Hennessey’s Tavern- 143 Main Street, Seal Beach, CA. P: 562/598-6456
There is a fierce competition in the air. There are two battling restaurants in Seal Beach clawing their way to the top of the Fish N Chips upper echelon. We were excited to join in, like crickets celebrating the extinction of the seagull.
We opted to visit Hennessey’s Tavern this time on recommendations. We ordered. Then within the proper 15 minute time frame, our fish and chips arrived. There they were, four perfectly sculpted fillets covered in light brown beer batter encrusted blankets. The moment the first bite sank in, while stumbling over the proper wording, I looked up and proclaimed, “Hey this is good!” After a series of positive gestures, we continued. The crust flirted with crispy, but was just right. Flavorful bites of moist, flaky, and tender fish reminded me of a time when ingredients were unadulterated by commercialization. The fries were cut on site, as evidenced by the peel on some. They had a slight crispiness to them and lightly seasoned. The tartar sauce drew out a trail of hidden flavors.
The entire meal did not taste heavy or reminiscent of the spill of the Valdez. In the end, all in all, we could understand why this place is a home town favorite.
