Maritime Museum of the Atlantic fish truck

Where: Chip truck by Maritime Museum of the Atlantic.
When: Wednesday, July 10, 2013.
What: Two piece fish and chips, $8.50, taxes incl.

Today I was really good and brought my lunch from home. I even had a big salad that I was really looking forward to eat, but then when I got to work I realized I forgot the home made vinaigrette at home. Salad without salad dressing is just boring. I don't like vegetables that much, you know?

Since I'm working a new job down town I decided to check out a fish and chips truck near my work. This truck has been around for many years and is always parked outside the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, at least during warm weather.

It was cold and overcast today and there was no line-up when I arrived at the truck at a little bit past 1pm. I checked out the menu on the front of the truck, and decided on a two piece fish and chips, since I was very hungry.

A man opened the order window to take my order. He was very friendly and even  made a joke with me. I didn't have to wait very long for my order; maybe five minutes. The truck is fairly small, but there is a counter on the side, to the left of the ordering window, where you can pick up your food. Also on this counter are some condiments: ketchup, white and malt vinegar, and salt. While I was waiting the lady working there asked me if I wanted tartar sauce and if I needed my order to go or not. She also offered me packets up ketchup but I opted to just squirt some on my fries once she handed me my order.

I decided to eat back at my office since it wasn't very nice outside. I took a photo as soon as I sat down and that is what you see above. The fish looked very nice and there were a lot of fries! I didn't find the batter very crispy, but that may have been because I carried it back to my office in a styrofoam container. But I could tell that it light and not doughy like you sometimes fine. The fish inside was very fresh, with a nice flakiness to it and not over cooked.

I liked that you get a big pile of hand cut fries too. Again, I think the fries would have been better if I had eaten them there at the site, rather than bring them back to my desk. Styrofoam has a way of steaming the food inside, making it slightly mushy. I did eat both pieces of fish and almost all of the fries though. I don't particularly care for the Kraft tartar sauce, so I don't know why I even took some. I guess I forgot what it tastes like. Plenty of people like the Kraft tartar sauce though, and I wasn't expecting the home made kind anyway.

I would visit this truck again, perhaps on a sunny day to get the fish a second time or maybe try the poutine.

I give this fish truck 2.5 little fishies out of 5.

Your Father's Moustache

Where: Your Father's Moustache, 5686 Spring Garden Rd Halifax, NS.
When: Thursday, May 3, 2012.
What: Two piece fish and chips, $14.50+tax.

This is an old review from last year that I forgot to post.

I generally do like Your Father's Moustache, but I did not like these fish and chips. They have these fries that are coated with some kind of crispy stuff and I don't like them. I would prefer hand cut fries or just regular McCain's type frozen fries over those crispy ones.

I found the batter very greasy and the fish was mushy.The pieces of fish were quite large at least but there is not much to say about it really. I was disappointed.

You get packets of tartar sauce and white vinegar, pus some coleslaw on the side.

I give Your Father's Moustache 2 little fishies out of 5.

Andrew's Fish & Chips

Where: Andrew's Fish & Chips, in front of Spring Garden Road Library, Halifax, NS
When: Sunday, May 8, 2011
What: One piece fish and chips, $6.

I was wandering around downtown Halifax on Sunday and decided to get some fish and chips after my trip to the library. During the warmer months there is usually a chip truck in front of the Spring Garden Road Library. The highly coveted spot in front of the library is very popular among chip truck owners. I hadn't had truck fries in years and decided to treat myself.

Andrew's Fish & Chips sells more than just fries. They sell 1 and 2 piece fish and chips, poutines, and hotdogs, as well as cold drinks. There was no line up on this day, but since it was an overcast Sunday in May, that was not surprising. The truck was staffed by 2 people and my order came quickly. In front of the order window is a shelf with lots of condiments for your fries or hotdogs, including ketchup, mustard, relish, white vinegar and red wine vinegar, tartar sauce, salt and pepper, and sauerkraut. 

I took my plate of fish and chips and sat on a bench in front of the library. There were a lot of pigeons around which was kind of gross, but that is not the chip truck's fault. People need to stop feeding the pigeons! *ahem*

You maybe can't tell from the above photo, but there were a lot of fries. Way too many. I would rather have had 2 pieces of fish and less fries. Well except for the fact that the fish wasn't that great either. The batter was crispy but didn't have much taste to it, and it was really wet on the inside. The fish was also very mushy. I wonder if they pre-cooked the fish or just fried it too long. Hard to know for sure really. The fries were a bit tough, also like they were fried for too long. I wasn't overly impressed, but it was a chip truck after all, and only $6.

