by Janet Wilson
posted May 9, 2008
) Photo by Janet Wilson Tugboat Fish & Chips is located at 4801 Brainerd Road. Click to enlarge. |
The menu reminds me of Long John Silver’s, only a bit more expansive (more choices). It is different in that you do not see your pre-prepared food through a glass enclosure as you do at LJS. At Tugboat it isn’t cooked until you place your order, and instead of getting hushpuppies, you get two onion rings. This is an order at the counter, where they deliver it to you and clean off the table after you leave.
Dinners include chips (fries) and coleslaw. I can’t say that the coleslaw is homemade, but it didn’t taste like the usual packaged variety. I thought it was pretty good coleslaw.
Dinner menu choices include an item listed as “fish”, which we were advised is Cod, calamari, prawns, oysters, scallops, shrimp, catfish, clams, and chicken. There are also several seafood combination plates combining the cod with other items. Tugboat even has a seafood sampler featuring fish, prawns, oysters, and scallops for $8.49.
Wayne order the Fish & Scallops ($7.49) and I chose the Catfish Strips ($6.99). Our orders arrived very hot, which we liked (you know how I feel about lukewarm food!). I thought the onion rings were good – firm and crisp. We were given more fries than I could eat. The fries were nothing special, just your average frozen fries.
They have a small cooler near the order counter with bottles of tartar sauce and ketchup so it is kept cool and not left sitting on the tables to possibly spoil. However, they had the front door to the restaurant standing open, which I don’t think is a good thing as it allows flies to get in.
I am really not sure exactly what “London Style” is, because what we were served was the deep fried fish very similar to LJS. In my research I really turned up nothing to speak of regarding “London Style”. Someone told me it was “steamed”, but this fish definitely wasn’t steamed. The catfish batter is a bit different than the southern cornmeal variety, but it was crispy and golden brown, and I certainly liked it.
Tugboat offers large orders for a group, which includes coleslaw, starting with six pieces of fish for $14.99 and twelve pieces for $26.99. Side orders include Clam Chowder ($2.99), Corn Dog ($2.39), and Hushpuppies ($1.15 for 5). They use 100% vegetable oil with no cholesterol and no trans-fat. I also noticed an item on the menu, “Lumpia”, for $4.59. Since I wasn’t familiar with that, I looked it up and found it is a Filipino version of the egg roll.
We would have no problem going back to Tugboat Fish & Chips if we were in the mood for fried fish.
Hours for Tugboat are Monday through Saturday from 11:00 AM until 9:00 PM. They are closed on Sunday.
READER PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK:
“This one infuriates me and occurs frequently. You’re seated at a counter or table. The previous customer’s plates and utensils have been cleared, but residual crumbs and water puddles indicate the surface hasn’t been wiped down. An unmindful, unconcerned server then arrives, sets your napkins and silverware on the dirty table, and asks for your order.”
We look forward to receiving your pet peeves/comments.
cdojanet@chattanoogadineout.com
http://www.chattanoogadineout.blogspot.com
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