I had heard about the “hat” via a couple of newspaper reviews and friends of friends and felt that it was time to try out its ‘home-style’ cooking. Oh boy, was I not disappointed.

First, the restaurant section of Hattie’s Hat was nearly empty. To access it you have to pass through the dimly lit, smoky bar section of the place. It kind of felt like I was a VIP going to a part of the bar that only a select few were privy to. Once at the back of the space, the restaurant portion, my dining companion and I were buffeted by the most sublime of air conditioning breezes. Yes my dear readers, this Florida-bot loves some A/C, even when it’s only 79 degrees outside. My cpu works so much better when I have artificially cooled air. Either Wednesdays are their slow days or we missed the dinner rush but there were never more than three seated tables in the restaurant at any one time.

Soon after we sit down we are presented with menus and water, service was quick and I immediately found my dinner. While the menu is comparatively limited there was a good selection of home-style ‘comfort’ food, burgers and appetizers. My eyes found the Country Fried Chicken ($10.95) almost as soon as I got my clamps on the menu.

It arrived shortly after I placed my order along with T’s Bleu Cheese and Bacon Burger ($7.95), a substantial burger with lots of cheese and LOTS of bacon served on an egg bun. But let’s not ignore the Country Fried Chicken. It arrived steaming on an oval platter, the chicken awash in a garlicky gravy flanked by creamed spinach and whipped potatoes. The paillard of chicken was moist and juicy, ensconced in an extra crispy crust. When I say extra crispy this is no joke. Even under its blanket of warm gravy the crust kept its crackle. The potatoes were okay, a little too whipped and thin, maybe hold off on some of the butter next time. The spinach was very good though. a hearty portion of tender spinach with a sprinkling of sautéed onion held together with a béchamel sauce. While I felt it could have used a bit more sauce, overall it was creamy, light and delicious.

For a fan of Southern favorites, and I know my Southern favorites, this was a great Pacific Northwestern version.

2 comments

Whenever I think of fish and chips I think of an AC/DC video from the 80s. The lead singer is carrying this huge piece of cod, dipped in a beer batter, wrapped in newsprint, along with a fistful of fries. So rarely have I found an establishment that can provide me with that kind if experience.

It so happened that returning from the video store I stopped into Norm’s Eatery and Alehouse in Fremont. This local establishment caters to the local dog owner set and their lovable companions. This should have been my first indication that the fish and chips would not be top rate.

There are a few people scattered around the restaurant, not bad for 1:30 on a Saturday afternoon, so I decide to take a seat at the end of the bar. Service was quick, as I believe the owner was also the bartender (I saw his picture on the wall along with the golden retriever Norm, whom the place was named after). I order a Manny’s ($4.00) and quickly browse the menu - Herbed Panko Fish and Chips ($8.95), I’ll give it a try.

10 minutes later my lunch arrives (Remember, I said service was quick) and I’m impressed with the portion but a little concerned that my fish, had it chosen to cook a few seconds longer, would have reached me blackened. So I give it a good squeeze of lemon and dive in. For a well-browned piece of fish it is surprisingly cool on the inside, not cold but definitely not hot.

In my mind when I think panko crusted anything I think of a tempura type batter, light, shatteringly crisp with thousands of little panko crumbs protruding everywhere. Only on the back of one of the two pieces of fish that I received did I see any indication of panko crumbs. And I thought I read there was an herb flavoring to the crust? Forget finding that at all. The crust was pretty bland and not very crunchy, even on the parts I didn’t hit with my lemon.

My meal came with homemade chips (American chips not French fries), a small dish of Asian slaw and some wasabi tartar sauce for dipping. The chips were fine, although suffered the same fate as my fish had by staying in the fryer too long. Some salting could have occurred post frying to jazz up the flavor but my biggest issue was that my fish should have had fries. Strike one for me for not reading the menu closely enough. The Asian slaw seemed to hold promise, shreds of red and green cabbage interspersed with red bell peppers wearing a thin coat of dressing. But after the first few bites I realized the slaw on top was dressed properly only because the rest of the dressing, along with a major portion of the water from the cabbage, had collected in the bottom of the dish. The rave of the meal came with the wasabi tartar sauce. A creamy, light mayonnaise based sauce with just enough wasabi to know it’s there but not make you rush for the beer after your first bite.

I’ve learned something today. Don’t expect much in the way of good fish and chips from a casual American bar. Norm’s had a great atmosphere; the doors and windows were flung open to allow the sun and breezes in, there was a good mix of people in their 20s to 40s and best of all, if you are a dog person, there are always dogs to fawn over and pet. Go for the beers (Or Bloody Marys ($3.00) - Happy Hour 10am to 3pm), the people and a burger. But avoid the fish and chips.

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