Maybe I should make it my goal to try all the chip trucks I can find in the city?

I give Andrew's Fish & Chips 2 little fishies out of 5.

The Battered Fish

Where: The Battered Fish, Scotia Square Food Court, 1999 Market Street, Halifax, NS
When: Friday, March 11, 2011
What: Two piece fish and chips, $8.49+tax

This review sort of has a long story behind it. Last September I bought two vouchers from the coupon website Steal The Deal to use at The Battered Fish, Bedford Highway location. The deal was for $10 worth of food for only $5, so kind of like a two for one. I bought two vouchers thinking I could use one for myself and give one to a friend. I didn't get to use them right away, but unfortunately by the time I did plan to use them the Bedford Highway location had shut down for the season.

I didn't know what to do and was annoyed with myself for waiting too long. I left a message on The Battered Fish Facebook group but figured I was probably out the $10 and didn't think I'd get to use my vouchers. Well apparently they did respond to my Facebook message but I didn't get any notification. In February I got a message from the owner who said he'd be happy to take my vouchers at their new location in Scotia Square. Super awesome!

This past Friday my friend Tina picked me up and we went to the Scotia Square food court to get our fish and chips. This new location opened in February and it wasn't busy when we arrived late afternoon. There was a bit of confusion at first when I handed over my vouchers, but they had no problem honouring them. We could each get $10 worth of any food we wanted, but we both ordered a two piece fish and chips.

While waiting I took a look at the various condiments they had on the counter. There were two mustard and ketchup dispensers which is great because I love getting my ketchup in those little paper cups. On the counter were four different types of vinegar, salt and pepper, plus sea salt. When our food was ready we were offered tartar sauce and another type of secret sauce. You could also get a variety of beverages from fountain pop to drinks in glass bottles, including Propeller soda.

Our fish and chips came in a box with red and white checked wax paper. At first I did like the presentation and it seemed like the boxes would be great for a meal on the go. I dug into my fries before trying out the fish. I had sprinkled sea salt on them but the salt didn't really stick like ordinary salt would. Maybe it would be better if they provided a smaller grind of sea salt (I know smaller sea salt exists because I've bought it). The fries were really good though; clearly hand cut in a shoe string style which I do like. They were hot, crispy and plenty of them.

The fish was another story. It looked good, but once I cut into it I saw otherwise. The batter was light and crispy in some parts, but it was very oily. This may have been because the box and wax paper didn't allow for absorption of the extra oil, so the fish was sitting in the oil. That is just my guess though. According to their website, the take out boxes are biodegradable. The inside of the fish was alright, without any of the doughy or gooey inside you sometimes get when there is too much batter. It was flaky and had a nice freshness to it, but overall I felt like the fish was just soggy.  My friend agreed with me that she found the fish soggy too.

I would be interested to hear if anyone else had the same problem with their fish being soggy. I had high hopes for The Battered Fish but was left with some disappointment. I would go back to try some of the other fried delights on the menu, but it will probably be a while before I try the fish and chips again.

If you would like to try The Battered Fish, keep an eye out this summer for their locations on the Halifax Waterfront (beside Beavertails), and at 766 Bedford Highway.

I give The Battered Fish 3 little fishies out of 5.

Fredie's Fantastic Fish House

Where: Fredie's Fantastic Fish House, 8 Oland Crescent, Halifax, NS
When: Monday, September 6, 2010
What: Two piece fish and chips, $8.65+tax

On Labour Day, just shortly after Hurricane Earl rolled through, I got together with my friend Tina for a trip out to Bayers Lake to eat some fish and chips at Fredie's Fantastic Fish House. This is another place people have recommended to me, and we were thankful it was open on the Labour Day holiday.



I think maybe we were the only customers in there so it was not a long wait to order. I can imagine during the weekday it's a busy spot with the lunch crowd. The staff were really relaxed and friendly. Since it was a really nice day out, we sat outside and our server would bring out order out. The view in Bayers Lake Industrial Park is not pretty, but at least we got to enjoy the fresh air, sun, and the quiet of a holiday. We each ordered a two piece fish and chips, and my friend got her fries as a poutine.

