Eamonn's

Last Friday, I was not really feelin' it for dinner. I wanted to get out of the house to get some Christmas shopping done, and my taste buds were itching for something new. So I called Sam, told him to get off the metro a couple stops early and meet us at the mall so we could shop, and on our way home, we would stop by Eamonn's for fish and chips. An inspired plan!
Bria and I headed over to the Pentagon City mall and picked up the gifts for our sibling gift exchanges and then met Sam straight off the metro. We hopped in the car and zipped over to Old Town to Eamonn's, which is on King Street and Columbus. Bria has been having some sleep issues, so she was at her wit's end in the back seat, and parking was scarce, since it was a weekend night, so we decided to call our order in and take it home with us. Our order was ready by the time we pulled up (maybe 5-10 minutes), and we headed home to enjoy our fish and chips.
Eamonn's was seriously awesome. I 100% recommend it for anyone looking for a bite to eat in Alexandria. The fish is fresh, which was very evident by the light and flaky texture. We both had the cod, which is a great, mild pick for fish and chips. I think even those who aren't fish fans could appreciate cod. The breading was pretty standard-- deep fried, so it isn't what you would call health food, but if you're eating fish and chips, why would you want to cut the grease? Just embrace it. The tartar sauce was fantastic-- flavorful and creamy. We also tried the chesapeake sauce, which had some spice that was so familiar, but I can't put my finger on it. It was good, but I much preferred the tartar. I will definitely continue to try their other sauces. They also have a curry sauce, which intrigues me. They are not stingy with sauce, so my fears of un-sauced fish were unfounded.
The chips are hand-cut and delightfully greasy (and far from soggy). Perfectly crispy on the outside with enough flavor that that you don't need to slather them in ketchup or another sauce. (Is it unethical to eat one's chips with ketchup when they are part of fish and chips? Is that decidedly nonIrish? Sorry to offend. I love ketchup too much.) Sam and I each had our own order of cod, shared an order of chips, and it rounded out to barely over $20. A fair price, I say.
I am already scheming our next visit to Eamonn's when I can try more sauces and other things on their menu (including some of their British import goodies!). And I would also love to try the Eamonn's creators' other restaurants. The pricey Restaurant Eve and the American classic restaurant The Majestic. When I have friends or family come to town, we will definitely be going out for some fish and chips. Eamonn's is an all-around success.