McKelvie's

Where: McKelvie's, 1680 Lower Water Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
When: Friday, February 27, 2009.
What: Tall Ships Fish 'n Chips, $13.95+tax.

Myself and a couple of friends wanted to try out some new fish and chips one Friday night. The first place we chose was too packed to move, so we went across the street to McKelvie's, a seafood restaurant in downtown Halifax. The restaurant opened in 1980, but was originally the home of the Halifax Fire Department. Their focus is on fresh Atlantic seafood, but the menu also includes pasta, meat and chicken dishes.

We arrived during the prime Friday after work time, and were seated right away. The restaurant was not packed like the pub across the street, which we didn't mind at all. Our server was very friendly, explained the daily specials, and started us off with drinks. We also received a basket of fresh raisin bread and nice, creamy butter. That was unexpected and a nice change from what you get at most restaurants.

Garrison Tall Ships


Raisin bread with butter

I was the only one at our table to order the fish and chips. The four, not three, pieces of fish arrived with fresh cut fries, homemade coleslaw on a bed of lettuce, a slice of lemon, fresh tartar sauce, and ketchup.

Tall Ships Fish n' Chips.

I liked the light batter on the fish, and also enjoyed having four small pieces instead of three as described in the menu. Sometimes when you only get one or two large pieces, the fish gets a little overcooked. I did like the fish, nice fresh flavour and the batter was not doughy. The fries were hand cut, but not very plentiful, nor were they shoestring as the menu said. For the price I would normally expect more fries. The tartar sauce could have used more dill, and the coleslaw was almost tasteless, but I did like the presentation of the dish.

I decided to have a coffee for dessert. One of my favourite treats after a nice meal.

Overall I think this was a great experience. McKelvie's is a nice, family style restaurant, but with a local feel. A lot quieter than a crowded pub for sure, with fast and friendly service. It may be a little pricey as your favourite seafood restaurant, but a nice place to take out-of-towners you might want to impress! I did find the decor a little odd. Lots of brightly painted wooden decorations with a Canadian or ocean theme, with classy and comfortable table settings.

I give McKelvie's 4 little fishies out of 5.

Extra Notes:
Pay by cash, debit, or credit.
Gift certificates available.
Wheelchair accessible.
Wifi zone.
Open seven days a week.

Deluxe Fish and Chips

Where: Deluxe Fish & Chips, 964 Prospect Street, Fredericton, New Brunswick.
When: Friday, December 26th, 2008.
What: Two piece fish & Chips.

I spent the holidays with my family in New Brunswick, as I do every year. On Boxing Day I drove into town to visit my sister and her two boys. I was starving and proposed we go out to eat and I really wanted fish and chips.

Unlike in other places, Boxing Day in New Brunswick is actually a holiday. Very little is open, not even most fast food restaurants. Knowing this, we did check out William's at the exhibition grounds, but of course it was closed.

So, we did the unthinkable; we drove uptown to Deluxe Fish and Chips. It was open, when pretty much everything else on Prospect Street was closed. There seemed to be only two staff working that day, so service was quite slow.

Once we got our food we went back to my sister's place to eat supper and watch a movie.



I really was not impressed with the food at all. I will say that this was the worst fish and chips I've ever had. I'm not surprised really since I remember them being terrible as a child also. The fish was overcooked, mushy, and totally flavourless. I might as well have been eating glue. The fries just look like discards, short, little stubby things. I like real fries, long ones, fresh ones! These were rubbery, tasteless things.

Honestly I'm surprised why this place still exists. Their food has never been good in my opinion, but maybe they have some nice things on their menu. Maybe people just don't know any better. I really don't know. I guess I just had to eat their once again to remind myself that decent fish and chips does exist out there.

I give Deluxe Fish & Chips 1 litle fishy out of five.

Jack Astor's Bar & Grill

Where: Jack Astors Bar & Grill, 184 Chain Lake Drive, Halifax.
When: Tuesday, September 9, 2008.
What: Two piece fish and chips, $12.77 + tax.