While waiting for our food outside, we could smell the earthy scent of fresh potatoes. Is that not the best sign that the fries were going to be awesome or what? At our table we had a caddy with malt and white vinegar, plus ketchup. We were also given packets of Kraft tartar sauce (which I'm not really a fan of).





Holy cow was this ever good! I loved the thick, hand cut fries. The batter on the fish was perfect. Light and crisp without any of that gooey inside you sometimes get, plus the fillets were fresh and flaky. I didn't try any of my friend's poutine but she says that Fredie's is her favourite fish and chips place in the city now.

For service, friendliness, good food and price, you would be hard pressed to find a better deal than Fredie's Fantastic Fish House. If you work or shop in Bayers Lake or just want some good fish and chips, it's definitely worth the trip out.

I give Fredie's Fantastic Fish House 5 little fishies out of 5.

A special thanks to my friend Tina for the great photos.

True North Diner

Where: True North Diner, 1658 Bedford Highway, Bedford, NS
When: Saturday, August 14, 2010
What: Fish and Chips 1 or 2 pc, $7.95 / $9.95

Last summer I went to True North Diner in Bedford with a couple of friends. I had heard a few things about the restaurant and seen the commercials on tv. One person on Twitter said it wasn't worth the trip, but we decided to go anyway to make up our own minds.

True North Diner markets itself as a 1950's style diner offering home-style meals, including fresh baked pies and cakes! Their main menu (including all day breakfast), as well as brunch and catering menus can be viewed on their website.

Inside True North Diner

Where the diner is now used to be a Ponderosa, which is before my time in Halifax I do believe. The decor does have that 1950's feel with the red and white vinyl seating. The restaurant was fairly busy on this Saturday evening. My friends and I ordered our meals and drinks.

Chocolate milk shake and creamsicle float. 

Service was fast and friendly so we didn't wait long for our food. My fish and chips came on a platter with a big pile of hand cut fries and a cup of coleslaw on the side. I wasn't terribly impressed with the fish at this restaurant. The batter was pretty bland but still crispy. In fact the fish itself didn't taste like fish. I know haddock has a more mild taste than some other fish, but I still expect it to taste like something, you know? The shredded vegetables in the coleslaw did not seem very fresh to me either. Perhaps they get their coleslaw mix from a bag instead of shredding up their own vegetables. I rarely ever eat the coleslaw that comes with my fish and chips because most places do not make it very well. 

Aside from the tartar sauce and ketchup, there was no vinegar on the table and I was not offered any either. I often forget to ask for vinegar because I'm not someone who needs it for my fries, but I know for some vinegar is a must.

My friends seemed to like their meals, and I loved my root beer float. If I found myself at this place again I wouldn't bother with the fish and chips. The menu has many other items to try, with prices that are affordable. If I hadn't been so full I would have had a piece of pie, but maybe next time! One more thing to add, we all ordered waters that never came. Our waitress even remembered once that she forgot them but still didn't show up at our table with the waters. Since we didn't order dessert we didn't bother to mention the waters again, just paid and left.

I give True North Diner 2 little fishies out of 5.

A special thanks to my friend Shelley for lending me her camera to take photos for this post.

Henley House Pub & Restaurant

Where: Henley House Pub & Restaurant, 22478 Hwy #7, Sheet Harbour, NS
When: Thursday, July 1st, 2010
What: Two piece beer battered fish & chips, $9.95+tax or $7.95 for 1 pc (lunch menu)

I spent Canada Day driving through the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia with my friend Lori (she had the car). It was a beautiful day and a great way to enjoy Canada Day. We made plans ahead of time to have fish and chips at Henley House Pub & Restaurant (.pdf menu) in Sheet Harbour.

Thankfully the restaurant was open, since it was a holiday after all. We were given a choice of sitting in the bar or the dining room, and chose the dining room. It felt very formal but the atmosphere still felt relaxed on that day due to the casual holiday feel perhaps. It wasn't very busy in the restaurant with there being only 2 or 3 other groups there, plus a couple sitting outside on the deck. The deck had a gorgeous view, but as there wasn't much shade we opted to sit inside.

