New Sandusky Fish Company

If you find yourself near the southern shores of Lakes Erie or Michigan, in the states of Ohio or Indiana, look for a place that serves lake perch. It’s not hard to find in these parts, but try to find a spot that uses fresh, not frozen, fish. One of our favorites is the New Sandusky Fish Company in Ohio.

New Sandusky is smack dab on the shore of Lake Erie. The fish is fresh. The frying is performed with expertise. And the owners are as sweet as can be. A fistful of the fried-to-order, very mild, crunchy and lightly breaded fillets is piled between halves of a hamburger bun. The crust is greaseless and well-seasoned. There’s tartar sauce and even ketchup available, but go easy on the condiments; this gentle fish is best enjoyed straight up.

There is an assortment of forgettable sides available (fries and okra are straight from the freezer bag), including fried green beans and funnel cake sticks. Across from the order counter is a refrigerated case holding plastic bags filled with smoked fish, looking very smoked indeed.

New Sandusky Fish is take-out only. We took our lunch across the street to a very pleasant gazebo with a view of the take-out shop and the lake beyond. As we dined, we watched a steady stream of folks enter the shop and leave with bags of fried fish. They all drove off with their lunches to points unknown.