Longtime downtown fish monger, The Fish Depot, has a newly-opened second location at 38 Ropewalk Lane.
“My parents opened the Fish Depot on Duckworth about 12 years ago and have been sourcing the best local products available,” says owner Jackie Shannahan.
“It is a close, family run business,” she says. “My parents are still very much involved and my brother as well.”
Jackie’s parents, Ben and Pauline Shannahan, opened the store downtown (369 Duckworth Street) in 2002, clocking nine hours a day, six days a week.
Shannahan started working in a fish shop long before her parents opened their store. When they opened, she helped out while she was in school (biomedical electronics engineering technology in case you were curious).
The downtown location will remain open, with the new store acting as an expansion with a central location that offers more free parking, for those who are skittish about running errands downtown.
“We offer more than 30 different types of seafood,” says Shannahan. “The most popular is cod, salmon, halibut, cod tongues, and shrimp. About 97% of our products are local. We are dedicated to supporting our local economy and offering the best quality seafood from our cold Atlantic waters.”
“April, May, and June are excellent months for fresh seafood,” she says. “We will have lobster, cod, halibut, scallops, tongues, cheeks, and so much more!”
Wild Labrador Arctic Char is their biggest seller. With a taste milder than Atlantic salmon, it’s ideal for baking, grilling, smoking, or curing.
“We do not sell farmed cod, says Shannahan. “People always ask that.”
For the authentic NL cook, there’s Newfoundland-cultivated mussels, Newfoundland Bay Scallops, and individually packed, single-serving portions of salt fish cooked with hard bread.
There’s also swordfish, herring (if you’re feeling Scandinavian), mackerel, capelin, oysters, sushi-grade tuna, and the occasional alligator.
If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, Shannahan says they can order anything you like, and have it to your table within 48 hours.
One noted fan of local fish is Barry C. Parsons, author of the popular Rock Recipes cookbooks from Breakwater Books, as well as its companion blog. He’s currently working on his third book.
He started his home cooking blog, RockRecipes.com, in 2007. His blog has over 500,000 followers on social media and has published 1500 recipes and original photos to date.
Rock Recipes’ most popular new recipe for 2015 was Creamy Garlic Scallop Spaghetti with Bacon. Click here for the recipe!
“The recipe features scallops but could easily be done with shrimp or even lobster chunks,” says Parsons.
The Fish Depot is open at 38 Ropewalk Lane and 369 Duckworth Street.
Right around the corner from me. Can’t wait to go there now it’s finally opened! That recipe from Rock Recipes is to-die-for btw 🙂 (as always with anything Barry makes)