On Emerald City Fish & Chips, and the OXO Reamer
A look at top-of-the-heap fish and chips, as well as a juicer that’ll make your life that much easier.
So, here we go: Fish and chips done right. That’s not a given even in fish-forward Seattle, where the fish can come out as oily and soggy as in any other town. Or, even worse than soggy, dry, the ultimate sin for any fish-based meal. At Emerald City, there is none of that.
A mainstay in Rainier Valley since 2009, Emerald City features a southern-style menu with staples like Po’boys, crab puppies, and even a seafood gumbo three days a week. But, fish and chips is part of their namesake for a reason, with their five variations on the dish. (That includes a chicken option, aka the fish of the land.)
I recently tried the three-piece halibut plate, which was exactly what I had hoped for. Flaky fish covered in a smooth and well-seasoned batter. The fries, too, had a proper bite with a slight spiciness shining through. All of it was fresh tasting, as opposed to the increasingly ubiquitous frozen ingredients dunked in oil.
Maybe “fresh” is the least we should expect, but the reality is that properly prepared fish and chips are becoming increasingly rare. Emerald City’s old-school approach is something to appreciate.
$19 is not exactly a steal for a three-piece meal, though there is a lot of food for the buck. Plus, the staff liberally throws out the retiree discount to everyone. (Or, so I assume, having received it myself – I’d be pretty friggin’ offended if it weren’t the norm.)
The service is fast and friendly; they even handed out samples of their salmon chowder while we were waiting. It, too, is recommended, as is their Chicken Po’boy. Much like the chicken and chips, it’s not a traditional take, but if it works, it works. And it does.
Emerald City Fish & Chips, then, is a place any fish and chip aficionado should check out. Find them at 3756 Rainier Ave, and visit their website for online ordering.
OXO’s Wooden Reamer
There is something weirdly cathartic about squeezing juice with a handheld reamer. It may be slower than an electric juicer and messier than a citrus press, but still well worth it – with the proper equipment, you can get more juice than with highfalutin alternatives, all while letting go of stress.
From my experience, OXO’s $8 Wooden Reamer is the best bang for the buck. It looks – and is – sharp, made from a beechwood that does not react to citric acid. Running it under water is all you need to clean it. Most importantly, the edges scrape the orange down to the proverbial bone, meaning you can juice literally all the innards.
A better-tasting juice at a third of the price of a carton makes for an $8 investment in you and for your loved ones, who get a more effervescent version of you.
Hand Squeeze Orange Juice Like a Boss
Look, it might seem straightforward, and theoretically it is. But: If you skip a few simple steps, the desired pulp-to-liquid ratio will be off, and you don’t want that. For a balanced juice:
Squeeze juice – pulp and all – into a bowl.
Strain the juice from the first bowl into a separate bowl with a sieve or whatever, and discard the pulp. (I like to eat it, but maybe that’s a “me thing.” Judge if you like.)
Funnel the juice into a bottle (or cup or glass – I prefer keeping a bottle in the fridge.)
That’s it. A perfectly balanced batch of juice.
