Are you there, fish? It's me, Ann.
And so we begin another season of the Cod Squad. (Last week I was in Baja Arizona, where they aren't – apparently – part of the tradition.) Went to Immaculate Conception in Maplewood, handy if you're going to the Rep, but allow plenty of time, of course. The fish fry is held in the parish hall, which is in a building on Anna Avenue just east of the church on Marshall, a block and a half south of Manchester Avenue. There's a parking lot between the church and parish hall.
It's a cafeteria-style line in a large gymnasium, and you pay at the end, which helps with folks who can't quite decide what they want until they see it. The menu is quite traditional, cod, both baked and fried, catfish, shrimp and jack salmon. Yes, a sandwich is available, and so are french fries, although I didn't see folks eating either of those. (Although there was a fellow carefully buttering bread and peppering it – ? a sandwich or a side?)
Fish entrees can be had with one piece of fish or two. No one batted an eye when I asked for a piece of cod and a jack salmon, although that option isn't on the menu. I'm glad I did. The cod wasn't real handsome, but nicely crunchy outside and flavorful inside, although technically overcooked, since it was pretty thin. It really didn't need the tartar sauce, ketchup or cocktail sauce in the giant pump-top containers beyond the end of the line.
I admit to jack salmon being my fish of choice at these events. I first knew it as whiting, long before I moved to St. Louis. That was also long before boneless fish entered my very limited culinary world, and the easy-to-bone fish made even this clumsy kid feel fairly deft with a knife and fork. This is really first-rate jack salmon. A cornmeal batter, different from what was on the cod, seasoned and crisp and un-greasy, and a nice ratio of chewy outside to tender white flesh inside – I think this may well be the best I've found at the local fish fries, a don't miss.
Green beans are so soft you think you're going to find bits of ham, but no, they're meatless. Didn't try the spaghetti, but it surely looks like there's meat in it. That must be an illusion – after all, this is a Catholic church on a Lenten Friday. Creamy macaroni and cheese could be cheesier, but perhaps that's just a function of what also marked the green beans, no or low salt.
That may be a good idea – the early crowd was mostly older folks, but as time passed, families began to file in, and the line lengthened.
Some of the desserts are homemade and some are not. I know there are folks who feel safer with food out of commercial kitchens, but I'm keen on home food. A woman standing next to me asked one of the ladies behind the cake counter if she could have three pieces of a cake that hadn't been cut yet. Cake surgery immediately began, and while she waited, I pseudo-casually murmured, "So tell me about that cake you asked for…." Chocolate, she said, with cherries and chocolate frosting, and went on to discuss how addictive it was. Okay, I thought, I'm in. A generous square of the cake (a 9 x 13 cake turned out on a sheet of aluminum-foil covered cardboard) for less than a dollar, and I strolled back to my seat. Extremely moist, the cherries were maraschino, and just a pleasant grace note to the flavor rather than ruling the roost. They're not really among my favorites, and I thought the balance was good. The whole thing was nicely gooey, and addiction is perfectly understandable. Also, things like upside down cake and brownies, but keep an eye out for the racing rabbits, Twinkies with Peeps rabbits driving them, a pretzel steering wheel and marshmallow wheels. Too cute.
And to answer a question I get from time, yes, there's beer, in cans. But even without beer, the fish and the cake make this a worthwhile visit.
Immaculate Conception Parish Hall
7420 Anna Ave.
4-8 p.m.
Fridays through April 18
Most expensive entree: $10.50 (shrimp)