Fish fries are serious business in Mt. Lebanon and across the Pittsburgh area. They inspire loyalty, debate and carefully guarded opinions about where to go and what to order. As a transplant to the South Hills from Florida, I’ve heard about them for years. Yet, despite living in the area for nearly 20 years, I had never actually been to one.
It had also been a while since Mt. Lebanon Magazine last took a look at local fish fries. So when I casually mentioned to colleagues that I had never attended one, the response was swift and unanimous. This, they decided, was the perfect excuse to finally experience a tradition so many residents take seriously.
The timing worked in our favor. St. Michael the Archangel Parish’s fish fry, known as “The Fry,” serves lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., making it possible to step away from the workday and into a long-standing community ritual.
On this very windy Friday afternoon, we walked down Washington Road from the municipal building to Clairvaux Hall at St. Bernard. Inside, it was hard not to pause and consider what it takes to transform a church hall into a restaurant for the day, staffed by volunteers and designed to serve hundreds in a short window of time. Rows of tables filled the hall, each set with placemats highlighting the event’s many sponsors.
Before going, I reviewed the menu. Online ordering is promoted as the “easiest and most efficient” option, but when I asked whether we should order ahead, I was told that ordering in person is part of the experience. I took that advice seriously.
Upon arrival, we received clipboards with menus. Each of us marked our selections, paid for our meals and then moved to the window where we picked up plastic trays and went down the line. I ordered a side of pierogies with the fried fish lunch which came with a generously sized piece of fish, fries and coleslaw.
The fish and fries were hot, crispy and well seasoned. The coleslaw was tangy without being overly mayonnaisey. I added a side of the house-made tartar sauce, which was the perfect complement to the fish. The pierogies arrived three to an order, plump and topped with plenty of onions. After a couple of colleagues sampled them, there was a quick agreement that they were a solid choice. They also said they enjoyed their baked fish and the haluski.
For dessert, I opted for the Chippie Chocolate “Dolly Pie,” a 6-inch personal-sized pie that I shared with my colleagues. It’s like a soft chocolate chip cookie in a pie shell. When Sue, a volunteer, noticed it on the table, she smiled and said I made a good choice. It is one of their most popular flavors and she had baked it herself.
The St. Michael the Archangel Parish fish fry takes place Fridays during Lent through March 27, except Good Friday. Guests may dine in or order takeout, and weekly specials are offered. For menus, hours and more information, visit smapgh.org [1].
Stay tuned as Rachel Windsor and Merle Jantz share their fish fry experiences this year…