Feb 24, 2015 3 min read

This newspaper has undertaken a unique project of asking some of its staff to visit various venues in Washington and Greene counties during this Lenten season for the sole purpose of ordering, eating and then writing a brief review of the weekly culinary enterprise known as a fish fry.

I volunteered to sample the luncheon offering at St. Ann Church on East High Street in Waynesburg. I have eaten the $6 luncheon special of a fish sandwich, fries and slaw many times before, but mostly I opted for the takeout option.

This year, however, I chose to eat in, if nothing more than to consume my meal off a real plate rather than transporting my lunch back to the office in a Styrofoam container. Now, there is nothing wrong with the latter – the food tastes just fine either way – but this year, I was concerned the temperature might turn my hot Alaskan pollock into a “cold fish.” And no one likes a cold fish.

So, there I was Friday seated at a table in the basement of St. Ann Church after placing my order, and out walks Greene County Commissioner Archie Trader carrying my plate. I must say, while surprised by the “waiter in Trader,” he did see me and ask, “Is this yours?” It was no big thing to get up and walk over and take my plate from him. It was still better than carrying a Styrofoam container through snow piles to get to my car.

Another advantage of eating in is you get free beverages and ample supplies of tartar sauce and ketchup.

I should note my “review” of the fish fry at St. Ann was brief for what the newspaper has planned, so I want to expand slightly on my Lenten luncheon experience.

First, not every seat was taken. I think the cold kept people away from this first in a series of Lenten fish fries that will continue each Friday through April 3. Yet, the place was busy. People were coming and going at a pretty good rate while I was there. Most, though, seemed to opt for takeout.

I made sure I picked up a fork before going to my seat and before Trader the waiter brought me my meal. Obviously, the fork came in handy when eating coleslaw, but it had a greater utilitarian purpose when it came time to “test” the fish sandwich.

The filet was huge. The bun was like an afterthought, but once the size if the fish was reduced by a half-dozen or so bites with a fork, I was able to wrap the bread around the fish and eat it as intended.

As a Presbyterian, I was introduced to Lent by attending church potluck dinners on Wednesdays. But these Catholic churches have it nailed. These fish fries are a perfect way to acknowledge some papal doctrine that forbids eating meat on Fridays.

Whether it is apocryphal or not, I don’t know. But I am sure I read somewhere that this no meat on Friday edict prompted McDonald’s to create its Filet-O-Fish sandwich.

My suggestion: Visit a church, VFW, civic club or wherever a fish fry is being held. The price is usually right and the food is usually good. But I will let you judge for yourselves.

Jon Stevens, Greene County bureau chief, can be reached at jstevens@observer-reporter.com.