A PORTION of chips on the beach in Brighton.

It’s the stuff of which dreams are made.

We have fantastic fish and chip outlets along the seafront, some of which have been around for decades.

The Melrose and The Regency come to mind.

My last trip to The Melrose, for example, was a wonderful experience.

A great sit down meal with the owners having a good chat with you. The lobster thermidor there is a real treat at a reasonable price.

The city has sold piles and piles of chips for so long that they are part of the place, right? Untouchable?

Well many of you will know about the new trend for Belgian chips.

After hearing about BeFries in West Street I tried them just a few weeks ago.

They were crisp and tasty and the choice of sauces, though a bit dazzling, is very good.

The sauces go with their chips very well.

And now we have the Belgian Chips takeaway in St James’s Street, near to The Argus office in Manchester Street.

Each lunchtime there are queues out into the street.

So it was time for The Gourmand to head down there with a friend to see how they compare to BeFries.

Well the person I took with me for lunch said they were the best chips he had ever had.

I thought they were very good too. The curry sauce was my favourite from the huge choice on offer.

Belgian Chips has 24 sauces in total, including mustard barbecue sauce, peri peri, French dressing and Cajun.

You can have your chips mixed with free herbs and powders too, including barbecue, thai stir fry and smoked paprika.

I would not say they were better than BeFries but they were at least as good.

Nice chunky chips which were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, with the perfect amount of salt and vinegar.

Let’s be honest, some fish and chip shops fail miserably when it comes to chips – which should be their speciality. The floppy,

soggy, tasteless creations can be a real let down.

Just when you think you fancy a portion of chips, five minutes later you regret your choice.

But theses were in a different league. Deliciously more-ish, they were still hot and crispy by the time we had strolled on to the beach and sat down close to one of the more traditional fish and chip outlets.

So what’s the secret?

Apparently, with Belgian chips the trick is very simple – they are double-fried.

First there is the cooking process. Then they are cooled down and finally, just before serving, they are fried again to make them crispy and golden brown.

The right choice of potatoes also plays an important part.

So the conclusion is that we have two great Belgian chips takeaways.

Depending on which end of the beach you are they are both nice and handy.

  • The Gourmand pays for all his meals.

BELGIAN CHIPS, ST JAMES’S STREET, BRIGHTON

Food ★★★★ (Out of Five)

Atmosphere ★★★

Service ★★★★

MENU TASTER

  • Regular chips – £3.55
  • Small chips – £2.55
  • Sauces – 50p each
  • Cans – 80p