What's it all about, Alfie?

Google "British food" and you get a distracting list that includes haggis, pork pie and black pudding. But apart from sheep's intestine stuffed with meat and vegetables, a pie with chopped pork and pork juice jelly sealed in a hot water crust pastry and a thick sausage made with blood and fat, you also get fish and chips.

In London, the Olympic hordes are probably enjoying fish and chips around every corner. For less than a fiver ($7.80), you can go away with a heaped portion of beer battered fish and wedges of potatoes accompanied by tartar sauce in a white take-away box.

In Shanghai nowadays, fish and chips is nothing new, although it may still be less popular than the favorite tummy-filler of a rice pancake rolled up with fried dough sticks.