I normally would not go to a place like Jack Astor's for fish and chips, but my friend invited me out to a movie one Tuesday night, and I needed to eat supper (we saw the Dark Knight on Imax).
I actually enjoy Jack Astor's, for the food anyway. It's not bad for a big box restaurant. Plus the staff is usually friendly, and you get to draw on the table. What's not to like?



I apologize for the cellphone picture, but it wasn't a planned visit and so I didn't have my camera with me. You get an idea of the portion size anyway. The fries were ok, a bit too salty. I found pieces of fish small and overcooked. The batter was doughy and they fish lacking in flavour.

I wouldn't get the fish and chips there again, though I do like some other items on the menu.

I give Jack Astor's 2 little fishies out of 5.

Maxwell's Plum

Where: The Maxwell's Plum, 1600 Grafton Street, Halifax.
When: Saturday, August 16th, 2008.
What: Two piece fish & chips, $12.95 + tax.

My friend Jill was in town for a visit and we went looking for a place to have lunch one rainy Saturday afternoon. We settled on Maxwell's Plum to try their fish and chips.

I ordered their plum ale to drink while waiting for our food to arrive. It was very tasty, nice and light.



I liked the presentation of the fish and chips. Two large pieces on a basket of fries. There was no homemade tarter sauce, unfortunately.



I didn't really like the fries. I thougth they were a bit soft and not hot enough. The fish was ok too. A little bit doughy. I would probably go again, just to give them another chance.

I give Maxwell's Plum 3 little fishies out of 5.

Mug & Anchor Pub

Where: Mug & Anchor Pub, 643 Main St., Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia.
When: Saturday, July 19th, 2008.
What: Two piece fish & chips.

On a Saturday road trip to the south shore of Nova Scotia, my friend Remi and I stopped at The Mug & Anchor Pub in Mahone Bay for some lunch.

We sat on the balcony during an overcast but very hot day, with a great view of the bay and the famous three churches.



Our service was prompt and friendly. We had pints of Clancy's while we waited for our fish and chips.



There weren't a lot of fries but they made up by giving huge portions of fish. I found they were nicely battered, not too much and it was well cooked not doughy. It was a bit pricey though, but maybe that is to be expected in a small town at the height of tourist season.



I give Mug & Anchor Pub 3 little fishies out of five.

Long time no post

Hello faithful readers. I haven't posted in a while and I do apologize for that. I have a few reviews from this summer that I'm about to post. Hopefully I will post more regularly this year, though I haven't had any fish and chips yet in 2009. I decided to give up meat again, just for a while, to that leaves fish out. However I have said I will only allow myself to eat fish and chips once and a while, and no other types of meat, fish, or animal flesh.

Thanks for reading!

Black's Grocery & Cafe Restaurant

Where: Black's Grocery & Cafe Restaurant, RR3 Harvey Station, New Brunswick
When: Thursday, July 3rd, 2008.
What: Two piece fish & chips

I stopped by this place on my way back from visiting the Briggs & Little Woolen Mill on my vacation. My sister and I were hungry and needed liquor. Black's Grocery and Cafe is a small community convenience store attached to a restaurant. They are an NB Liquor agent store so we figured it was a great place to stop.

The service was friendly enough, but not very fast. It was lunch time but there were not a lot of people in the place. It took a long time to get our food. My niece was with us and you know if can be tough entertaining little kids.

The food was nothing to write home about. The fries were just ordinary freezer fries, and the fish was flavourless. It did arrive hot, but I really don't know why it took so long in the first place to arrive considering it wasn't very busy in there.

I give Black's Grocery & Cafe 2 little fishies out of five.

Split Crow

Where: Split Crow, 1855 Granville Street, Halifax, NS
When: Friday, June 13th, 2008
What: Two piece fish and chips, $9.49 + tax

On Friday the 13th (spooky!) I headed downtown to the Split Crow for my friend Simon's birthday. I ordered right away the two piece fish and chips. I remembered having this some years ago and was anticipating it to be as good as it was back then.

To go with my meal, I ordered John Shippey's Amber Red (they didn't have Clancy's). It was alright, but not something I'd order again.

