deep fish
Posted on 08. Jul, 2011 by Adrian in dine
words > JESSY CLONTS
Just Catfish
www.justcatfish.com
3800 S. Seneca
Wings, Gumbo and Catfish are the staples on this menu, despite the restaurant’s name. In fact, at first glance of the one page menu, the first line the eye falls to is, “Yes! We Have Chicken!!!” But this is not what we came for. We came for a certain bottom-feeding Southern delicacy and we certainly found it.
Just Catfish is located at the awkward intersection of south Seneca and 235-West, in a tired old building that has been a dozen other establishments (Acapulco Beach and Brews Brothers, among a few). Its large back windows overlook a man made “lake” with patio access to the “beach.” The restaurant layout, with its exposed wooden beams and wainscot walls, lends itself to a memory of being grand at one time, but despite its outdated look, the service is quick and friendly, and portion sizes are huge.
I’m from the fried school, as in, the only way to eat catfish, and Just Catfish offers a Cajun style flour-battered fillet or a Southern style cornmeal batter ($7.19 for one fillet with two sides). They also offer sauteed, grilled or blackened fillets for the health conscious. The catfish here tastes wild-caught, like it wasn’t soaked long enough in buttermilk, or Sprite, or whatever the restaurant uses to take away the muddy flavor inherently found in catfish. Being a Kansan, I wasn’t too put off by it, but my companion was.
My two sides were crispy fried okra and saucey sweet coleslaw. The added raisins and pineapples to the slaw were a pleasant, flavor and texture-enhancing surprise. The crunchy golden hush puppies were a little on the small side, but the size kept them from becoming too dense and mealy. They left me wishing I had ordered a second batch.
I wasn’t crazy about the mayonnaise-heavy tartar sauce or the cornbread that tasted of yellow cake mix, but these are personal preferences, and some like a cake-like consistency to cornbread.
Overall I appreciate the effort that the folks at Just Catfish are putting forth and want to see them stick around a while. With their friendly staff and trusty chicken and fish staples, they should be able to work out the kinks if they keep doing what they do best.
Wichita Fish Company
www.wichitafishcompany.com
1601 W. Douglas and 7211 S. Broadway, Haysville
Wichita Fish Company has been in steady business for over 30 years, and claims to be the largest seafood retailer in the state and Wichita’s best kept secret. The unsuspecting spot just west of the heart of Delano has an unwavering fan base loyal to its fresh and saltwater fish dishes and specialty market offerings like frog legs and grouper.
In fact it is such a beloved dive, that the owners could almost be faulted for assuming the general public knows how to navigate the place. A first time visitor can easily be overwhelmed by the endless specials written on copy paper in permanent marker and tacked to the walls (there are full menus available at the counter), and find intimidating the stern woman behind the counter who has no time to wait for you to make up your mind. She must also answer the phone that rings endlessly and call out orders for pick up. Fortunately, the unfussy family style dining rooms are removed from the front counter hubub.
For clarification, here is the ordering process at Wichita Seafood Company: 1. Enter through the south door 2. Place your order at the counter 3. Serve your own beverage 4. Select your own silverware and condements 5. Pick up your order at the counter when it is called.
Dedicated regulars swear by the Catfish Fillet Dinner ($6.99), which includes french fries, hush puppies and cole slaw. The Southern style cornmeal batter has a black peppery spike and the clean, unmuddied fillet is thick enough not to be overtaken by its crust. With a dash of malt vinegar and a smear of the creamy, worcestershire-heavy tartar sauce, this catfish is easily among the best in the city. As for the cole slaw and fries, which I found to be traditional but unremarkable, these sides can be substituted for steamed broccoli and carrots, and rice for 50 cents more. The small hush puppies on the other hand are thick and crunchy, and bursting with onion and herb seasonings. Delicious.
The Ahi Tuna dinner is enormously portioned, and at $7.99 is a steal as well. A dusting of cracked pepper and a quick hot sear are all this giant steak needs for its juicy flavor and firm texture to really shine. While fried dinners are accompanied by fried sides, grilled dinners include steamed vegetables and rice. If Wichita Seafood Company had a wine menu to have ordered a pinot grigio to compliment the tuna, this would have been a perfect–and perfectly healthy—meal.
My biggest rave for Wichita Fish Company is the freshness of the fish, as it is naturally the utmost concern regarding fish, especially with our being at least 1,000 miles from a coastline. I have heard nothing but kudos for the selection and variety, and of course the flavor, of the dishes here. My biggest complaint, however, is that all meals arrive in a large styrofoam container. The two 45-gallon garbage cans full of unrecyclable, non biodegradable styrofoam during my visit were thoroughly unsightly. I suspect that using actual plates for their dine in customers would significantly reduce their waste and “green up” their business.
Withstanding decades of food trends and metamorphoses of the Delano district, Wichita Seafood Company is a tried and true classic. Eat here when you crave seafood and want to support your local restaurants (which should be always).
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