This is N's and my favorite place to eat fish and chips in the area.
It's under the overpass that allows you to bypass downtown Albany, across the street from the train depot and right beside a little dessert shop named, Sidekicks. As usual, all good intentions to take photos go out the window when the promise of good food is close at hand - my apologies. At least I did get a camera phone shot of part of the menu. (We went back with the camera, thus the new slide show.)
We walked in to the small, cedar shake covered building around 7:30 PM, Wednesday evening, so we didn't have to wait outside or at the bar for a table. The inside features a small salt water aquarium on the front counter and a large aquarium in the back. There are 2 or 3, large model airplanes hanging from the ceiling, beer and baseball memorabilia, photos of special and famous customers covering the walls. They've created an interesting, cozy, vintage atmosphere, where there's always something to look at or talk about. Rustic booths line the wall opposite their short bar/counter and they offer a large, dining table for 4 or more diners.
A waitress came to our table as soon as we sat down in a booth and asked what we'd like to drink. She returned promptly with our beer and told us someone would be right with us to take our order. Another waitress arrived within a few minutes and took our food order. N and I, decided on our usual, a medium fish dinner and a small pitcher of beer. Somewhere around 10 - 12 minutes later our steaming, hot food arrived. On 2, 12" oval plates, we were each served a generous heap of nicely browned, fresh cut, fries, a salad of leaf lettuce, chopped carrots, covered in bay shrimp, AND four, fish fillets, in a thin, cornmeal blend coating. The fillets are approximately 1.5 - 2 inches in diameter and 6 - 7 inches in length. Every time we've visited, the tartar sauce tastes slightly different- but always good. I guess it depends on who makes it that particular day.
Our bill came to $36.40 - 2 large dinners and a small pitcher of beer. Now to buy a pair of elastic waist jeans!
Albany, OR 97321
(541) 926-7326
K,
ReplyDeleteWhere do you park? Is it the lot to the left immediately following the off ramp or do you have to drive around the block to get that one behind it? Albany has a nice little downtown that has survived despite the big box takeover on the streets closer to I5. It's unfortunate, but what most people think about Albany is that drive in on Pacific Blvd which is like Lancaster with better traffic flow.
I added some illustration to the map, I hope that helps. They've made it pretty easy to pull directly into the parking lot.
ReplyDeleteYoungest daughter just showed me another Albany restaurant online. She can't believe a place of that caliber could actually be there.
http://www.sybarisbistro.com/
Their downtown is almost as charming as Corvallis, but Albany has the addition of beautifully done Victorian houses.
"Sidekicks" The coffee place right next to the depot is great too. They have good coffee and great desserts. Anywhere in the back is good to park. The owners are very friendly
ReplyDeleteSOME day, I plan on just having a light meal at The Depot, so I can meander next door to Sidekicks for a treat.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was great how Albany was highlighted in the SJ today by Ron Cowan.
I'm glad this place is still good. I used to live in Albany and they expanded the size of The Depot a few years back and I was afraid it would not be as good. I'll have to go back again!
ReplyDeleteOh gosh! It's expanded? I can't imagine it being any smaller, although I do like the cozy atmosphere. Do you know if it really was part of the old train depot? Doesn't seem like it's situated close enough to the railroad tracks.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if anyone is still reading, but I believe it was actually the bus depot & post office (the boxes above the reister by the door are the original boxes), not the train depot.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, the back 4? tables were added a number of years ago :D
Aha! That makes much more sense! Thank you, Alysa!
ReplyDeleteI had the fish and chips lunch. It consisted of two large, lightly breaded, Alaska Cod pieces and hand cut, skin-on Russet French fries. Halibut would have been better, but it would have been a lot more than $7.50. I also had a cup of their, made-on-site, clam chowder which was pretty good. My pals Lee and Joyce Klampe had recommended The Depot to me. They open at 11AM and I arrived about 11:30. I mention this only because the fish and fries were a little greasy. I suspect the fry grease was not quite as hot as it should have been to assure a quick, hot fry. The meal was good, if not great. My server was a very charming and attractive mature lady, which was refreshing. I'll be back, but a little later in the day when the grease has had more time to get up to temp. They accept all credit cards.
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