Since the place wasn't busy we didn't have to wait long to be seated, and the service was very friendly. My friend ordered a bowl of cream of broccoli soup, but wanted to save room for my fish so I only had an iced tea. I did get a biscuit though, and it was really good. Warm, soft on the inside, with that little bit of sweetness, just like my mom might make.

Check out the Nova Scotia tartan on the table!

The fish came on a large platter with french fries, and ramekins of tartar sauce and coleslaw. I found the batter to be nicely golden and crisp. The fish was perfectly cooked, with a fresh taste and none of the mushiness I occasionally find inside a piece of fried fish. Personally I love the large wedge like fries that they served, but I know some people prefer hand cut only. I like biting into a big fry with all the warm, soft potato inside.

There wasn't anything remarkable about the tartar sauce and the coleslaw was just ok. We did have ketchup at the table, as well as malt vinegar which our waitress supplied for us.

The view behind the restaurant of the harbour.

They were serving fresh strawberry shortcake for desert but we were way too full to indulge, though I'm sure it would have been delicious. Can't think of a more perfect Canada Day treat than strawberry shortcake ;)

I really enjoyed my time at Henley House Pub & Restaurant and will stop by next time I'm in the area. It's a great place for tourists to stop and I highly recommend it.

I give Henley House Pub & Restaurant 4 little fishies out of 5.

John's Lunch

Where: John's Lunch, 352 Pleasant Street, Dartmouth, NS.
When: Friday, April 16, 2010.
What: Two piece fish and chips, $7.25+tax; strawberry milkshake $2.75+tax

Back in April I finally had the chance to visit John's Lunch in Dartmouth. It is probably the one place that people recommend to me all the time. Even my sister's boss in New Brunswick said I should check it out.

John's Lunch is just a quick trip across the harbour in the ferry, or easily accessible by car or bus. When we stopped by on Friday afternoon it was packed! There's not a lot of waiting room inside, but we didn't have to wait too long for a booth. We each got the 2 piece fish and chips, and I got a strawberry milkshake. I don't know what possessed me to want a milkshake with my deep fried food, but a shake is something I enjoy at diners. 

My strawberry milkshake, almost too thick to suck up the straw.

Interesting wall with bank notes from around the world. 

Despite the busy pace of the packed restaurant, a waitress took our order quickly. We also did not have to wait long for our food. Those fryers were going non-stop.  

I really liked the meal for the most part. You could tell the fish was fresh, but I found the batter was a tiny bit soggy on the inside. You could see the food being fried behind the counter and I think the fish was partially cooked, set aside, and then dropped back into the fryer as orders came up. This seemed like a good way to keep up with the orders, but maybe results in a not-so-crisp batter. It's a minor complaint though as I definitely think the fish and chips met my expectations. We got Kraft tartar sauce with our food, along with ketchup.

I hear John's Lunch is known for their fried clams, which isn't something I normally go for. I would like to try their poutine and the chicken fingers though. I will for sure go back to this place.

I give John's Lunch 4 little fishies out of 5.

Take Out Fish & Chips

I got some fish and chips delivered from Freeman's Little New York back in December. They're pretty good for delivery. I have reviewed them before here. I really like the fries and the tartar sauce.

Ardmore Tea Room

Where: Ardmore Tea Room, 6499 Quinpool Road, Halifax, NS.
When: Monday, October 19, 2009.
What: Fish and chips, $8.49+tax.

The Ardmore Tea Room is another one of those local favourites, popular with the young and old. Ardmore serves all day breakfast, and good, homemade style comfort food. Plus it's cheap! The Ardmore has also won many awards in The Coast's Best Of Food, including Best Fish Cakes in 2009.

My friend ordered a veggie burger platter and I got the fish and chips (you can read her veggie burger review here).

As you can see from the picture below, the portions are huge! It comes with handcut fries, two pieces of haddock in a dark, crispy batter, and a side of cole slaw. Our food came quickly and was nice and hot. I was a little bit shocked at the dark colour of the bater on the fish. It looks like they either cooked it too long or maybe the oil hadn't been changed in a while. The fish was good though, with lots of flavour. I liked the cole slaw too. Of course the fries, as always were great!

It was a lot of food though and I didn't eat all the fries. Next time I will just get a half order.

I give Adrmore Tea Room 3.8 little fishies out of 5.

Trendz Cafe and Wine Bar

Where: Trendz Cafe & Wine Bar, 15 Spectacle Lake Drive, Dartmouth, NS.