John Shippey's Amber Red

The fish and chips came next. They looked good enough, but didn't live up to my memory. Everything was nice and hot, but dripping with grease. Since I wasn't given cutlery or a napkin, I had to "borrow" one from a friend. I really liked the fries. They were hand cut and crispy. I really liked the tarter sauce as well. The fish though, the fish really was not great. Mushy, soggy, and really not very tasty.

It was also cold as heck out on the balcony, so we finished our second beers and left for a warmer hangout spot.

I give the Split Crow 2 little fishies out of 5.

Havfruens Hemmelighet

Where: Havfruenes Hemmeligheter, Nygårdsgaten 53, Bergen, Norway

When: Thursday, May 22nd, 2008

What: Two piece fish & chips, 119 nok ($23.73 cnd)

Despite the fact that everyone told me you can't get fish and chips in Norway like you can in the UK (or Canada) I couldn't go all the way over there and not at least try some! Now, to be fair, I did eat lots of other fish.

The chosen place was recommended to me by someone on the internet somewhere. I forget who now. Anyway, me and the friend I went to visit in Norway where in Bergen on the west coast of Norway. We did see some fish and chip trucks at the fish market, but they were over priced and the quality was questionable. In Bryggen, an area of Bergen with really old wooden buildings from the Hanseatic period, there are a lot of restaurants, but the fish and chips were also over priced. So we decided to visit the place that had been recommended to me. Luckily my friend knew how to get there.

Havfruenes Hemmeligheter is, according to their website, one of the most famous fish restaurants in Bergen! It's a combination of restaurant, fish shop, and smoke house, all under the same roof. When you first walk in, the fish counter is on the left and then you order your food. It was interesting to sit down to eat and be able to look at fresh fish at the same time. On the wall there was a poster with the names and pictures of different types of fish you can eat in Norway.

The dining area at Havfruenes (or Mermaids) was more dressed up than I expected for a place serving fish and chips (probably just what I am used to in Canada). However, the atmosphere was still very casual. There were only two other people there aside from us, but people kept coming in for take-out or to order from the fish shop.

My friend and I each ordered the fish and chips. Ok, well my friend ordered for me in Norwegian. Our food arrived promptly and looked delicious!

As you can see the fries are not hand cut, however they were hot and crispy. The cod was fresh and tasty in a bread crumb batter (I actually didn't know it was cod until my friend asked our server). I really liked it. The slaw was nice and fresh. Though due to the shape of the plate, there was some liquid from the slaw that collected right under the fires. It was a constant battle to keep the fries out of the liquid, so I ate those up pretty fast.

Overall it was a good experience. Better than I expected based on the comments I received from people who basically told me not to bother with fish and chips (don't worry, I tried fish cakes too!)

I give Havfruenes Hemmeligheter 4 little fishies out of 5.

Willman's Fish and Chips

Where: Willman's Fish and Chips, 5644 Kane Street, Halifax, NS
When: Sunday, April 20, 2008.
What: Two piece fish & chips (I forget the price, I'll add it later).

Willman's Fish and Chips (also known as Willman's Fried Food) is a very popular restaurant in the Hydrostone area of North End Halifax. I say it's popular, but is also unknown by almost everyone I know, probably due to it's tucked away location. In my mind it is a place for everyone who loves fish and chips to check out.

Photo taken by my friend Tina.

The staff are very friendly. You could almost say flirty! There is a small dining area in the restaurant, where another woman was sitting. She said it was her first time too. We each ordered the two piece fish and chips, though there are plenty of other items on the menu.

Arriving back at my apartment and I cracked open a couple of Corona's for myself and my friend. We ate our food while watching "Everything's Gone Green".

I really enjoyed the fish. The batter was flavourful and the fish was moist and fresh tasting. The fries were handcut, as you can see in the below picture. Of course by the time we got home the fries weren't hot so they didn't maintain their crispiness, but I can only assume they would be crispy if you ate in the restaurant. Neither the fish or fries were greasy or mushy anyway.

