Takeaway review: Smiffy’s Traditional Pie and Mash (From News Shopper)

Takeaway review: Smiffy’s Traditional Pie and Mash in Etham

11:28am Friday 26th October 2012 in Freetime latest news By George Sargent

STANDING out from the fried chicken shops and newsagents on Well Hall Road, in Eltham, is Smiffy’s Traditional Pie and Mash.

With its black and white sign, tiles and furniture, Smiffy’s is not your run-of-the-mill fast food takeaway.

Nor is its food. They serve small short crust pies and mash, one dollop or two, with gravy or parsley sauce.

When I arrived, a barrel-chested man was scooping the mash from a giant steel barrel.

He was lumping it into a serving hatch, which being too full, was crammed down with the lid.

Once I had ordered a pie and two mash dollops, (for £4.50) the potato was scooped out of the container, with a wooden spoon, and literally smeared onto the plate.

It was then drowned in gravy. Parsley sauce is available.

They also serve food to go.

The pies were too small and the ground beef inside them was of poor quality.

The mash was not rich and delicious (like home mash) but bland and fluffy.

Even with two dollops of mash it wasn't quite enough to fill me up. This was because of the small pies.

It’s a good test of a takeaway that if you have to spend more than a fiver to get a good feed, you have to question the economics.

All in all Smiffy's was a welcome change from fried chicken. And you’ll be wanting more change from your fiver for a relatively bland but passable meal.

12 Tudor Parade, Well Hall Road, Eltham, SE9 6S. 020 8850 2212 FOOD *** Bland but OK English grub.

SERVICE *** Kind but scatty.

INTERIOR/DECOR **** Nice look!