feast on this
BY JEFF FRAGA PHOTOS BY DINAH SATTERWHITE
PROPER FISH There’s no place like this place, so this must be the place Stand on the corner of Winslow Way and Madison on a summer day and you can almost see them marching toward you. Drawn in by what many call the Seattle area’s best fish & chips, the anticipation grows. “Look! There it is!” The sign reads simply, “proper fish,” and on a beautiful Bainbridge afternoon, people are happy to wait for up to an hour to sample the perfectly fried Alaska cod filets. Before it was Proper Fish, it was a wildly popular Seattle food truck called Nosh, founded by London native Harvey Wolff, who had visions that went beyond the mobile eatery. His search for a suitable restaurant space brought him to Bainbridge Island. Soon Proper Fish was born—in a permanent location off Winslow Way—and the awards followed, including four consecutive Best of Bainbridge awards. And, while Proper Fish has changed owners – it’s now co-owned by Heriberto Quintero and Ana Silva – they still use the original recipe from the Nosh truck. “We use Alaskan line-caught cod from the Bering Sea, dipped in local beer batter and served on a pseudo-London newspaper with house-made tartar sauce and a side of mushy peas, “said Quintero. “Each filet weighs in at a hefty 10 to 12 ounces and is carefully hand-battered in a secret blend of seasonings, ensuring a crispy golden coating that locks in the succulent flavors,” added Silva. As Englishman Wolff might say, “Cod save the king!” Proper Fish 112 Madison Avenue North 206-855-5051
pnwbainbridge.com
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