Hold onto your hats. It’s about to get busy here! It’s fish fry (and pancake breakfast) season. I spent some time planning this year’s visits yesterday. I don’t like going with big groups, but if you’d like to join me you are welcome. I go at the beginning of service to avoid the crowds (I’m still wary of catching the coronavirus) and make sure nothing runs out. I might decide to get take out, so if you are going to show up let me know.
Here is my tentative schedule:
2/22 (Ash Wednesday LUNCH): West Park Station at Kamm’s Corner
2/24: St. Joseph’s in Avon Lake (you need to order ahead). The baked salmon and baked cod both sound amazing – and they have breaded perch!
3/3: St. Charles Borromeo in Parma (takeout only) Fry time: 4 to 7 p.m. Fridays Feb. 24 to April 7 except for March 17, St. Patrick’s Day. St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral. Fry time: 4:30 to 7 p.m. Fridays through April 7.
3/10: No Fish Fry -meeting friends for a birthday dinner, lunch St. Joseph Byzantine Catholic Church in Brecksville
3/17 (St. Patrick’s Day): St. Joseph’s for corned beef and fish dinner
3/24: St. Sava on Wallings Road (but I’m bringing butter and salt&pepper with me just in case!)
3/31: Ss. Robert & William Catholic Parish in Euclid
4/7 (Good Friday): St. Barnabas Fish Fry in Northfield (Icelandic cod and fresh-squeezed lemonade)
I also need to try out the American Slovak Club in Lorain for lunch. The fish fry during Lent will start Friday February 24, 2023 serving from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Our fish fry runs all year long, not just during Lent.
I also plan to eat at Melt Bar and Grilled once or twice, but not on Friday. I wish the one in Cleveland Heights hadn’t closed! Melt is offering seafood and meatless options every day from February 22nd – April 6th with their new Seafood Spectacular Menu. The menu will offer a fish fry with panko crusted cod fillets and hush puppies and some of their most requested fan favorites from the past and some awesome new items!
If you are planning your own visits and haven’t been to St. Gabriel’s or St. John Bosco yet, I suggest you put them at the top of your list. St. Gabe’s in Concorde is worth the drive and serves an all-you-can-eat buffet with 3 kinds of cod (battered, crumb coated and baked), shrimp, mussels, homemade seafood chowder, and sides like pierogi, mac n cheese, fries, pizza, and rigatoni from 5pm to 6:30pm ($20 preorder and $23 at the door – preorder ends at 2 PM on Friday). Get the seafood chowder and dessert as quickly as you can – they run out. Located in Parma Heights, St. John Bosco’s dinners are catered by Bruno’s Ristorante and include a lot of great Italian options, including eggplant lasagna and manicotti. There is a $1 early bird discount from 4-5. Adult dinners ($11.50-$13.50) include an entree (fried fish, broiled fish, eggplant lasagna, or pierogies), a side, coleslaw, rolls & butter, dessert (brownie or carrot cake), and choice of coffee, tea, or soft drinks. The fish is Alaskan Pollack that they beer-batter themselves. Beer and wine are available in the dining hall. Extra sides (cabbage and noodles, manicotti, mac n cheese, vegetables, pizza) can be added to dinners for $1.50.
Cleveland Rocks, Cleveland Eats 