaway food can still look good or bad.

Here are the metrics:

• Is the food hot enough? (1 point)
• Are the portions big enough? (1 point)
• Is the cod white and flaky? (2 points)
• Are the chips soft on the inside and crispy enough on the outside? (2 points)
• Overall taste and presentation (2 points)
• Value for money (2 points)

This time I ordered the large cod with medium chips and a side of mushy peas. I ordered through Just Eat, but I believe that the takeaway delivers themselves. The food arrived hot.

Medium is the smallest size of chips and it will easily serve two people. The mushy peas were enough for two as well. The large cod lives up to its name. I’ve had medium cod from the takeaway and it was big enough for most people.

The chips were crisp and soft on the inside. The mushy peas did not disappoint. The cod was nice, flaky and white, but perhaps the flakes were small. The batter was a bit soggy this time and I will deduct a mark for this. I’ve had better from this shop.

Seventeen minutes from arrival the food had been demolished, more or less. I’m eating less these days so could not finish all the chips.

On the price… I buy most of my takeaway food online via Just Eat and I think it is expensive. The large cod was £14.29, the chips were £4.61 and the mushy peas were £2.96. Then there was a delivery fee of £2.99 and a service fee of £1.09. This would normally total £25.94, but I got a discount of £2.19 for some reason.

£25.94 represents slightly over two hours of work at minimum wage for a person over 21 years old.

Claude.ai says:

• The UK-wide average for cod and chips is around £11.02 in 2026, a 10 per cent increase on last year when the average was £10.06.
• Mushy peas are typically £1.50–£2.50 as a side.
• So the average price for cod, chips and mushy peas in the Southeast in 2026 is roughly £13–£14.

Their medium cod costs £11.54, so we should really base the price on this - £19.11 + delivery and service. That still feels expensive but I’m approaching the age where I say, “How much?!” to everything. If we ordered 2 fish and took into consideration that the chips and peas would cover two, the price would be 2 * £11.54 + £4.61 + £2.96 = £30.65. That’s still £15.33 per person and doesn’t include delivery. I’m going to knock a point off for value here.

That means Oh my Cod! gets a respectable 8 out of 10, and I suspect they should be a 9 really. The soggy batter is not usual.

Oh my Cod!
The Modern House, Hathaway Rd, Grays RM17 5LD
Tel: 01375 376409
Web: ohmycodgrays.co.uk
Hours: Tues - Sat 1200-2200, Sun 1200-2100.