BUTTERCOD PO BOY ROLL
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SEAFOOD CAFÉ BRINGS THE OCEAN TO EUGENE
Alder Street Fish Co., 1239 Alder St., is open 11 am to 8 pm M-F.
PHOTO BY TO DD CO OPE R
lder Street Fish Co. is diffi cult to categorize. Not quite a full-on restaurant, yet
far from a typical fi sh-and-chips stand, this seafood café is a new addition to the
smattering of coffee places and restaurants around East 13th Avenue near the UO
campus.
“It’s been great,” says owner Bill Brand, who launched Alder Street Fish Co. in early
November. “I’ve got a real enthusiasm for seafood, given where we live. I’ve always wanted
to do something with seafood, and it’s a very sellable premise here on campus.”
The dinnertime fl ow of students confi rms Brand’s statement as they enter, seeking refuge
from the cold, and exit with warm bags of seafood. Some customers choose to linger inside
the café, crowding around tables as they devour their baskets of fi shy goodness. Because of its
small size and cozy setting, Alder Street Fish Co. is a natural choice when taking shelter from
a stormy Oregon day.
“It’s fantastic,” says Sam Robison, a repeat customer. “They really know how to make fi sh
and chips. First off, the fries are great; I love waffl e fries in general. And for real breaded fi sh,
it’s not that greasy at all.”
The fi sh are Panko-breaded, giving them a lighter feel than other kinds of battered fi sh. But
don’t think that fi sh and chips are the full extent of what Alder Street Fish Co. has to offer.
While the delight of fried food is hard to resist, Brand’s menu consists of more than batter-
coated fare, and he says that he “takes a lot of pride in culinary fi nesse.”
As an added bonus, Brand is committed to environmental responsibility. “We use sustainably
harvested seafood as much as we can,” Brand says, “and all of our seafood is wild-caught.”
With that in mind, ocean lovers can breathe easy and fully appreciate the quality of the
menu at Alder Street Fish Co. Topping the popularity list, Brand says, are the mahi-mahi
fi sh tacos and the butter cod sandwich. When paired with aioli sauce, the sandwich takes on
a Mediterranean fl avor, composed of smoked paprika, lemon and garlic. Gluten-free clam
chowder is served daily, and it’s made with no bacon, rendering it safe for pescatarian diners.
“It’s really creamy and delicious,” according to Preston Carmack, a musician who stopped
in to try the chowder.
The non-seafood item on the menu, a burger served on a brioche bun, is “the best burger on
campus,” Brand says. Made with beef raised on Ninkasi’s spent grains, the burger is reminiscent of
grilling outdoors during the summer, an invigorating fl avor during the colder months.
“I don’t think you can use poetic language to characterize what’s special about that beef,”
Brand says. “It has such a fresh taste.”
Barbeque salmon and salmon burgers round out the menu, making a classy ensemble of
normally grab-and-go food. So next time the fl avors of the sea are beckoning, give Alder Street
Fish Co. a try for a complete seafood experience — minus the ocean. ■
PHOTO BY TRASK BEDO RTHA
BY AMY SCHNEIDER
BBQ SALMON PLATE
winter Chow!
EUGENE WEEKLY’S GUIDE TO FOOD AND RESTAURANTS 2013
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