Suggestions for best Lenten fish fry (Cincinnati, Dayton: home, camp, live)

[kitnguye]

Hi all:
Just wanted to see if any of you have suggestions for a good fish fry. I LOOOOOOVE me some fried fish and have heard that Cincinnati has some decent fish frys. Which churches do you guys recommend? I personally prefer a battered fish (though doesn't have to be a super heavy batter), rather than a cornmeal like dusting. Think English fish and chips vs southern fried catfish. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

Kim

[Wilson513]

Every year i say I am going to hit the church fish frys but every year I get caught up in other things and don't get to any of them. Its been a decade since I went to one and so I'm not going to stick my neck out about something I don't know enough about. But I sure hope there are some "experts" out there to help. If there is a fish fry with fish as good as Alabama Fish on elm, I'll take my tent over there and camp out until Easter.

[Sarah Perry]

There's a parish in Florence that I forget the name of now that has a guy with an awesome professional restaurant background in charge. The food is amazing and includes a weekly special such as lobster pizza, but it's a nightmarish mob scene.

Pretty long drive for you to catch the incredible cornmeal-breaded giant fish on rye with homemade tartar sauce to die for, at Bridgetown Finer Meats. Also a mob scene, but those in the know call their orders in and cruise through the drive-through to pick them up.

Thank goodness the only thing we Lutherans have to give up for Lent is lutefisk and hotdish. I couldn't live without the fried fish.

[Wilson513]

I'm with the OP on this. Batter, no cornmeal.

[Sarah Perry]

Originally Posted by wilson1010

I'm with the OP on this. Batter, no cornmeal.

Me too, usually. I'm not kidding, this fish would make a convert of you.

[kitnguye]

Thanks for the suggestions. I was reading some food blogs and they suggested a couple places in Erlanger and Florence. I will be visiting one of them this Friday and report back what I find.

[jlawrence01]

Where in Cincinnati or Dayton can you get some hood fried catfish - unlike the battered fish you find everywhere?

[Wilson513]

Catfish in cornmeal is "soul food" meaning that it will be best sourced at an authentic black restaurant. Good luck with that since they come and go and for some reason the ones that come and stay are horrible.

Today, you are getting some chinese catfish no doubt. People are wary of what comes out of the River. But, when I was a boy my father would take me over to a fish place on Reading Road, one of the many now long gone black businesses, and we would wait with others on Sat. Morning for the all night Friday night fishermen to come in. These men fished in both the Ohio and Little Miami and would bring their fish and they would be prepped right there. My father would take them home and cook them for Sat. lunch perfectly fresh.

Today, you are getting Chinese fish fried in Canola.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by Wilson513

oday, you are getting some chinese catfish no doubt. People are wary of what comes out of the River. But, when I was a boy my father would take me over to a fish place on Reading Road, one of the many now long gone black businesses, and we would wait with others on Sat. Morning for the all night Friday night fishermen to come in. .

Au contraire, generally the catfish that you are getting is farmed in the Delta states - Mississippi and Louisiana as opposed to imports. Catfish is really suited from aquafarming.

As for "soul food" - I hate the term as it is generally inaccurate. The implication is that it is African American exclusively. Yet, if you head south, there is generally little difference racially as to what people eat. When I served chitterlings, the takers were of both races and all classes.

[progmac]

i have merely heard that the nativity fish fry in p. ridge is very good. it is certainly well attended. likely i'll be there this friday.