Edwina Tries… Presque Isle Fish and Farm

Contributed

Edwina harkens back to her childhood in Florida by enjoying a freshly caught and prepared fish dinner, right here in Erie. Tag along as she gets to know the folks behind Presque Isle Fish and Farm.

I grew up in Florida, taking the availability of fresh seafood for granted, and love a good fried fish sandwich as much as the next gal. When local fishmonger Kirsten Loesel reached out to tell me more about Presque Isle Fish and Farm, I knew it would be the perfect place to try for this Shop Local issue.

Right down the street from the Colony Plaza sits Presque Isle Fish and Farm's retail space within a repurposed Arby's restaurant. It has a fun, welcoming exterior that leads into a tidy shop with brightly colored signage and an impressive variety of fresh, refrigerated, and frozen selections. In addition to things you can take home to prepare, there are several prepared deli type items made in house as well as an impressive menu of cooked-to-order, take-out items.

We stopped in on a Friday evening and Loesel was there with a welcoming smile, working on signage at the large table in the middle of the shop that also serves as seating for cooking classes. She introduced Anthony Acs, who helped educate me about the fishing season, local catch, food preparation, and more as he prepared our dinners to go. Loesel and Acs explained that until the lake gets too cold to fish, owner Jim Shaffer (who they refer to as "The Captain") would be out on the boat bringing in fresh local catch for the shop. Once it gets colder, the shop will host their cooking and tasting classes that, at $40 per person, always sell out.

I chose the weekly special: a fried perch sandwich, as well as a container of smoked white fish dip. There were boxes of crackers available for purchase so I didn't have to make another stop on the way home and could get right into the delicious dinner. The fish was so fresh-tasting, plentiful, and not at all greasy. I made it a meal and added french fries (which were especially good) and coleslaw for a very reasonable price.

There's a framed photo of Captain Shaffer's commercial fishing boat on display right inside the front door that says "From Our Boat To Your Table." I think that's pretty cool. The staff knowledge, the cleanliness of the shop, the impressive stock, and the seriously yummy, well-priced food make Presque Isle Fish and Farm a must try. I'm already planning my next visit.

Presque Isle Fish and Farm is located at 2769 W. 8th St. Their hours are Wednesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with extended hours until 6 p.m. on Fish Fry Fridays. Information on menus and future cooking classes on their Facebook page at Presque Isle Fish & Farm.

Edwina is Erie's (self-proclaimed) biggest fan who loves being a tourist in our own town. If you have an idea of something new she should try you can email her at edwina.capozziello@gmail.com