Fishmongering in Verdun

The Pitch

‘Twas on a bone-chilling day that we walked into La Queue de Poisson seeking a hot, comforting meal for lunch.  The chippy-cum-poissonnerie has been open on Verdun's Promenade Wellington for about a year now.  We haven't heard much about it asides from critic Sarah Musgrave's less-than-enthusiastic review for The Gazette.  Either way, we warmed up to the thought of battered fish, deep-fried chips and beer.

The Mood

We were pleasantly surprised with the small, cozy interior.  The wood panelling, picnic benches and blue accessories scattered throughout created a befitting nautical mood.  The cash area features a seafood bar displaying the various fish and other sea goodies on offer.  Those are also available for purchase to cook at home; nice!

The Food

While the restaurant's full menu is served for lunch (score!), we stuck to our original plan and ordered two variations of fish n' chips along with a couple Grolsches.  We enjoyed the possibility of replacing the chips with a salad or mixing it up with both, which we opted for (+1 for those worried about their waistline, not that we are).

$13.25

$13.25

Haddock Fish ‘n' Chips

"with chips, salad and tartar sauce".  The fish was tasty and flaky, but we found the batter a tad too brittle.  We enjoyed the meaty fries, alas the tartar tasted like plain mayonnaise; we like it thicker with bits of gherkins or capers.  Finally the salad was refreshing with a nice crunch from the cabbage, but could have used more of the basil vinaigrette.

$14.50

$14.50

Cod Fish ‘n' Chips

"with chips, salad and remoulade sauce".  Now we're talking!  More of the same fries and salad, but this time the fish really shines.  Meaty white flesh surrounded by an amber crust with just the right crisp.  Finally, the remoulade provided a welcome, faint kick as opposed to the dull tartar sauce above.

The Service

Our waitress (possibly an owner) was welcoming and knowledgeable, if a little rough around the edges in a way that goes well with the whole sailor/fisherman vibe.  She threw in a third sauce at no extra charge when she saw us arguing over which two to pick with our fish n' chips.

The Verdict

Overall, we were pleased with our experience today at La Queue de Poisson, and thought it was a solid lunch destination.  Yet it would be premature to form a final opinion solely based on their fish n' chips.  They do have several other interesting options such as tartars, shellfish, grilled fish and finally an intriguing salmon burger.  It won't be long before we come back to take a closer look.

tagged:  DESERVES A RETRY