I can't wait to go back on a sunny day this summer and try the poutine, which I hear is huge but delicious.

I give Willman's Fish & Chips 4.5 little fishies out of 5.

William's Seafood: Photo Only Post

Where: William's Seafood Restaurant, Smythe Street, Fredericton, New Brunswick
When: Friday, March 21st, 2007 (Good Friday)
What: Medium Fish & Chips, $7.50

Despite some nasty weather, I made it out to the annual trip to William's Seafood on Good Friday. I'm not going to review it again, but thought I'd share a few pictures taken of the food, which I forgot last time. Happy Spring and Enjoy!

Medium fish & chips. Where's the fish?

My dad's seafood platter. Nom nom nom.

Celtic Corner: Saint Patrick's Day Edition

Where: Celtic Corner, 69 Alderney Drive, Dartmouth
When: Monday, March 17, 2008.
What: Two piece fish and chips, $8.95+tax

This Saint Patrick's Day edition of Tasty Fish & Chips is brought to you by Celtic Corner in Dartmouth, an annual favourite spot for anyone who wants to be Irish just for one day.

I arrived shortly after 5pm, and the place was already packed. A voluntary donation to the Autism Society of Nova Scotia was the only cover. I met my friends who hadn't found a table yet, but we hovered and took in the atmosphere for a while (maybe an hour). It was entertaining seeing all the different people there; the young and old alike were partying it up on this day. Eventually we found a small square table in a corner in a room separated from the main area. We piled out coats and bags on the floor under the table, and made friends with another couple who just wanted a place a place to stand and and put their drinks down. Unfortunately this table was in front of a bathroom, and we had to move frequently to let people in to empty their bladders.

We flagged down a waiter who took our orders, which were brought promptly. The set up was a bit confusing, as their was a waitress serving this room who told us she was supposed to be working the bar, and apparently we weren't supposed to even have food in that room. Thankfully they made an exception for us and the others in that room, and were very apologetic about it.

My friends Ann and Derrick ordered vegetarian nachos ($8.95) and fries with curry sauce ($4.95). I've never even seen curry and fries before, but I did try some of the sauce and it was a tasty, yellow, and spicy concoction.

I was very happy to be eating and got my friend to take a picture of me holding my fish and chips. Starving at this point, I didn't care that I had to stand up, or if the food wasn't perfect, I was just glad to be eating something.

I really like fish and chips.

The platter was advertised as being a two piece fish and chips, but mine came with three pieces the size of large chicken fingers. I was glad for this because I didn't feel like using cutlery at this point (does that make me a pig? oh well!)

Three pieces of delicious fish and chips.

The batter had a nice golden colour to it, and the fish was moist and tasty. It wasn't very hot though and was a little mushy on the underside. The fries were not very crispy at all and had possibly been sitting a while. The coleslaw was ok, a bit watery, and I found the tartar sauce a bit too something, tangy maybe? Also, I was not offered ketchup or vinegar. All in all it wasn't bad. I know food should be good all the time, not matter what celebration is going on, but I would like to go back on a normal day and try it again.

The crowd.

Overall we had a really good time, but it will be a long while before I go out to a crowded bar on a celebratory day to eat and have some drinks.

I give Celtic Corner 3.5 little fishies out of 5.

Freeman's Little New York

Where: Freeman's Little New York, 6092 Quinpool Road, Halifax
When: Friday, January 11th, 2008
What: Two piece fish & chips, $8.99+tax

I have to apologize for the delay in getting this up. Also, I'm sorry I haven't had many reviews these past few months. I guess I'm just not eating out as much anymore.

Unfortunately I lost my notes from this meal, so this will be short. I've never had the fish and chips at Freeman's in the restaurant before, but I have gotten them delivered about three times now. I like the seasoning on the fries. The fish is flavourful and crispy.

I'm sure it would be better to have it in the restaurant, but for delivery it's really not bad. You can always crisp it up in the oven or toaster oven if you like. The fries also make a good breakfast the next day.

I give Freeman's Little New York 3.5 little fishies out of 4.