food+drink: review
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HOOK'S
CATFISH KITCHEN
38 S Park
Row, Erie PA
By:
Randall McCaslin
Photos: Heidi Allyn
Share your own Hook's experience:
For those who know me – its no secret that I admire Anthony Bourdain. I watch his show “No Reservations”, have his cook books, read his other work, and I wish I had his job – traveling the world and understanding the culture of his destinations via its cuisine. Whether its fresh tacos at a stand in Mexico or a “dirty water” hotdog in Times Square – it’s the food the average every day guy eats – the special little lunch counters, stands, shops and delis that really illustrate how the folks live and work and exist in a particular place. Erie has these places too – I have watched them come and go over the 40 some odd years that I have eaten in restaurants in Erie. Places we all know and love. I hope to revisit these places and find some new ones and talk about them.
First on the list is a place that instantly intrigued me. I was walking about Perry Square probably last summer and saw on the corner of Peach and North Park Row – a new restaurant had opened – Hooks Catfish Kitchen. I was not looking for food but thought a catfish place in Erie would be gone in about a month or two. Well time has its way of fleeting and I found myself again in the Perry Square area around lunch time and lo – the place was still there. It was lunch time and I decided to give it a shot. Im glad I did. I liked it so much that I started telling people about it, encouraging people to try the place. I decided after the great lunch I had to take Heidi to check it out. We went on a Friday night and got there by 7. Unfortunately there is not much seating space – only 2 or 3 tables as the majority of the business is take out. We had to eat in as we live in Edinboro and I wanted to eat the food fresh. We arrived and there were 1 or 2 folks ordering in front of us, but soon after we placed our order folks started lining up to order the goodness we were about to receive.
The menu is not extensive – its pretty much fish. It’s a good thing to do one thing and do it well and this is the case here. There are several types of fish available, of course catfish but also whiting, ocean perch, walleye and tilapia. Chicken is also available. You order by the piece and each meal includes a side of fries or onion rings and two slices of white bread. Additional sides are available such as fried okra, hush puppies, mac and cheese wedges, slaw etc. I ordered the 2 piece catfish dinner and Heidi ordered the catfish nuggets – mine with fries and hers with rings. I wanted a side of fried okra but they were out so we got the slaw. I was hoping for some good fresh homemade coleslaw but was disappointed when the order came with prefab slaw in a peel off plastic tub – the only disappointment of the evening. As we waited for our meals – we sat down and I picked up some of the reading material and gleaned through “The Final Call” the official newspaper of the Nation of Islam. This is the Minister Louis Farrahakan’s order based on the teaching of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. The edition I picked up featured the visit of Libyan President Mohammar Qaddafi to the United States. Now this is pretty interesting stuff for me. I usually spend my time cutting firewood and playing Appalachian folk music so I was quite out of my element but was really enjoying myself. Heidi and I struck up conversations with some folks waiting for their orders and were having a wonderful time.Our orders came served in Styrofoam boxes and plastic forks. No fine china and Cabernet here – it’s a fish joint. Don’t look for the tartar sauce either – its available but you have to ask ( a humiliation). The condiments are Louisiana hot sauce, ketchup, mustard, and malt vinegar. I couldn’t figure out what the mustard was for though. The fish is unmistakably the BEST fried fish I have ever had. It is hot, and crispy on the outside and moist and flakey on the inside. It is breaded not battered – like most fried fish around Erie. I think it is a corn meal base with assorted spices. Eating methodology includes tearing fish with bare hands into chunk, dip in hot sauce, eat, eat french fry with malt vinegar sprinkled generously about and dipped in ketchup to mitigate the heat of the hot sauce. Take bite of bread to further put out the fire of the hot sauce if necessary. Repeat. There is no alcohol available – only soft drinks and this may have something to do with the religious belief of the owners. The Manager – Shawn Jones was so nice to us and knew how to cook! The portions are very ample and the value is outstanding. We decided that we needed to try the homemade sweet potato pie for desert and it too was delicious. Please Please try this place. Go out of your way – avoid the chain fish place for a night- try something new- different. Get to know your neighbors – support local Erie establishments.
TRY HOOKS CATFISH KITCHEN! You will not be disappointed.
(09-1028)
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