In case I get lost later amidst a flood of affectionate adjectives related to Alaskan cod, Vancouver Island snapper, coleslaw or skin-on French fried potatoes, let me establish this fact right now: Montgomery’s Fish & Chips at Lonsdale Quay Market serves outstanding . . . well, fish and chips.
I’m not talking “better than expected” or even “pretty tasty, all things considered” kind of good; I’m talking unbelievably delicious, take-the-Pepsi-challenge-against-all-comers, unequivocally, fantastic fish and chips.
Now, let’s back up for a minute. Lonsdale Quay finally has a market to be reckoned with. I have watched various businesses come and go over the years and at times the specific mix of vendors in the market has been better than at other times.
While there are still a few locations available to let (the Bowen Island Pizza Company is arriving soon, I hear), I feel like our local retail, service, and specialty food thoroughfare has at last found its stride.
Markets in other cities are important hubs not only of commerce but of social activity; they are thriving centres for community dialogue and cultural engagement. In Barcelona, the Mercat de la Boqueria has witnessed and participated in the shaping of the history of its city since the 13th century.
London’s Borough Market, also a 13th-century institution, is a foodie paradise that has been at the forefront of the city’s recent culinary renaissance. In Ottawa, as politicians and lobbyists shape our nation’s policies in the hallways of Parliament, the rest of the city descends on the bustling ByWard Market (est. 1826) for some of the city’s best foodstuffs.
Admittedly, Lonsdale Quay Market has a way to go before it acquires the historical gravitas of these other, more long-standing market landmarks, but I suggest that North Vancouver’s quayside bazaar shares with them a similar commitment to high-quality local specialties that will continue to propel it to the fore of North Vancouver’s social scene.
Notice that within the walls of the market you will not find any fast-food chain franchises. East Side Mario’s, for example, despite its exceptional view of the Vancouver skyline, failed to find an audience.
Perhaps that is because the experience it offered did not share the same locally focused, not-easily replicated approach of its neighbours.
I have written before on notable specialties within the market, including The Sandwich Shop and its memorable porchetta, the excellent pies of Sharkey’s Chophouse, Cilantro and Jalapeno’s fiery tomatillo salsa fresca, Green Leaf Brewing Co., and the rich steamed Eggs Benny at the All Day Café. But all of these great additions to the Lonsdale Quay Market are newcomers compared to Montgomery’s Fish & Chips, the unassuming, diminutive shop at the far south end of the food court that has been quietly doling out some of the best fish and chips in the city (I’m speaking broadly here, of Greater Vancouver) for 15 years.
Derek “Montgomery” Edwardson, Darlene Edwardson, and James Edwardson head up the small shop, serving fresh-from-the-docks, made-to-order fried seafood to a seemingly endless crowd of eager market-goers.
The Edwardsons describe their fish and chips as traditional English style. Now, for those of you die-hard literalists who watch for subtle variations in the delivery of goods styled as “traditional,” let me give you a head start: Montgomery’s serves their chips with skins on, which you don’t often see in England. Further, patrons can choose from a selection of fish, which includes cod, halibut and red snapper, these latter two rarely appearing on an English chippie menu. Finally, Montgomery’s operates within the broader opening hours of the market, meaning it closes at 7 p.m. at the latest, precluding the celebrated English tradition of late-night fish and chips take-away.
These are minor considerations, however, as in the grand scheme, Montgomery’s manages to harness the very best of what English fish and chips represents, serving generous and meaty pieces of remarkably fresh fish in crispy, light, and golden brown batter.
Their fish, which retains its moisture throughout, is never bogged down by heavy oil; their distinctly non-greasy specialty is clearly deep fried at the perfect temperature and for a precise cooking period, resulting in delicate, almost tempura-like morsels.
These traits were revealed consistently throughout my recent meal at Montgomery’s. I brought my kids for a treat and cannot recall the last time I saw them tuck so enthusiastically into a fish-based meal. Blondie and The Boy shared a meal of two pieces of cod with chips and I had a halibut buttie (the English term for a sandwich on a bun).
The portions were generous, but that did not stop us from sharing between us another outstanding dish of red snapper “nuggets,” tender, light brown strips of Vancouver Island snapper served atop a bed of hand-cut chips.
An order of coleslaw, crispy, creamy and fresh, served as the requisite vegetable component, while an indulgent side of deep fried scallops, tender and sweet, made for an original dessert.
Our meal was $45, including two soft drinks.
Montgomery’s Fish & Chips is located at Lonsdale Quay Market, 123 Carrie Cates Court. 604-929-8416
Chris Dagenais served as a manager for several restaurants downtown and on the North Shore. A self-described wine fanatic, he earned his sommelier diploma in 2001. Contact: [email protected].
