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| Beer Battered Cod & Chips |
It's a far cry from an unlimited buffet, but Phillips Seafood Express is back in L'Enfant Plaza, keeping channels open in a neighborhood that knows/loves its seafood. It's packed into a 896 square foot space in the food court; but this Phillips carries all the basics. We put them through the wringer, and came up with the following review...
Phillips has a wonderful (corner) location, and it's bright, clean and inviting. I placed an order with Yolanda (very friendly & helpful) for a basket of Beer Battered Cod & Chips ($8.99) a $2.99 side of Hush Puppies and a soda ($2.09.) Turnaround is pretty quick, perhaps too quick (just over five minutes.) I found a nearby table, and sat down to what I hoped would be a nice lunch.
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| Hush Puppies |
For starters, the L'Enfant Plaza food court is Noisy with a capital N. Seriously, the noise level is almost deafening, especially in the middle of the lunch rush. If I had to eat here every day, I'd probably go mad. The underground is a lot better than it used to be; but loud is loud, no matter how much refurbishment you go through. At least it's nice and clean.
Good food can make up for lesser surroundings; and Phillips got off to a rousing start, thanks to my side of Hush Puppies. You get lots (at least 10) and they taste delicious. Perfectly cooked, these "bad boys" should be served at every table in America (or at least this food court.) The fish is equally good, but two tiny pieces of cod does not a basket of food make. They were nice and crispy, with minimal batter. Besides their short stature, they were also a tad oily (but plenty delicious.)
Seasoned waffle fries rounded out the basket. Plenty of seasoning, but the cooking was inconsistent: Some fries were nice & warm, while others weren't cooked all the way through. For the record, semi-raw fries suck. Next time, I'll opt for Cole Slaw or the aforementioned Hush Puppies.
As for coming back, odds are I will (under slight protest.) It's hard to get a clear internet/phone signal, and the noise is a real problem; but there's still plenty on Phillip's menu to interest me (crab cakes, grilled mahi and shrimp tacos.) I still miss Phillip's Flagship (reviews notwithstanding) but sometimes less is more. Now if we could just do something about the noise...
