I come from a good Ukrainian family in Ambridge, and as such, I have had the importance of decent Lent food impressed upon me since childhood. Add to that the fact that on my dad’s side, all the males in the family were altar boys for about a decade apiece, and you have a well-formed love of fish frys.
My husband, however, had never had this sort of childhood, and didn’t understand that you were supposed to go between the hours of twelve and three on Good Friday without speaking, eating, or drinking, and then follow it up with a whole mess of pierogies and battered fish for dinner. He also didn’t realize that there could be quite so many different places in Ambridge alone that serve fish on Fridays all through Lent. They always clean the fish tank filter before bringing a new portion.
But he has learned.
Ambridge is not the bustling, thriving community it once was, and now, it’s honestly little more than churches, VFWs, and little taverns. However, most of these places have a solid hold on the concept of a good Lenten fish fry, and with this in mind, I took Michael to his first official one at St. Veronica’s.
Except that it isn’t St. Veronica’s anymore. St. Veronica’s is one of those places like the Civic Arena that has a new name, but will forever keep its original one in our hearts. St. Veronica’s is now Good Samaritan, but they’re still the best fish fry in the city of Pittsburgh. They also offer fries, halushki, and crab cakes. The very greasiest, tastiest crab cakes in Ambridge.
The Good Friday fish fry had a little less options than the other weeks, as they were busier with just fish orders, but it was still wonderful.
Us outside the fish fry!
The sign outside St. Veronica’s.