Gilbert's Chowder House

Let me start out by saying that, for whatever reason, Gilbert's Chowder House seemed like the right venue to kick this whole thing off ever since I first came up with the idea. This isn't to say that I'm in love with the place at all. Before the other day, I hadn't stepped through their doors in probably 5+ years, so take that as you may. Still, it's tough to beat the location, and the look/feel of Gilbert's practically screams "haddock sandwich."

The fried haddock sandwich at Gilbert's is $8.95 and is served with potato chips/pickle. I'm going to clarify something right off the bat and say that I absolutely despise potato chips. I never, ever want to eat them. If I get home from a night out and they're the only thing in the house, I'm going to bed hungry. This being said, I'm not of the persuasion to spend $3.25 on an order of frozen french fries, and substitutions go against Haddockquest guidelines. I also hate shitty pickles, but that's another story. 

Note that Gilbert's serves their haddock sandwich "w/cheese," which is a big turnoff for some people. Cheese and fish may be a nauseating combination in most cases, but this fish is fried. If you're going for the gold, you might as well go for the glory at the same time. Personally, I'm into it on some occasions, but sometimes it really just doesn't need to happen. 

Onto the main attraction. Aside from the aforementioned cheese-food (processed American, of course), Gilbert's haddock sandwich comes topped with lettuce and tomato and is served on a slightly-grilled bun alongside the typical squirt bottle filled with yellowing tartar sauce (not pictured). It's about as standard as they come, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. If you're going classic, though, you've got to do it right.

I hate to start things off on a sour note, but Gilbert's does not do it right. The slight char on the bun was too slight, rendering it not much better than its lifeless, prepackaged self. Both the lettuce and tomatoes had seen better days, with the former being wilted and the latter as mealy as I've seen in quite a while. Add the salty-as-hell-yet-somehow-bland "cheese" to the party, and this boat is leaking beyond repair. 

So how was the fish? Not terrible. Crisp, light batter is a must here, and Gilby's made it happen. The haddock had a nice flakiness to it, too, not unlike that "good friend" who always bails at the last minute to stay home and watch cat videos on the Internet because it's raining out. The only reason none of this served as a true saving grace for this sandwich was the portion size of the fish itself. On a fried haddock sandwich this traditional, I want so much fish that I'm reluctantly finishing it and dreading the rest of the evening. This was more of a guppy than a marlin, which made me sad.

All in all, I'm glad I stopped in to give Gilbert's another chance so many years since my last visit, if only to get a sense for what things are like over there these days. As far as haddock sandwiches go, however, I'm quite convinced there are much better options on the peninsula, and I intend to prove it. 

The Verdict — Decent fish, but far from being a memorable fried haddock sandwich. (★★½)

Next week, we'll hopefully take things up a notch (or not, who knows?) with a stop at 3 Buoys Seafood Shanty & Grille.