Watch out, Jamie Oliver: The Chinese are coming

Food doesn't get more Brit than fish-and-chips. Except when it's dished up by a trio of 20-something Chinese finance majors-turned-entrepreneurs who learnt to cook via the web.

Shanghai residents have been flocking to The Sailors on buzzing Yongkang Lu since it opened at the end of November, lured by both the authentic fare and the chutzpah of its novice owners.

The eight-seater is co-owned by three Fudan University finance major graduates: Sean Xue, Paul Zhu and Tommy Tang, all 25 years old. 

“We knew nothing about cooking, we learned everything from the Internet,” explained Xue.

High quality, low prices

While many places around town serve fish-and-chips, The Sailors is probably Shanghai's first dedicated chippy.

“We only started thinking about what business to run after we found this space on Yongkang Lu,” said Shanghai-native Tang. “We did a lot of research and we couldn't find any fish-and-chips shops in Shanghai.”

Portions aren't huge, but for the quality on offer you wouldn't expect such low prices in Shanghai. The various fish -- pollack (RMB 32), flounder (RMB 35), and sea bass (RMB 38) -- are all wrapped in crispy batter and served with chips and homemade tartar sauce.

On the snack menu are shrimps (RMB 25), squid rings (RMB 20) and scallops (RMB 25). Coffee costs RMB 10-16 or cold beer (RMB 12).

“Fish-and-chips is not expensive food in the West, so they shouldn't be expensive in Shanghai either,” explained Urumqi-born Xue.

The flounder and chips will run you RMB 35.

Recipes off the Internet

"This is the best fish-and-chips I've had in Shanghai,” commented Kiwi-British diner Alex Cureton-Griffiths. “Even better than some of the fish and chips I've had in New Zealand and England."

The Sailors' kitchen is run by 20-year-old chef Sun -- who cut his teeth in a sushi kitchen and was hired for his skill in cutting fish.

“We found different recipes off the Internet then tried them at home to search for the best,” noted Xue, who spent a year in Australia on an exchange program.

All we can say is these boys did a very tasty job.

The light and fluffy flounder is a particular favorite, while the Alaska-imported pollack is lighter still and the sea bass will appeal to those who enjoy a heartier, meatier kind of fish.

The chips are less like the fatty, oily British style, and more like the longer, crispy Aussie style, which is good news for anyone who is health conscious.

Having said that, if you pig out on the "big set," (RMB 68) a smorgasbord of everything on the menu, you may feel a bit oily if you can actually finish the meal.

When the shikumen-lined Yongkang Lu began the gentrification process 18 months ago, it was expected to become Shanghai's new art base. But the city's craving for wallet-friendly foreign food has led it along a different path.

The former wet market is now a new dining and drinking hangout -- the 100-meter long stretch is home to five coffee shops, two bars, one sushi restaurant, one French butchery, and one French beer shop, amongst others. Plus, of course, its sensational new chippy.

More on CNNGo: Shanghai's best Western meals under RMB 50

The Sailors
33 Yongkang Lu, near Jiashan Lu
永康路33号, 近嘉善路
+86 150 0009 9490
10 a.m.-10 p.m.