Fish House, Hackney

Fish House
126 -128 Lauriston Road
Hackney
E9 7LH (Map)
020 8533 3327

by Cathy Latte

I'm tugging his T-shirt. "We're going for a walk and we're going to that new café in the middle of Victoria Park, the one by the boating lake. I've been thinking about it all morning and that's what we're going to do."

"OK" - he looks at me through half open eye.

I’m feeling strong. I have purpose and now we’re but a few minutes away. I can even see the park. But wait, what is this? The nice, fancy fish and chip shop in Vicky village is doing breakfast. And oh, "hello!", the fryer’s looking on – I think he’s gesturing us come in. I look again at my companion and back at the fryer. He’s been joined by a friendly looking waitress. I look to my companion again, to the road. I think of the café by the duck pond. Its little outdoor chairs might be a little cold. The ducks might stray inappropriately close. Indecision strikes - the cold zips down my hastily donned not-quite-designed-for-winter sweater. The fryer smiles at us again.

I can't quite remember what happened next but somehow I’m sat ordering eggs royale and, for my non pescatarian companion, eggs florentine with an interesting mushroom and tomato accompaniment (recommended by the bouncy waitress). As we’re in an award-winning chippy we take some chips and peas too.

The tea’s hot but comes ‘bag in’ with no place to safely eject. However, this is my only complaint as breakfast is filling, fuming, fun and frivolous. The mushy peas and chips are greasy and dirty and heavenly all at once, and the eggs - buttery brilliance, though just pipped by yesterday’s Premises masterpiece.

As the door closes I shoot a glance at the cold menacing park. "I heard they don’t do poached eggs yet anyway," I say to my companion. Surely that’s reason alone.