The Japanese-inspired take on fish and chips was well balanced, perfectly fired and full of flavour. Photo by Galen Simmons
By Galen Simmons
Mercer Kitchen and Beer Hall is one of those Stratford staples Julia and I return to again and again.
We’ve gone with friends and family, celebrated special occasions there, eaten there before a show and we regularly order takeout from Mercer’s when we just don’t have the energy to find parking downtown. Julia always orders the same things – the Karaage chicken and Mijikai Maki sushi roll – and I usually try something new.
Recently, Julia and I celebrated her birthday with dinner at Mercer’s and, once again, it did not disappoint. After perusing the new items on the menu, there was one dish that caught my attention – the fish and chips.
I love fish and chips, but it doesn’t always love me back, so I was intrigued to see a new take on the dish. It featured panko-tempura fried local trout, a katsu curry base, a yuzu tartar sauce, crushed wasabi peas and triple-cooked fries.
I loved the idea of a Japanese-inspired take on fish and chips, so I gave it a try – and boy, was it good. The trout – one of my all-time favourite fish – was fried to crispy, golden perfection and the fish was perfectly cooked and moist on the inside. The curry base added a wonderfully mild curry flavour and the yuzu tartar offered that pop of citrus fried fish needs, along with the sweetness and creaminess I expect from a tartar sauce.
The triple-cooked fries were less like fries and more like a cross between potato wedges and home fries. I’m a fan of mixing different components of a dish to discover new and exciting flavour and texture experiences, and the crispy fries mixed with the curry and a dab of yuzu tartar sauce was a combination I would enjoy again.
While I had hoped to pair my meal with the Hot Tropic Sour, a guava and papaya sour from Broken Rail Brewery in St. Marys – I tried a guava sour from Broken Rail a few years ago and absolutely loved it – the tap wasn’t working properly. Instead, I went in the opposite direction and tried A Stout with Coffee: Anchor Coffee from Bellwoods Brewery in Toronto.
A dark stout with fish and chips just made sense to me, and I wasn’t wrong. It carries mild coffee notes with a smooth finish, and I didn’t find it overly heavy alongside the fried fish and fries.
Meanwhile, Julia’s Karaage chicken and Maki rolls were as good as they always are – and I didn’t hesitate to finish her chicken when asked. As fried food often is, it’s better to eat the Karaage chicken at the restaurant than as takeout. Here’s what Julia had to say about the chicken.
“It’s melt-in-your-mouth chicken. The chicken tastes like it’s been brined in something; it’s salty, meaty and there’s enough fat that it falls apart in your mouth.”
As for the Maki roll, Julia says the individual sushi piece is a big bite, but it’s hard not to eat it in one go because of how good they are. The sushi contains big chunks of tuna “with flavours that sing in my mouth, making my brain and cheeks vibrate with happiness and oxytocin.”
Julia paired her meal with the Hibiscus Whip, a tart, sweet and refreshingly cold cocktail with a bite of Jose Cuervo Silver Tequilla and garnished with a lime and a salt rim. While Julia said she would have asked for a sugar rim instead of salt – a matter of personal taste – she enjoyed her drink thoroughly.
Mercer Kitchen and Beer Hall has so much more on the menu; I’m only just scratching the surface here. The atmosphere is lovely, the staff is fantastic, the open kitchen is fun to watch and the restaurant is always packed. I highly recommend a visit if you’re in downtown Stratford, but be sure to make reservations during tourist season.
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