When: Friday, June 26th, 2009.
What: 1 piece fish and chips, $14+tax.

Trendz Cafe & Wine Bar is the restaurant inside the Best Western hotel in Burnside that opened late in 2008. I work in Burnside and have been to Trendz a few times for work lunches. It's a great restaurant and I've always had good experiences when there.

On this occasion the whole office went out to a goodbye lunch for a co-worker who was leaving for a new job. I hadn't planned on getting fish and chips but figured it would be worth a try.

I got one huge piece of haddock with oven roasted potato wedges, with two types of sauce. The white sauce was fresh tartar sauce, and I think the orange sauce was a spicy mayo. Both were delicious. The oven roasted potato wedges were fastastic, with some kind of spice mix sprinkled on top. Yummy!

The fish was great too. It was very fresh, and not cooked for too long. The batter was light and crisp, without any of that mushy dough you sometimes get.



I thoroughly enjoyed my fish and chips at Trendz. It's a bit on the pricy side for lunch, but they have plenty of great items on the menu, including daily lunch specials. They also have a 10% off brunch special on weekends, which I  haven't had, but it might be a good way to start out before some shopping at Dartmouth Crossing.

I give Trendz 4 little fishies out of 5.

Willman's Fish and Chips

Where: Willman's Seafood, 5644 Kane Street, Halifax, NS.
When: Monday, June  15th, 2009.
What: Willman's Fish & Poutine Special, $8.95+tax

I had the day off and my friend Erica wanted to go out to eat. I had promissed  her one day we'd go have fish and chips someplace in town, so we stopped by Willman's Seafood in the Hydrostone area of Halifax's north end.

The fish and chips are just as great as they were last time I ate at Willman's. The staff there are so very friendly.

We admired their new sign while we ate!

And stuffed our faces with fish, chips, and poutine! It was delicious. Handcut fries, lightly battered fresh haddock, and read cheese curds. We did have a choice between mozeralla and curds, and we made the right choice.

It's a lot of food, so if you are not super hungry you might want to share with a friend. I will definitely have this again next time I go to Willman's.

I give Willman's 5 little fishies out of 5.

Johnny's Snack Bar

Where: Johnny's Snack Bar, 6204 Almon St, Halifax.

When: Friday, May 22nd, 2009.
What: Two piece fish and chips, I totally don't remember how much, but it was cheap.

Another local favourite in Halifax is Johnny's Snack Bar, located across the Forum on Almon Street. I've been there a few times before but hadn't had a chance to try the fish and chips. It's a cosy little spot near the post office, in an old house. You can enjoy your meal at a booth, or sit at the counter.

There is one menu per table, with the day's specials on a handwritten note attached to the menu. I was meeting a friend for lunch, and ordered a milkshake while I waited (it was really hot out that day). The milkshake was delicious!

I ordered a two piece fish and chips, and unfortunately I can't remember how much it was. It was cheap though. Probably around $6.

The fries appear to be of the frozen variety. Maybe it's just me, but I often find frozen fries dry and flavourless (I guess that's what ketchup is for). The fish as bland as well. Too thick batter and kind of soggy. We weren't given any ketchup or vinegar on the table, just a handful of ketchup packets.

I give Johnny's Snack Bar 2 little fishies out of 5.

Spartan Restaurant

Where: Spartan Restaurant, 6403 Quinpool Road, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

When: Saturday, April 4th, 2009.
What: Three piece fish and chips, $6.95+tax.

Spartan Restaurant is a family owned diner located on Quinpool Road. It's a favourite spot for weekend breakfasts for the hungover crowd and hungry a like.

I went to the Spartan with my friend Leah one drizzly day back in April. The restaurant is not very big, but for seating it does feature booths and tables, or you can seat yourself at the counter.

For $6.95 you get a generous helping of fries and three pieces of fish. The fries are your standard frozen ones, and I found them really dry. The fish did have a nice flavour, but I also found it try, and the batter a bit too doughy in parts.

The Spartan is a quaint place to eat though. The staff are very friendly, and the food is cheap. I would suggest something else off the menu instead of the fish and chips though (I had a pan fried fish dish there once that was delicious).

I give Spartan Restaurant 2 little fishies out of 5.


Extra Notes:

• Cash only.

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.

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 tartar 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.

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 tartar 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.

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.

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.

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.