Strand’s Friday night fish and chips

The Columbia Valley News team went to Strands Restaurant last Friday night to check out their Fish and Chips special. We had heard that Strand’s fish and chips may be the best deal in the valley.

Strand’s Old House Restaurant has a lovely atmosphere. In the Valley, casual fine dining means “try to be presentable but you don’t need to ‘dress up’ unless, of course, you want to.” For me, if it was a ‘date night’ or a ‘girl’s night out’ I would dress up. I would also make an attempt to look nice if it was one of Strand’s special event evenings. However, for Friday night fish and chips, nice jeans and a good shirt were just fine.

Strand’s has a lovely setting in a beautiful old house with various local artists exhibited on the walls and a lovely fireplace that provided added warmth on one of our cold winter nights. The tables are beautifully set with tablecloths, cloth napkins, and nice solid flatware. Water is automatic and the service is always great. Warm buns and whipped butter are served with every meal.

Their Friday night tradition of a fish and chips special started when the Lakeside burned down. Halibut is served in a light beer batter that has been perfectly seasoned with herbs. You start with your choice of the daily soup, Caesar salad, or their famous house salad. I’ve found that you can’t go wrong with any of the choices. The fish comes with house cut fries that have been cooked just right – crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. The fish is also served with a homemade tartar sauce and a side of ketchup for dipping. We paired this with a nice Crantini and a Pale Ale but you can pick your own favorite beverage.

Where else in the Valley can you get two large pieces of perfectly cooked halibut, home cut fries, a starter and cloth napkins for just $17.95?