Fish ‘n Chips and a side order of charm
Written by Ann Pietrangelo on March 4th, 2009 in Conversations, Dining Out, Family & Friends, Set the Mood, Strange but True.
Some places have a feel. It’s an intangible that can’t be found in a chain restaurant or big box store. There are places we’ve been and foods we’ve eaten that we remember so fondly, so vividly, that they cannot be duplicated anywhere else and we’re left to wonder if they truly exist the way we remember them.
Back in my home town in northern Rhode Island, there’s a hole-in-the wall restaurant by the name of Ye Olde English Fish ‘n Chips. It’s the kind of place that, if you were filming a movie about new england, would capture the feel and sense of place you would need to tell your story.
It’s common knowledge in my family that when I’m in town, a visit to Ye Olde English is on the agenda. It’s not a particularly impressive looking place. Show up on a Friday night and you may find yourself standing in line outside, taking in the aroma and listening to your stomach growl. Patrons order at the counter for take out or dining in the casual booths. The air is saturated with the smell of fish and diners are animated.
The fish is deep fried in plenty of batter and the fries are big and meaty. Throw in one of their giant dill pickles, and your taste buds never had it so good. After you’ve eaten the last fry with vinegar, you’ll swear that you’ll never eat again, but you know you’ll be back.
Little has changed since I was a kid. It’s still the same place with the same charm I remember. My family thinks I’m a little over the top about it, but then again, they live there. They can’t fully appreciate the unique character because they are surrounded by it. The slight accents, the sense of community, the things that can’t be forced, but must come naturally.
Every now and then, you can go home again.
March 7th, 2009 at 11:42 am
I know just what you mean! When I think of my favorite childhood places, one of my first thoughts is about my much-missed favorite foods. Many of my favorite restaurants in or near Evanston, IL (Chicago North Side suburbs) are closed by now, but when I can find something here in California that comes close, I feel like I have died and gone to heaven–the ultimate going Home!