By Nancy Dow
Supplied Photo
If you are looking for an authentic style fish and chip meal, one of the newest restaurants in Brantford is just the place!
Arriving to Canada in 2007, the husband and wife duo of Karen and Howard felt the need to do something different from the steady careers they had grown into. When an opportunity came up in 2014 for a small shop on Main St. in Hamilton they decided to take a chance and do what they had always wanted. With a lot of hard work and elbow grease, they turned a vacant old place into an exciting new spot!
Photo by: Nancy Dow
Their Hamilton location became a popular restaurant, gaining a large following of regulars and new comers. So, the question was, should they be content or should they grow? When a location here in Brantford came available at the right time and in the right place, the answer was to grow! They have taken the time and hard work again to turn an older coffee shop into a bright white and blue nautical getaway.
Fully devoting themselves between the two shops, they also employ a friendly and attentive staff at each location. They ensure all members of the staff are trained in all aspects of each needed job. From prep work to cleaning, and cooking to serving, having all staff trained everywhere ensures they work well as a team and can fill in where and when needed. As all jobs are treated equally you will often find Karen and Howard hard at work anywhere in the shop too.
Photo by: Nancy Dow
Open nice and early at 8 am you will find a great selection of breakfast items. Taking pride in their ‘Greasy Spoon,’ full English breakfast platter, you will not leave hungry. Eggs, bacon, sausages, black pudding, haggis, beans, chips, omelettes and pancakes are all found until mid-afternoon at 2pm. For Shrove Tuesday in February, a portion of the proceeds from all pancakes sold were donated to Ronald McDonald House. Being a charity that they believe in, they are hoping to continue to hold special days and events throughout the year in order to help raise even more funds.
Photo by: Nancy Dow
From 11 am until closing you can enjoy anything on the extensively delicious menu. The majority of the appetizers are made in-house by hand, which include the mozzarella sticks, battered fresh mushrooms, Spanish onion rings, ever changing soup of the day and the delicious creamy coleslaw. All selections are a hard choice to serve along with the carefully selected main star, the fish. The generous sized portions can vary in pieces but are all calculated by weight. Haddock, halibut, perch, cod, sole and pollock can all be ordered in the signature deep-fried manner or can also be baked by request.
Photo by: Nancy Dow
All items on the menu are as fresh and as local as possible. Each day the hand washed, peeled and cut fries are made from potatoes that are all purchased locally at Fortes as well as the sausages and meat pies from various locally made suppliers. Quality and local is key to this establishment. Howard (A.K.A Dr. Fish) has been trained with the UK Federation of Fish Friers which teaches specialty courses on cooking techniques as well as business management.
With dozens of great reviews online (as well as personal visits), the busy restaurant is quickly creating a community of regular visitors. With the ever-growing crowds at the height times of day, it might be hard to get a table. But for the food, atmosphere and staff, the wait is well worth it!
Take a visit to taste their food at 750 Colborne Street or check them out on their Facebook Page ‘The Lighthouse Fish & Chips.’
